The Heat is On: Mansour and Arbit square off in redrawn Michigan 20th

Noah Arbit and Alan Mansour

By Paul Natinsky

The stage is set for November’s general elections, and the race in Michigan’s state House 20th District promises to be a close one.

The new 20th is an open seat, with former incumbent Ryan Berman (R-Commerce Township) throwing his hat in the ring for state Attorney General. It’s also a newly reconfigured district combining the old 39th (Commerce, western West Bloomfield), 40th (eastern West Bloomfield), and 29th (Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake) districts, according to Democratic primary winner Noah Arbit.

Arbit, a former Governor Gretchen Whitmer staffer, will face-off against Albert Mansour, a conservative real estate professional who just happens to be Chaldean.

“I am honored to be a first-generation Chaldean American,” said Mansour. “I am extremely proud of my Chaldean heritage and my wife and I work hard each day to honor and instill the values to our children by passing on the positive lessons and moral standards we were taught growing up.”

The new district favors Democrats by 53 to 55 percent, according to pollster Ed Sarpolus, so Mansour will have his work cut out for him. Democrats tallied double the number of total votes in the primary contests, from 7,515 to 15,413.

It’s a Democratic seat, so the conventional wisdom is that it stays that way, said pollster Steve Mitchell. “But the Chaldean community really rallies behind its candidates. It’s an uphill struggle for Mansour, but Arbit is a very, very liberal Democrat and I think Mansour may do better than people think.”

But can the seat flip to Republican? “I think if (Mansour) can raise money he’s got an opportunity. It’s going to be a very uphill battle, but yeah,” said Mitchell.

Arbit plans to emphasize mental health, hate crimes, and support for small businesses in his campaign. “These issues are very personal to me, and to our community,” he said.

“I am committed to confronting Michigan’s mental health crisis and ensuring every kid, every senior, and every Michigander in between—from Keego Harbor to Copper Harbor—has access to the resources and treatments that will enable them to achieve their potential.”

“In addition … I will be laser-focused on tackling skyrocketing hate crimes and violent extremism by strengthening and supplementing Michigan’s outdated, ineffective, and weak hate crimes statute and actually protecting our communities.”

Arbit, bolstered by a Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce endorsement, plans to address rising costs and supply chain issues. “We need to elect small business champions who will actually make the lives of small business owners easier, not harder.”

Parental rights in education and strengthening the local economy are atop Mansour’s agenda.

“As elected officials, the school board should be held accountable to the parents and teachers. There should be transparency in what is being taught to our children. Parents and teachers should not have to walk on eggshells around the school board,” he said.

He also emphasized job growth and getting people back to work as top priorities, as well as mitigating the rising rate of inflation and fuel costs. 

The economy

Mansour’s positions on the economy come from an insider’s perspective. As a businessman living in the district, he daily confronts the issues he hopes to alleviate.

“As a small business owner coming from a family of business owners, I understand the importance of a strong local economy and the impact that small and local businesses have on the community. I am in favor of legislation that supports and encourages the opening of new businesses or helps to create growth in existing businesses,” said Mansour.

“I think incentivizing start-ups can be beneficial in creating jobs and spurring and strengthening the local economy. In speaking with business owners, a top priority for many is getting people back to work.

“The employee shortage has destroyed a number of businesses and has disrupted numerous others. Stopping unnecessary government spending can help to curb the shortage. I intend to work with both sides to find a way to get people back to work.”

For Arbit, ensuring the strength and competitiveness of the economy, on the local level in greater West Bloomfield and Commerce, across Oakland County, and in all of Michigan will be one of his top priorities in the state House.

“I will work relentlessly to support our vibrant small business community by reducing overbearing regulatory burdens, cutting red tape, and swiftly connecting local businesses with the resources they need within state agencies,” said Arbit. “I will advocate for state funding to boost economic development and incentivize new business growth across the Lakes Area, particularly, the Orchard Lake corridor in Keego Harbor and Sylvan Lake.”

He added that he will work to invest in workforce development, apprenticeship, and training programs to ensure the workforce is equipped to “help Michigan compete and harness the opportunities of a rapidly changing global economy.”

He also said, “Michigan needs to implement a fair and manageable tax structure that generates enough revenue to adequately fund the quality services Michiganders desire without unduly burdening families.”

Immigration

Immigration continues to be a hot-button issue in legislative races, though the policies are largely determined at the federal level.

“First and foremost, our immigration system should protect the American people,” said Mansour. “I believe our immigration system should be an organized one. It should be humane, yet firm, and our borders should be secure. 

“That being said, there are actual realized benefits to the receiving country that come with legal immigration. My own parents are legal immigrants who continue to contribute to our society in a number of ways culturally, socially, and economically.”

As for specifics, Mansour said, “Some ways to improve immigration policy may include securing the border to be able to track those who enter and exit the country in an effort to deter illegal immigration, and those overstaying their visas. Also, the expansion of immigrant visa eligibility can help improve legal immigration.”

“I believe immigrants enrich America, and I know we share the goal of ensuring that new immigrants, including Iraqi immigrants, are treated humanely, with respect, and are supported on a path to full citizenship and integration,” said Arbit.

“But, more relevant to what I can accomplish as a state representative includes finding avenues to provide support for Chaldean immigrants seeking to open up small businesses, as well as to address the safety of Chaldean small business owners across Metro Detroit.”

Opposing perspectives

Arbit expressed broad concerns about the Republican agenda’s pressure to vote a particular way on key issues.

“I fear that my opponent will be a reliable vote for an extreme agenda to gut funding for public education, deny Michiganders access to critical healthcare, and allow corporations to pollute our lakes and environment, and that is simply not a risk our community can afford.

“The primary difference (between me and my opponent) is that I’m not running to serve a political party; I’m running to serve West Bloomfield, Commerce, and the Lakes—and as state representative, I’ll move heaven and earth—and work across the aisle—to get it done.”

Mansour said “a lifetime of experience,” separates him from his opponent. “As a husband and a father of school-aged children, I share the same concerns of many families and many parents in our district. During COVID our lives were disrupted, including the way our schools operated and how our children learned. My family experienced those struggles first-hand, and were there, side-by-side, with all the other families in our district. As a parent, I have seen the impact that has had on our children and understand what these families have gone through.”

Mansour said his work experiences enable him to understand the problems facing people living in the district.

“For over a decade, my experience working for an automotive supplier led me to daily interactions with workers across all organizational levels. I have been fortunate to listen to the concerns of employees from trades workers to upper management when it comes to issues such as employment, labor, and manufacturing.

“My path as a small business owner has led me to experience what many in our district are currently going through—from rising fuel cost, inflation, higher cost of groceries, a shortage of employees—we are feeling it in our district and across the state. 

“I have the background not only to listen to the concerns of the people of our district, but I have been there with them sharing the same concerns and experiences.”

As is the case with races across the state, Michigan’s 20th House District will feature new candidates to go with its redrawn borders.