If elected in November, Mark Abbo will be not only the highest-ranking Chaldean American to hold office in Michigan, he’ll also be the first in the state House of Representatives.
 

Abbo, a Northville Township supervisor, bested four opponents on August 8 to win the Republican Primary Election for State House District 20. He garnered 4,183 votes, topping the combined 3,906 votes for his opponents.

“I’m pleased that the voters showed confidence in me,” Abbo said.
 

Abbo’s campaign manager, Matt Frendewey, said three of the hopefuls — Don Schnettler, T. Cortez Spann, Jr., and Jason Vorva — filed official exemptions declaring that they would raise less than $1,000 for their campaigns. Abbo’s strongest opponent was Beth A. Stewart, wife of the district’s term-limited state Rep. John C. Stewart (R-Plymouth). Stewart’s name recognition advantage influenced the Abbo camp’s strategy.
 

“We treated the campaign as if we were running against an incumbent,” Abbo said.

Abbo amassed a campaign war chest far greater than Stewart’s. According to Frendewey, Abbo raised approximately $75,000; Stewart raised less than a third of that.