Steve Marino (politician)

Anthony G. Forlini, the then-incumbent representative of District 24 did not seek-reelection, because of term limit restrictions. Steve Marino, 27 at the time, secured more than 75% (4,991) of the 6,274 votes cast in the August 2nd Republican primary election for the position, securing his nomination.[5] His opponent, Dana Camphous-Peterson, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.[6] In the November 8th election, Marino received 23,968 votes (55.07%) while Camphous-Peterson received 19,553 votes (44.93%).[7]

Marino ran unopposed in the Republican primary, as did Laura Winn in the Democratic primary.[6] In the November 6th election, Marino received 21,391votes (55.54%), while his opponent, Winn received 7,124 votes (44.46%).[8]

Marino gained negative media attention in 2016 after Michigan Democrats released a series of short audio recordings of Marino telling a series of fabricated stories to Democrat activists who he believed to be constituents, including one which Jewish news organizations characterized as antisemitic in nature.[9][10] Marino retracted his statements and apologized stating the stories were "Lansing urban legends" and he "was just trying to illustrate some of the silliness" that took place in the state's capital.[11]

In other secretly taped recordings, Michigan Democrat's alleged that Marino defended outsourcing US jobs abroad to nations with fewer labor regulations; "Its easier for us just to move our plant to India...where materials are 1/100th of the cost and we can have people 10 and 12 years old working."[12][13] While liberal organizations criticized the comments, alleging that they constituted support of child labor, Marino stated his words were taken out of context, and he was merely "discussing the tragedy of outsourcing American jobs overseas."[14][15]

The recordings played a major part in Marino's 2016 election bid.[16][15]