The mayor of Michigan's state capital has won the Democratic primary for governor over the party's highest-ranking state lawmaker.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero defeated House Speaker Andy Dillon on Tuesday. Many voters cited reviving Michigan's struggling economy as a key issue.

The 46-year-old Bernero, who rose to prominence during the automotive crisis last year by defending Michigan's automakers on cable TV channels, wasn't well-known outside the capital city, where he's been mayor since 2006. But he received a significant boost from labor unions and repeatedly touted his support for abortion rights.

Bernero earned the title "America's angriest mayor" during the crisis last year.

Dillon is a conservative on certain social and economic issues.

Bernero's campaign sought to portray Dillon as out of step with the base of the Democratic Party and highlighted his support of organized labor.

"They've done a phenomenal job to raise the standard of living in this state, not just for people who belong to unions but for many who don't," Bernero said in Ann Arbor in July. "Do I support working people? Absolutely. And that's why they support me." Bernero relentlessly labeled Dillon as "speaker of the mess" and is aiming to portray himself as an outsider who can clean up Lansing.

His victory in tonight's primary is sure to inspire speculation about whether he will select Ann Arbor supporter Alma Wheeler Smith, a state legislator, as his lieutenant governor. Bernero told AnnArbor.com this summer that Smith was on his "short list" of candidates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.

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