# Aric Nesbitt

Aric Nesbitt (born January 25, 1980) is an American politician serving as a member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 20th district, which includes most of Van Buren County, Central Allegan County, Northern Berrien County and Byron Township & Gaines Township in Kent County. He serves as the minority leader of the Michigan State Senate and previously served as President pro tempore. He received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award from Hillsdale College for being a conservative reformer. He previously represented the 66th District in the Michigan House of Representatives and served as the Michigan Lottery Commissioner from 2017 to 2018. Nesbitt was elected in November 2010 to the Michigan House of Representatives, served three terms, and served as the House Majority Floor Leader and chair of the House Committee on Energy & Technology. He is a member of the Republican Party and resides south of Lawton, Michigan, with his wife, Trisha, daughter, Catherine, and son, William.

## Early life

Nesbitt grew up on a six generation family dairy & grape farm in Porter Township, just south of Lawton in Van Buren County. He is the middle of five children, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. He said this taught him the values of hard work, self-government, and independence. His father served three tours in Vietnam and came back home to run the family dairy farm. He served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives during his junior year of high school and was a delegate to the American Legion Boy's Nation between his junior and senior year of high school.

## Education

Nesbitt graduated from Lawton High School in 1998, the same school as his father and grandfather. During his senior year of high school he was dual enrolled at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. He earned a B.A. in economics from Hillsdale College December 2001 and later earned his master's degree in international business from Norwegian School of Economics, NHH.

## Roles within Michigan Legislature

* 2023–Present
** Senate Minority Leader
** Minority Vice-Chairman, Government Operations Committee
* 2019–2022
** Senate President Pro-Tempore
** Chairman, Regulatory Reform Committee
** Chairman, Appropriation Subcommittee on Licensing & Regulatory Affairs and Insurance & Financial Services
** Chairman, Advice & Consent Committee
** Vice-chairman, Finance Committee
** Vice-chairman, Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic
** Member, Appropriations Committee
** Member, Government Operations Committee
** Member, Energy & Technology Committee
** Member, Insurance & Banking Committee
* 2015–2016
** House Majority Floor Leader
** Chairman, Energy Committee
** Member, Elections Committee
** Chairman, Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee
* 2013–2014
** Chairman, Energy and Technology Committee
** Member, Commerce Committee
** Member, Tax Policy Committee
** Member, Insurance Committee
** Chairman, Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee
* 2011–2012
** Vice Chair, Government Operations Committee
** Member, Energy and Technology Committee
*** Chairman, Subcommittee on Natural Gas
** Member, Tax Policy Committee
** Member, Education Policy Committee

## Electoral history

Michigan's 20th Senate District General Election, Nov. 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 69,316 | 61% | +4 |
| | Democratic | Kim Jorgensen Gane | 44,403 | 39% | −1 |
Michigan's 20th Senate District Republican Primary Election, August 2022 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 24,691 | 67% |
| Republican | Austin Kreutz | 7,853 | 21% |
| Republican | Kaleb M. Hudson | 4,172 | 11% |
Michigan's 26th Senate District General Election, Nov. 2018 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 61,509 | 57% |
| Democratic | Garnet Lewis | 43,495 | 40% |
| Libertarian | Erwin Haas | 2,375 | 2% |
| Green | Robert M. Alway | 1,153 | 1% |
Michigan's 26th Senate District Republican Primary Election, August 2018 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 16,529 | 52% |
| Republican | Bob Genetski | 9,377 | 28% |
| Republican | Don Wickstra | 6,443 | 20% |
Michigan's 66th District General Election, Nov. 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 15,753 | 58% | |
| | Democratic | Annie Brown | 11.646 | 42% | |
Michigan's 66th District General Election, Nov. 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 22,990 | 59% | |
| | Democratic | Richard Rackovich | 16,277 | 41% | |
Michigan's 80th District General Election, Nov. 2010 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 15,492 | 62% |
| Democratic | Tom Erdmann | 7,859 | 32% |
| Libertarian | Bill Bradley | 722 | 3% |
| No Party Affiliation | Cheryl Evick | 778 | 3% |
Michigan's 80th District Primary Election, Aug. 2010 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Aric Nesbitt | 5,458 | 50% |
| Republican | Shelly Hartmann | 1,818 | 17% |
| Republican | Frank Thompson | 1,697 | 16% |
| Republican | Robert Linderman | 801 | 8% |
| Republican | Douglas J. Harrington | 769 | 7% |
| Republican | William Queen | 204 | 2% |