Article written by the SBAM Policy Team for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
Residents of Michigan’s Tri-Cities will soon have a State Senator for the first time in over a year. The 35th district, which is comprised of segments from Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties, lost its State Senator when now Congresswoman, Kristen McDonald Rivet, succeeded in her effort to replace Dan Kildee in Congress. McDonald Rivet vacated her seat in Lansing to serve in D.C. after the 2024 election, leaving the district without a Senator. In Michigan, only the Governor has the authority to call a special election required to fill a vacancy in the State Senate, and after nearly eight months, Governor Whitmer announced the special election for early 2026.
On February 3rd, primary voters in the 35th District will narrow down a field of six Democratic candidates and four Republican candidates to a single representative for each party. The general election is scheduled for May 5th, after which the new State Senator will be sworn into office, and the chamber will be restored to a full 38 Senators once again. It is important to note that just three months later in August, voters will again return to the polls across the state for the general election primary on August 4th.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s State Senate has been nearly deadlocked since 2024, currently comprised of 19 Democrats and 18 Republicans. In 2022, McDonald Rivet defeated her opponent in the 35th district by 6.8%, leading observers to view this seat as a potential tossup – particularly for a lower turnout special election. Senate Republicans view this as an opportunity to bring split power to the Senate (Michigan’s Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Garlin Gilchrist, would cast the tiebreaking vote in any 19-19 votes) and Senate Democrats, view the election as a chance to bring their caucus to a full strength of 20.
For election analysts and pundits, the May special will be a worthwhile insight into Michigan’s upcoming November elections. The special election electorate is typically comprised of the most high-propensity voters. While turnout will likely be higher for the 2026 midterms, the results will still provide a preview for the moods and leanings of voters in the district.
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