Michigan SD 35
Battleground State
Michigan
Senate: Democratic Majority
20D
18R
House: GOP Majority
52D
58R
Michigan is a top DLCC Battleground State in 2026.
2026 is a historic opportunity to win back full control of the Michigan legislature and deliver a Democratic trifecta in this ultracompetitive battleground state. Protecting the one-seat majority in the Senate is a top DLCC priority, and that will start with a majority-deciding special election on May 5th.
Democrats flipped the legislature in 2022 and made historic progress, passing free school meals legislation, expanding gun safety laws, and repealing anti-worker legislation before a tough election year in 2024. Putting Democrats back in full control of the legislature will provide a bulwark against the chaos of the Trump administration and make progress toward lower costs and expanded economic opportunities for Michiganders.
The DLCC will be targeting competitive races across the state and sharing more info on DLCC Target Races in Michigan soon.
DLCC Target Races
Leader Winnie Brinks Speaks At The 2025 DLCC Downballot Defenders Summit
2024 Target Race Victories In Michigan
Michigan HD-13
Mai Xiong
Michigan HD-38
Joey Andrews
Michigan HD-61
Denise Mentzer
Michigan HD-22
Matt Koleszar
DLCC Board Member
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks
Over a decade ago, fed up with the lack of transparency in politics, Leader Winnie Brinks launched a gutsy write-in campaign to challenge the status quo. A few years later, she made history as the first woman majority leader in the Michigan Senate and continues to make headlines as she leads the upper chamber in one of the nation’s toughest battlegrounds. The daughter of immigrants, Brinks brings grit, resilience, and a relentless work ethic to every fight. She’s delivered for the people with wins for cleaner drinking water, expanded access to high-quality health care, and helping small businesses. While Republicans fight to make devastating cuts to health care, Leader Brinks has protected Michiganders, delivering legislation that established Michigan as one of the nation’s strongest states on sick leave.
Leader Brinks was first elected to the DLCC Board in 2025.
News in Michigan
Press Releases |
DLCC Leads Candidate Recruitment Efforts with Third Session of the CombineToday the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee convened the third meeting of The Combine, bringing together progressive partners to discuss a recruitment table heading into the 2018 midterms.
Press Releases |
Democrats Continue to Dominate Oklahoma Special ElectionsTonight Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Jessica Post congratulated Oklahoma Senator-elect Allison Ikley-Freeman SD-37 on her special election victory. The latest Democrat headed to Oklahoma City is a champion for bettering public education by restoring funding and fixing Republicans self-inflicted budget crisis.
Press Releases |
New Jersey Democrats Claim Record MajoritiesTonight DLCC Executive Director Jessica Post congratulated New Jersey Democrats on growing their super majorities with two more seats in the New Jersey Assembly and one more in the New Jersey Senate. Additionally, Democratic Governor-elect Phil Murphy’s landslide victory hands Democrats a governing trifecta in the state.
Press Releases |
DLCC and State Dems Claim Landslide Victories in VirginiaDemocrats in Virginia had record-breaking landslide wins tonight, tilting chamber control to 50 Democratic seats to Republicans’ 49 seats, with one seat still too close to call, leaving chamber control hanging in the balance.
Press Releases |
DLCC Leads Candidate Recruitment Efforts With Second Session of The CombineYesterday Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Jessica Post and Chief Political Officer Dave Griggs convened DLCC’s recruitment table, The Combine, for its second meeting. DLCC was joined by new and returning participants, with representatives from over a dozen allied organizations including EMILY’s List, Run For Something, Emerge America, organized labor, and beyond in attendance.
Press Releases |
DLCC Reaffirms Plan to Win Statehouse Majorities at 2017 Annual MeetingOn July 12 – 14, America’s Democratic state legislators gathered for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) Annual Meeting to strategize on the upcoming election cycle. DLCC celebrated the party’s string of legislative special election victories and shared its plans to build on this momentum heading into 2017 and 2018 elections.
Press Releases |
As Democrats Plot Path Forward, DLCC Renews Call for a DNC Chair Deeply Committed to Winning Statehouse ElectionsToday Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Jessica Post released the following statement in advance of her attendance at tonight’s Huffington Post-hosted Democratic National Committee chair candidate debate.
Press Releases |
DLCC 2016 Election AnalysisWhile Democrats running for state legislative office fell short of this cycle’s high expectations, Democratic power in state legislatures actually increased. While Republicans gained majorities in just three legislative chambers, Democrats won majorities in at least four. Additionally, Democrats expanded our majorities and added seats in a number of states.
Press Releases |
President Obama Endorses In Key Statehouse RacesThis week, President Barack Obama endorsed state legislative candidates across the country. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Jessica Post issued the following statement on the President’s move to highlight down-ballot elections.
Press Releases |
DLCC Announces 2016 Essential RacesDLCC’s 2016 Essential Races highlight some of this year’s most exciting candidates in some of our most crucial legislative districts, and a list of targeted races across the country will be rolled out over the coming weeks.