Current:Home > NewsMichigan primaries will set the stage for Senate, House races key to control of Congress-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Michigan primaries will set the stage for Senate, House races key to control of Congress
View Date:2024-12-23 16:54:25
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan voters on Tuesday will decide which Republican and Democratic candidates will compete in November for the state’s highly coveted open U.S. Senate seat, in addition to several of the nation’s most competitive U.S. House races.
Many Democrats have coalesced around U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the Senate race while Republicans have united behind former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who received an endorsement from Donald Trump earlier this year. Both candidates are vying for a seat left open by longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s retirement, but they must first defeat underdog challengers on Tuesday.
Slotkin is up against actor Hill Harper, while Republicans will choose between Rogers, former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash and physician Sherry O’Donnell. Although businessman Sandy Pensler dropped out and endorsed Rogers at a July 20 rally with Trump, his name will still appear on the ballot due to his late withdrawal.
With Democrats holding a razor-thin majority in the Senate and Republicans in the House, competitive races like those in Michigan are drawing lots of attention. The state’s status as a key presidential swing state raises the stakes for those seats even higher, with party control on the line from the top of the ballot all the way down to the state Legislature.
Michigan’s open Senate seat is one of a handful of races nationwide that will determine control of the upper chamber in November. With a later congressional primary, candidates will have a short period to transition from competing against their own party members to appealing to a broader base of voters for the Nov. 5 general election, which may explain why Slotkin and Rogers have campaigned with their eyes on the general election.
National groups on both sides have already reserved millions for advertisements after the primary. Both Slotkin and Rogers, viewed for months as the overwhelming favorites in their primaries, have skipped debates and refrained from holding large campaign events.
Several U.S. House seats with primaries on Tuesday could influence the balance of power in the lower chamber, but there, too, the biggest battles will be fought in the fall campaign.
Slotkin’s entry into the Senate race has left her mid-Michigan 7th Congressional District seat open, historically one of the nation’s top battleground districts. Both party candidates are running unopposed in their primaries there, setting the table for a November matchup between Democrat Curtis Hertel Jr. and Republican Tom Barrett.
What to know about the 2024 Election
- Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024.
- AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.
- Stay informed. Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news email alerts. Sign up here.
The 8th Congressional District is also an open race with U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee’s retirement. The Democratic congressman has endorsed state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet to take his place, but state Board of Education President Pamela Pugh and Matt Collier, the former mayor of Flint, are also vying for the party’s nomination.
On the Republican side, former TV anchor Paul Junge is making another bid after losing to Kildee by over 10 percentage points last year. Joining him in the race are Mary Draves, a former chemical manufacturing executive at Dow Inc., and Anthony Hudson.
Meanwhile, several incumbents in battleground seats are waiting to see who they will face in November.
U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, who in 2022 became the first Democrat to represent Grand Rapids in decades, is awaiting the outcome of the Republican primary between attorney Paul Hudson and businessman Michael Markey Jr. in the western Michigan district.
National Democrats are also hoping to flip a district just north of Detroit currently held by freshman GOP Rep. John James. Carl Marlinga, a longtime Macomb County prosecutor who lost to James in 2022 by 1,600 votes, is facing Emily Busch, Tiffany Tilley and Diane Young in the Democratic primary.
In a heavily Democratic district encompassing downtown Detroit, U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar faces a challenge from Detroit City Council member Mary Waters, who is endorsed by Mayor Mike Duggan. Thanedar has significantly outraised her and is favored to win the Democratic nomination, which would likely leave Detroit — a city that is nearly 80% Black — without Black representation in Congress for a second consecutive term.
Down-ballot races are holding primaries across the state on Tuesday. Control of the state House of Representatives will be at stake in November, with all 110 seats up for election. Democrats took control of both chambers and the governor’s office for the first time in four decades in 2022 and will be trying to defend those majorities.
___
Associated Press writer Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
veryGood! (738)
Related
- Elena Rose has made hits for JLo, Becky G and more. Now she's stepping into the spotlight.
- She died riding her beloved horse. Now, it will be on Olympic stage in her memory.
- Comedian Carrot Top reflects on his 30-year friendship with Toby Keith
- Inter Miami vs. Puebla live updates: How to watch Leagues Cup tournament games Saturday
- Groups seek a new hearing on a Mississippi mail-in ballot lawsuit
- Photos and videos capture intense flames, damage from Park Fire in California
- MLB trade deadline tracker 2024: Breaking down every deal before baseball's big day
- Comedian Carrot Top reflects on his 30-year friendship with Toby Keith
- Brianna LaPaglia Reacts to Rumors Dave Portnoy Paid Her $10 Million for a Zach Bryan Tell-All
- When is Olympic gymnastics balance beam final? What to know about Paris Games event
Ranking
- Amtrak service disrupted after fire near tracks in New York City
- 2024 Olympian Sha'Carri Richardson’s Nails Deserve Their Own Gold Medal
- Charles Barkley open to joining ESPN, NBC and Amazon if TNT doesn't honor deal
- Simone Biles says she has calf discomfort during Olympic gymnastics qualifying but keeps competing
- Tennessee fugitive accused of killing a man and lying about a bear chase is caught in South Carolina
- Real Housewives of New Jersey Star Melissa Gorga’s Hacks for Stress-Free Summer Hosting Start at $6.49
- 'Dexter' miracle! Michael C. Hall returns from TV dead in 'Resurrection' series
- Gold medalist Ashleigh Johnson, Flavor Flav seek to bring water polo to new audience
Recommendation
-
Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
-
Drag queens shine at Olympics opening, but ‘Last Supper’ tableau draws criticism
-
How the Team USA vs. Australia swimming rivalry reignited before the 2024 Paris Olympics
-
Meet the trio of top Boston Red Sox prospects slugging their way to Fenway
-
32-year-old Maryland woman dies after golf cart accident
-
Team USA men's water polo team went abroad to get better. Will it show at Paris Olympics?
-
What to know about Simone Biles' husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens
-
How the Team USA vs. Australia swimming rivalry reignited before the 2024 Paris Olympics