Michael J. Bouchard (born April 12,1956)[1] is an American law enforcement officer and politician who has served as the sheriff of Oakland County,Michigan since 1999. A member of the Republican Party,Bouchard previously served in the Michigan State Senate from 1991 to 1999,and as the Senate Majority Leader from 1998 to 1999;he was also the unsuccessful Republican nominee for United States Senate in 2006,losing to incumbent DemocratDebbie Stabenow. In 2010 he was a candidate for Governor in the Republican Primary,losing to Rick Snyder and two other candidates. As of 2024,Bouchard is the only Republican countywide elected official in Oakland County.[2]
Bouchard was born in Flint,Michigan.[4] After graduating from Brother Rice High School in 1974,Bouchard attended Michigan State University majoring in criminal justice and police administration. Upon graduation Bouchard entered local law enforcement where he remained for thirteen years.
Bouchard was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1991. He resigned as senator and majority floor leader in the Michigan State Senate when he was appointed Oakland County Sheriff in January 1999 following the untimely death of long time Sheriff John F. Nichols in December 1998.
Bouchard has served two terms as President of the Major County Sheriffs' Association,which is composed of sheriffs who serve in counties or parishes with a population of 500,000 or more. Bouchard is currently the organization's Vice President of Government Affairs.[5]
In 2007,Bouchard endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries. Romney went on to win the primary vote in Oakland County.
In November 2012,Bouchard was elected to his fourth consecutive term as Oakland County Sheriff by an overwhelming majority,the largest number of votes cast for any candidate in Oakland County.[6]
In 2019 he was named a Michigan Master Sheriff,in recognition of his 33 years of service.[7]
Bouchard joined businessman Rick Snyder, state Senator Tom George, Congressman Peter Hoekstra and Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox as Republican candidates. Bouchard finished fourth out of five candidates in the primary, receiving 127,350 votes of the 1,044,925 votes cast.
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