State Rep. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, defeated Benton Harbor Democrat Scott Elliott for the state Senate’s District 21st seat, vacated by term-limited Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks. Proos, who reached his term limit in the 79th District, won with nearly 69 percent of votes at press time.

“I think people are very focused on the challenges that Michigan has faced in the last decade,” Proos said while out with campaigners and voters Tuesday.

Voters are seeking answers, he added.

“People are either unemployed or underemployed, just to get by,” he said. Every day, they are “faced with the tough decisions of paying the mortgage or putting food on the table.”

As of early Tuesday afternoon, Proos said he was hearing voter turnout was “solid but not heavy.”

His party, however, remained energized with a lot of important issues to be dealt with including one that wasn’t getting much attention.

“Redistricting,” Proos said, “plays such an important role in the electoral process in the next decade. Whoever is in control in 2011 holds the key.”