James Ananich (/ˈænənɪk/ AN-ə-nik;[1] born September 20, 1975)[2] is an American politician from the State of Michigan.
He was a Democratic Party member of the Michigan State Senate from 2013 to 2023, representing the 27th district, which is located in Genesee County and includes the cities Burton, Clio, Flint, Mount Morris and Swartz Creek and the townships of Flint Township, Forest, Genesee, Mount Morris, Richfield, Thetford and Vienna.
[3] Ananich attended and graduated in 1998 from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in political science and economics and a secondary teaching certificate in social studies.
In 1998, he interned with the Michigan Democratic Party then went to work for Senate Minority Leader John Cherry.
[3][6] He ran against Lee Gonzales for Michigan State Representative in the 2004 Democratic primary and lost.
[8][9] Ananich was succeeded as Council President by Delrico Loyd and as Member from the 7th ward by Dale Weighill.
[12] Ananich was unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 7, 2012 in his run for reelection, which he won on November 6 with nearly 74 percent of the votes.
[6] In 2013, with a vacancy due to John J. Gleason's resignation from the 27 District State Senate seat, he won election to the position on May 7.