A Light Shade of Blue: Democrat Wins in Conservative County

HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) - A Democrat has won an election in one of Michigan's most Republican counties.

On his third try, Doug Zylstra made history Tuesday by winning a seat on the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners from a district in Holland. The Holland Sentinel says it's a first for a Democrat.

Ottawa County in western Michigan has always been reliable for the GOP. Bill Schuette got 60 percent of the vote in Ottawa in his unsuccessful bid for governor. President Donald Trump got 62 percent in 2016. Nine of 11 Republicans running for the county board didn't have a Democratic opponent.

Zylstra says his vote totals improved over three runs for office. He says his goal is "not to be an adversary" on the board but to effectively represent his constituents in Holland.

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