President Too Close To Call In Michigan; GOP Holds House

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - The presidential race in once-reliably Democratic Michigan was too close to call early Wednesday, as votes were still being counted in the state after Donald Trump won nationally over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump was seeking to become the first Republican to win Michigan in nearly 30 years.

Speaking live on WWJ Newsradio Wednesday morning, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said election officials are taking their time tallying the votes.

"That's something that I think people will want to follow up on but in many respects it's because the election is so close," he said. "If you get down to it, you want to be careful about making decisions and it could be a handful of votes -- we've seen that in multiple elections in the past. There's enough states, though, to make it clear that Donald Trump is the next president with out Michigan. So, let's just start moving forward on that path."

Trump's strong performance in an industrial Midwest state that President Barack Obama easily won twice benefited down-ballot Republicans, who kept their majority in the state House and a 9-5 edge in the U.S. House delegation.

Here's a closer look at the contests:

Crack In The Blue Wall?

Democrats have carried Michigan, a state in the traditional "blue wall" of 18 states and Washington, D.C., for six straight presidential races, dating to 1988. But the billionaire Trump had appeal in places like Macomb County, a working-class area north of Detroit that Obama carried by 4 percentage points in 2012 but where Trump enjoyed a 11 point-plus margin.

Stevan Penner, 71, a retired engineer from St. Clair Shores, said he was "leery" of Clinton.

"Donald Trump has some problems also, but I'd feel more confident with somebody new in Washington than somebody that's been around a long time," Penner said.

Dennis LeRoy said Trump has a "big mouth" and sometimes sounds "like an idiot." But the 59-year-old commercial painter from St. Clair Shores voted for him anyway.

"I'm one of her deplorables," LeRoy said, referring to Clinton's description of Trump supporters in September. "I want a change. He has a lot of integrity in business."

Neither Popular

Preliminary results of an exit poll taken for The Associated Press and television networks showed that both candidates were deeply unpopular with Michigan voters. A majority rated both unfavorably and only about half said they strongly supported the person for whom they voted. The economy weighed heavily on voters' minds, the poll showed, with about six in 10 describing it as "not so good" or poor. About four in 10 said the most important quality for the next president was to bring about needed change.

Republicans' House

Republicans, who have controlled the Michigan House for nearly six years, retained their majority and appeared poised to possibly gain a seat after Democrats had earlier been expected to bolster their own ranks. The GOP also has control of the state Senate, which was not up for election this year, and the governorship. Gov. Rick Snyder is now assured that the Legislature will have been controlled by Republicans his entire eight years in office.

To Washington You Go

The GOP's 9-5 U.S. House edge is intact. Republican political newcomer Jack Bergman defeated Democrat Lon Johnson for the open 1st Congressional District in northern Michigan. And Rep. Tim Walberg won a fifth term in Congress, beating Democratic state Rep. Gretchen Driskell in southern Michigan's 7th District. Another new member of the delegation is Paul Mitchell, who won a seat 18 months after helping to defeat a statewide tax proposal to fix Michigan's roads. He won the open 10th District seat, which represents the state's Thumb region. Republican U.S. Rep. Candice Miller didn't seek re-election after 14 years.

Supreme Court Seats

Michigan Supreme Court Justices Joan Larsen and David Viviano won new terms, which ensures Republican nominees a continued 5-2 majority on the bench.

Larsen was appointed to the court in 2015 and now will serve the two years remaining in the term of a justice who resigned.

Viviano, who won a full eight-year term, was appointed to Michigan's highest court in 2013 and won a partial two-year term a year later.

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.