 Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 80% of the elections (27 of 34 elections) for president.However, population growth in Lansing and the surrounding area has made the county more competitive in recent years.Barack Obama carried the county in both 2008 and 2012, as did Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, in her winning gubernatorial campaigns of 2002 and 2006.