Macomb Daily – Carey Wins!

Democrats add to county board majority

Macomb Daily staff photo by Ray J. Skowronek Incumbent Democratic county Commissioner Carey Torrice, right, gets a hug from her mother-in-law, Barbara Torrice.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 6:15 AM EST

By Norb Franz, Macomb Daily Staff Writer

Democrats boosted their control of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, picking up at least two seats in Tuesday’s election.Voters helped Democrats, who already held an 18-8 edge, add to their ranks by wrestling away seats in southern Macomb Township and in northern Sterling Heights-Utica. Meantime, the race for a county board seat in southern Chesterfield Township was too close to call. One of the most closely watched races in the campaign was in District 16 (northern Clinton Township), where incumbent Democrat Carey Torrice defeated Republican William Revoir, 55 percent to 45 percent, in a rematch of their 2006 contest. Torrice, 31, had attracted national media attention after posting provocative photos of herself on her Web site. TMZ.com suggested she was the “hottest” politician in the country. An actress, model and private investigator, Torrice got additional national exposure when the television show “Inside Edition” did a story, including footage of her holding up a campaign sign while dressed in a yellow bikini. The presence of a film crew from the show at a county board meeting caused an uproar that included her husband denouncing the crowd.

Torrice said the national spotlight brought out more voters who she believes supported her.”They came out and registered because of the hard work I’ve done,” she said. As she campaigned door-to-door, residents took pictures and she signed autographs.”It was because people are inspired by someone who gives a damn about Macomb County,” Torrice said. Revoir, 54, a minister and financial planner, was trying to regain the seat he previously held for six years. He could not be reached for comment late Tuesday. The Republican Party mailed an anti-Torrice flier into the district that featured a shadowy female figure straddling a stripper pole.”I would say that worked against the Republican Party. It was very unclassy,” she said.