Cotter Elected Speaker; Greimel Re-elected Minority Leader

LANSING – The new Michigan House Republican caucus elected Rep. Kevin Cotter the House speaker for the 2015-16 session Thursday.

Cotter?s election came as Rep. Al Pscholka (R-Stevensville), who had campaigned for the speakership as well, dropped his bid and will chair the House Appropriations Committee instead. The Appropriations chair announcement is not yet official.

To be elected speaker, Cotter (R-Mount Pleasant) needed at least 32 votes of the 63-member House Republican caucus that will be in place next term.

Cotter is currently chair of the House Judiciary Committee and vice chair of the Elections and Ethics Committee, he also serves as associate speaker pro tempore.

House Republicans elected Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) to the post of House majority floor leader and Rep. Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) as speaker pro tempore. Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R-Walker) will be the caucus whip.

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, House Democrats re-elected Minority Leader Tim Greimel (D-Auburn Hills), but made a change in the No. 2 post of floor leader. Rep. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), a key figure in the well-regarded House Democratic campaign fundraising effort, won the floor leader job, replacing the current Minority Floor Leader, Rep. David Rutledge (D-Ypsilanti).

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