Democrats have a one-seat majority in the Michigan Senate, and this race will set the tone for the midterms when the whole chamber is on the ballot
WASHINGTON — Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) hosted a press conference with Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and Spotlight candidate Chedrick Greene ahead of the must-win, majority-deciding special election for Michigan’s 35th Senate district. The presser came as the DLCC announced a $250K investment in the Michigan Senate to defend the majority this May and in November.
While state legislative Democrats have been overperforming in special elections since Trump’s election, this district was a nail-biter in 2024 and will set the tone as the DLCC prepares to compete on the largest target map ever in November.
Watch the press conference here.
Michigan special election candidate Chedrick Greene:
- I’m a 30-year Marine veteran and career firefighter serving as a fire captain with the city of Saginaw Fire Department. Born and raised here, I’ve never shifted away from standing up to protect what’s important. Decades ago, my parents left the Jim Crow South to come to Michigan for the promise of better opportunities and a brighter future. That promise is at risk right now.
- People can’t keep up, let alone get ahead. Grocery prices are going up while health care, housing costs are skyrocketing. I hear about issues like this from people all across our district, I’ll vow to fight back against price gouging and work to lower costs for Michiganders everywhere. Our kids deserve better. We need greater investment in our local public schools so we can pay teachers more and give teachers and give students the best resources available.
- Just this morning, I was sitting down with some agriculture folks for a legislative breakfast and listening to how the tariffs that are being imposed federally have impacted our district. […] Those tariffs that are still in place, affect a wide range of everyday things that our residents use or have to do. […] So working in the state legislature, [I would put] some policies in place to help mitigate some of those things that happen to kind of give some relief.
Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks:
- The stakes for this special election could not be higher. Winning on May 5 means restoring our Democratic majority to 20 members strong. Losing means a 19-19 tie. A Democratic majority has ensured that kids are guaranteed breakfast and lunch so that no student goes hungry in class. A Democratic majority has ensured that Michiganders maintain their ability to make life-saving health care decisions. Our Democratic majority has allowed us to push back against the Trump administration’s ability to wreak havoc and go unchecked here in Michigan.
- The Michigan Senate is a battleground chamber in a battleground state, and we are a top majority to protect on the DLCC’s map for a good reason. Michigan Senate Democrats are dedicated to doing the work on the ground to protect and to expand our majority. The stronger our candidates and our program are, the stronger the Democratic ticket is in Michigan from top to bottom.
- We will work in tandem with the DLCC to elect Chedrick Greene to the Michigan Senate in this upcoming special election, and we will continue building Democratic power in the Michigan legislature so that we can deliver more real and meaningful solutions for the people of Michigan.
DLCC President Heather Williams:
- Many of you know Michigan as a top battleground at both the federal and state level, and this district – which is nested within the Bay Region in central Michigan – is the battleground of battlegrounds. Though the state Senate wasn’t on the ballot in 2024, this district was a nailbiter at the presidential level as Kamala Harris eked out a win by half a percentage point. We know this district will again be highly competitive this May – and the stakes couldn’t be higher as the chamber majority is on the line.
- The DLCC has already invested a quarter of a million dollars in the Michigan Senate this cycle, and we’re only just getting started. Across the country, we are building campaigns for a once-in-a-generation year down-ballot. Nationally, our data shows that we could flip as many as 650 seats and create 8 new majorities, achieving the biggest gains down-ballot in two decades.
- There’s never been a more exciting year to watch what’s happening in state legislatures as we head into November. That’s especially true on the heels of the impressive special election overperformance we’ve achieved so far this cycle. Since Trump’s election, state Democrats have flipped a staggering 26 seats, while Republicans have flipped zero.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the campaign arm of Democratic state legislatures and leads the national strategy for building power and winning new majorities. Over the last three decades, we have strategized cycle over cycle to win majorities and lead the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level, winning nearly a dozen new chamber majorities over the last decade. Our work has ensured that nearly half of Americans are represented by at least one Democratic majority in their statehouse. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class and advancing opportunity, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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