Winnie Brinks

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Winnie Brinks
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Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2023
Preceded byMike Shirkey
Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 29th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byDave Hildenbrand
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 76th district
In office
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Preceded byRoy Schmidt
Succeeded byRachel Hood
Personal details
BornWinnie De Vries[1]
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Mount Vernon, Washington, U.S.
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PartyDemocratic
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Steve Brinks
​
​
(m. 1992)​
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Children3
EducationCalvin College (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

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Winnie Brinks (born February 17, 1968)[3] is an American politician who has served as a member of the Michigan Senate since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Brinks assumed office as Majority Leader of the Senate on January 1, 2023; she is the first woman to ever hold the office, and the first Democrat to do so since William Faust left office in 1984. Brinks previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018, worked as an executive at a non-profit before seeking office.[4] In the House, she served on the Workforce and Talent Development, Education, Health Policy, and Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committees.[3] She also serves as chair of the Progressive Women's Caucus, a non-profit organization that addresses concerns about women's health, pay equity, economic security and gender violence.[5]

Education and early career

Brinks earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish from Calvin College.[3] For several years she was Executive Director of One Way House Inc., a residential facility for non-violent female offenders.[6] She also was a caseworker at The Source, an employee support organization.[6][7]

Political career

Brinks was recruited to run for office after Roy Schmidt, who had previously been elected to the Michigan House as a Democrat, switched to the Republican Party at the deadline to file for re-election, leaving no legitimate Democratic candidate on the primary ballot. Brinks ran in the primary as a write-in candidate, exceeding the 1,000 votes required to win the Democratic nomination. She then defeated Schmidt in the November general election.[8][9] In 2014, she was re-elected, defeating Republican challenger Donijo DeJonge,[10] and in 2016 she defeated Republican challenger Casey J. O'Neill.[11]

Due to term limits, Brinks was unable to run for re-election in 2018, and instead ran successfully for the 29th district of the Michigan Senate. Brinks defeated fellow state representative Chris Afendoulis, a Republican, and Libertarian and Working Class Party candidates. She succeeded Dave Hildenbrand, also a Republican, who was required by term limits to vacate the seat.[12]

After the 2022 Michigan Senate election, where the Democratic Party won control of the State Senate, Brinks was chosen as the majority leader of the Michigan Senate Democrats.[13] Brinks is the first female majority leader of the State Senate.

Personal Life

Brinks is 3rd Cousins 2x Removed of US Ambassador-also from Michigan, Pete Hoekstra.

Position Election Year Votes Opponent's
votes 		Opponent
State Representative 2012 23,530 12,337 Roy Schmidt [9]
State Representative 2014 15,804 13,822 Donijo DeJonge[10]
State Representative 2016 27,046 18,473 Casey J. O'Neill[11]
State Senator 2018 70,715 50,225 Chris Afendoulis[12]
State Senator 2022 59,407 39,115 Tommy Brann[14]

Political positions

As Senate majority leader, Brinks voted for the repeal of Michigan's right-to-work law, stating: "We've talked a lot about bringing good job creators here to our state. But we haven't talked nearly enough about how we’re going to attract and keep workers and their families."[15] In 2023, Brinks voted with to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.[16] In 2025, when the Michigan House passed a resolution calling for Michigan High School Athletic Association to ban transgender girls from girls' sports, Brinks stated of the Democratic-controlled Senate: "We will not be attacking kids. We will not be taking this up."[17]

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Owen Marten De Vries July 29, 2021". www.hawthornefh.com.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Today marks 31 years with Steven M. Brinks! 💖💖💖". facebook.com.
  3. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Michigan Manual 2015-2016" (PDF). State of Michigan. p. 178. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Michigan's Newest Legislative Members". Michigan Capitol Confidential. January 14, 2013. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Legislative members of the Progressive Women's Caucus". 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Reynolds, Jennnifer (2014). "Rep. Winnie Brinks: Sharing Her Voice, Listening to Others". West Michigan Woman Magazine.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Our Mission". The Source. 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jackson, Angie (December 8, 2012). "Winnie Brinks takes oath of office as Michigan's 76th District State Representative". MLive. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  9. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2012 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. September 28, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2014 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. September 28, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2016 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. November 28, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018". mielections.us. Archived from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Brinks chosen as first female state Senate majority leader". WOODTV.com. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2022 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Voter Information Center. November 8, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Hendrickson, Clara (March 14, 2023). "Michigan Senate Democrats pass bills repealing right-to-work law". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lobo, Arpan (March 1, 2023). "Michigan Senate passes historic bill to protect LGBTQ rights". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Clara, Hendrickson; Kovanis, Georgea. "LGBTQ+ advocates call 8 Democratic votes on transgender sports a betrayal". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 7, 2025.

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