On Thursday, January 30, Wayne County Commissioner Laura Cox officially filed affidavit of candidacy to run for Michigan’s 19th District House of Representatives seat. The 19th House District represents the city of Livonia. She is seeking the seat being vacated by State Representative John Walsh due to term limits.
Cox is the wife of former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, who served two terms as AG.
“Knowing Laura Cox over the years and seeing how she meets a great variety of challenges, I believe she will be a perfect fit for this role. With her experience and skill set, I enthusiastically endorse Laura’s candidacy,” said Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey.
Cox, a lifelong Michigan resident, brings a well-known reputation as taxpayer advocate and fiscal hawk — a reputation earned over the past 10 years on the Wayne County Commission where often times she was the lone vote for decreased spending, lower taxes, and policies that favored the taxpayer. This willingness to fight for the ordinary citizens of Wayne County has won Cox the admiration of voters of all political stripes.
First elected in 2004, the voters of Livonia, Northville, Plymouth, and Plymouth Township have supported Cox’s efforts by repeatedly re-electing Cox to the Commission.
As chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Cox seeks to undo wasteful Wayne County spending and bring relief to the county’s taxpayers. She has been unrelenting in holding the Ficano Administration’s feet to the fire. Cox has repeatedly led the fight for more transparency in County government, voted against measures that have increased Wayne County’s debt, and led the fight against projects like the Wayne County Jail, political appointee staffs, and the Pinnacle Horse Track that cost Wayne County taxpayers more than $35.2 million.
“My number one goal has been to ensure that your tax dollars are never lost to waste, fraud or abuse,” Cox said. “I demand accountability in our elected county officials.”
When asked, “Why Lansing and why now?,” Cox responded, “One, I want push through reforms in Lansing that will stop many of the abuses that now happen unchecked in Wayne County. Second, as our state starts to recover from the Great Recession, I want to make sure the Legislature does not succumb to foolish spending habits of the past now that revenues are increasing and Michigan is coming back. And, third, I want to push an agenda of fiscal responsibility, educational accountability, and personal responsibility that will unlock Michigan’s great potential and make Michigan a magnet for jobs and innovation.”
Speaker Pro-Tempore John Walsh, the current state representative of Livonia, is supporting Cox because he believes she is the right person for the job.
“Livonia needs Laura Cox. Lansing needs leaders and Laura Cox is undoubtedly a leader. Most importantly, for the 19th district, she is a leader whose number one priority is Livonia,” Walsh said.
Cox began her career in public service as a special agent with the U.S Customs — now I.C.E. — where she worked undercover, conducted surveillance, and executed search warrants to stop drug traffickers and money launderers. During her 13 years as an agent, Cox’s work also included sophisticated financial investigations to stop smugglers and currency traffickers, and other duties to protect Michigan’s citizens and the nation’s borders.
Cox gives back to her community in her spare time. While too many to list, Cox’s activities include volunteering for her children's YMCA soccer teams, being a “lunch mom” at St. Edith School, CYO baseball coordinator, and the football chain gang. She was also an advisor for MSU's Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, seeking to help young women develop leadership and community skills.
She is a proud, two-time graduate of Michigan State University. Cox and her husband, Mike, have four children — Lindsey, Shay, Conor, and Rory — and two grandchildren, Grace and Savanna.
