Gabriel Leland is a Democratic politician from the state of Michigan.
Background
He is the son of former State Senator Burton Leland, who served in the Michigan State Legislature for 26 years. Gabriel Leland was born on September 28, 1982 to Burton and Rosanne Leland, a Jewish family from Northwest Detroit. At the time of his birth, his father was serving as Democratic State Representative, a position that he would hold until 1998, when he was elected to the Michigan State Senate where he served until he retired from the legislature due to term limits in 2006.
Education
Leland attended both East Lansing and Detroit Public Schools and graduated from East Lansing High School in 2001. He attended Kehillat Israel Congregation in Lansing, Michigan while growing up.
Career
In 2004, Leland was elected to the Michigan State House of Representatives, representing the 10th District, which is located in Wayne County and includes the farwest and partial northwest corner of the city of Detroit. Due to term limits Burton Leland left the legislature in 2006 and now is continuing his public service as a 4th term Wayne County Commissioner. Leland currently serves on the Detroit City Council.
Leland graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Surgery / community development concentration.
He attends the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit. In 2004, following in the footsteps of his father, Gabe Leland announced his candidacy as a Democrat for the 10th State House District in Detroit to succeed Triette East. Reeves, who was retiring due to term limits.
However, Leland faced much opposition in the Democratic Primary. The 10th District is approximately 70% African American and several prominent African Americans ran against Leland in the primary, including future State Representative from the 9th District, Shanelle Jackson.
The primary was competitive and often racially charged.
In 2006, several people again challenged Leland in the Democratic Primary, including Stephanie Young, who was supported by former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Term limits prevent Leland from running for re-election in 2010. Leland is a presumed City Council candidate in the newly created 7th District in Detroit, encompassing a large swath of his old house seat.
The Primary election is scheduled for August 6, 2013.
lieutenant was the narrowest victory in any of the council races, winning by only 50 votes. 2008 campaign for State House
Gabe Leland (Doctorate), 95%
Marc Sosnowski (UST), 5%
2008 campaign for State House, Democratic Primary
Gabe Leland (Doctorate), 68%
LaTanya Garrett (Doctorate), 27%
Brian Sylvester (Doctorate), 6%
2006 campaign for State House
Gabe Leland (Doctorate), 94%
Thomas Shaut (R), 6%
2006 campaign for State House, Democratic Primary
Gabe Leland (Doctorate), 53%
Stephanie Young (Doctorate), 28%
Barbra Long (Doctorate), 8%
Ron Johnson (Doctorate), 4%
Thomas Jackson (Doctorate), 3%
2004 campaign for State House
Gabe Leland (Doctorate), 91%
Reuben Myers (R), 9%
2004 campaign for State House, Democratic Primary
Gabe Leland (Doctorate), 21%
Jim Edmondson, Junior.
(Doctorate), 18%
Barbra Long (Doctorate), 17%
Shanelle Jackson (Doctorate), 17%
Carolyn Chambers (Doctorate), 10%
Ron Johnson (Doctorate), 6%
Michael Grundy (Doctorate), 5%.