Will face Republican Ginger Shearer May 3
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Local attorney Jeffrey Pepper defeated Alabas Farhat in the March 1 primary for the Democratic slot in the 15th District special election to fill Abdullah Hammoud’s vacant state House seat.
Pepper will now face Republican Ginger Shearer in the May 3 general election for a term which runs through the end of the calendar year.
Pepper garnered 3,590 votes to Farhat’s 2,778, while Shearer received 1,201 votes for the uncontested Republican slot.
Pepper thanked his supporters and the election workers, and praised Farhat for running a “great campaign.”
“He has great things ahead of him,” Pepper said in a social media post. “I’m fired up and ready for the general (election).”
Pepper, who has not held public office before, said that in his short time in office, he hopes to effectuate a change in formula for road improvement.
“A two-lane road up north gets the same per-mile funding as a six-lane road in southeast Michigan,” he said. “This needs to change.”
Pepper said he also hopes to secure additional state funding through supplemental appropriations for roads and schools.
“Of urgent need is re-establishing constituent service for the people of Dearborn,” he said. “It is additionally urgent that we have a strong voice in opposition to any of the majority’s efforts to erode our democratic election principles and to address any other skullduggery that can occur in a lame duck session.”
Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun congratulated Pepper, and said he looks forward to working with his to serve Dearborn residents.
Baydoun also congratulated Farhat for a hard-fought race.
“Alabas is a passionate young man who truly cares about the entire Dearborn community,” he said. “He is intelligent, hard-working, and I know that his future is as bright as he is.”