Michigan voters to choose party candidates for crucial Senate race in battleground state
LANSING, Michigan — Michigan voters could play a major role in choosing the next president, and they could also determine which major party controls Congress in 2025. Next week’s party primaries will be about open US Senate seat and two congressional elections in the crucial state will pave the way for November.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin has the inside track for her party’s Senate nomination against a challenge from a television actor. Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers has the backing of former President Donald Trump and the financial backing of national Republicans in the race for his party’s nomination.
Slotkin and Rogers are seeking to fill the seat that has long been held by Democrats. Senator Debbie Stabenowwho announced in early 2023 that she would not seek re-election. Democrats currently hold a narrow margin in the Senate, but are defend many more seats in this year’s elections.
The political drama in Michigan extends to the ballot as well. Slotkin’s Senate bid brings with it a seat in the House of Representatives, one of two in Michigan expected to be competitive in November. With Republicans defending a narrow majority in the U.S. House, the results of the Michigan election could have national implications. And Michigan Republicans themselves are trying to regain control of the state’s House of Representatives, which they lost in 2022.
Slotkin, a third-term U.S. Rep. from Holly, has positioned herself as the party’s frontrunner with her fundraising skills and endorsements. She last reported having about $8.7 million in cash on hand in mid-July and announced earlier this year that she plans to $8 million in advertising in the weeks leading up to the general elections.
Her only major competitor, actor Hill Harper, best known for his role in the television series “The Good Doctor,” has raised considerably less than her: more than $24 million.
Rogers, a former U.S. representative who has been brought out of retirement, can count on Trump’s support to fend off rivals, as well as the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Other Republican competitors include former U.S. Congressman Justin Amash and physician Dr. Sherry O’Donnell. Businessman Sandy Penslerwho dropped his candidacy and endorsed Rogers at a July 20 rally with Trump will also be on the ballot because he withdrew too late.
Republicans have not won a Senate victory in Michigan since 1994.
Rogers trails Slotkin far behind in fundraising, with more than $5.3 million in funds and about $2.5 million in cash on hand, according to the latest campaign finance report. But national party groups have set aside millions in ad buys after the primaries, ahead of the general election.
The race has mirrored many aspects of the U.S. presidential election. Slotkin has campaigned on protecting and expanding reproductive rights, while Rogers has criticized the Biden administration for its handling of border security.
Slotkin, who is Jewish and has extensive foreign policy experience as a former CIA analyst and Defense Department official, has at times faced criticism for not taking a tougher stance on Israel. Michigan has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country, and community support is crucial in the state, where nearly 100,000 people voted in February to protest President Joe Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’ team is trying to change the White House narrative inherited from Biden. regaining support from Arab American leaders in the Detroit area, particularly in Dearborn, one of America’s only Muslim-majority cities. Slotkin has voiced her support for Harris.
National attention will focus on Michigan as some of the most competitive congressional races in November could determine the makeup of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
Slotkin’s foray into the Senate race opened her congressional seat in central Michigan. Both party candidates are unchallenged in their swing district primaries.
In Michigan’s 8th congressional district, which includes Flint and Saginaw, U.S. Representative Dan Kildee retirement leaves competitive seat open. Democrat who has represented the area since 2013 has backed first-term state Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet for the position. Also in the running are Pamela Pughchairman of the state Board of Education, and Matt Collier, the former mayor of Flint.
Paul Junge, a former TV host who lost to Kildee by more than 10 percentage points last year, is joining the GOP campaign. Mary Draves, a former director of chemical manufacturing at Dow Inc., and Anthony Hudson are also running.
Detroit will likely go without black representation in Congress for a second consecutive term after a court ruled that a former senator and popular candidate did not file enough endorsements. valid signatures in the 13th congressional district.
Detroit, which is nearly 80% Black, had maintained some Black representation in Congress for nearly 70 years until 2023. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar faces two remaining challengers in the primary but has a large financial advantage over Mary Waters, a former state legislator who has served on the Detroit City Council since 2021, and attorney Shakira Lynn Hawkins.
Michigan Republicans are aiming to retake control of the state House of Representatives in November, with all 110 seats up for election. Democrats became the majority party in both chambers of the legislature in 2022, spurred by redistricting and an abortion referendum on the ballot that same year. The legislature passed a raft of legislation on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s agenda the following year.
Early voting, new to Michigan this year thanks to a referendum of 2022started for the August primaries on Saturday, July 27.
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Associated Press editor Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.