Michigan’s Legislature now has divided control for the first time since 2010.

For years, Republicans controlled the state Senate and the state House.

Then, in the 2022 elections, Democrats won control of both chambers for the 2023-24 legislative session, which just ended.

Republicans won control of the state House in last year’s elections and will lead that chamber through 2026.

But Democrats maintain control of the state Senate and the Governor’s Office.

After watching Washington dysfunction for years, especially with a divided Congress, one could not be blamed for looking on Lansing with a great deal of trepidation.

Indeed, if lawmakers put party over people and politics over good governance, little will get done for Michiganders until at least 2027. Republicans will put stuff out of the state House that Democrats in the state Senate won’t support. Democrats will advance stuff out of the state Senate that Republicans in the state House won’t support. Legislative fighting will stall bills Michiganders need in the next two years. Few things will make their way to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for her signature.

At the worst, state government could shut down entirely if the two parties can’t agree on a state budget by the Sept. 30 deadline every year.

But lawmakers could choose to see divided state government as a chance to show Washington and the rest of America what governing looks like.

Michigan has a divided government and is considered a presidential swing state because it’s pretty evenly divided between left-leaning and right-leaning Michiganders.

Over the next two years, Republicans in the state House and Democrats in the state Senate could find a way to talk to one another, compromise, and craft legislation that serves all of Michigan and her diverse people.

Lawmakers could show us what working together for the betterment of all means. They could show us that, sometimes, we don’t get everything we want, but we can still take small steps forward by working with those with whom we disagree.

We hope Lansing sets a good example over the next two years.