Michigan Democrats keep control of state Senate in election win that offers clues about midterms

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Associated Press

U.S. News
Michigan Democrats keep control of state Senate in election win that offers clues about midterms

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and MIKE HOUSEHOLDER
Updated 12:01 AM EDT, May 6, 2026

SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) — Democrat Chedrick Greene won a special election in Michigan on Tuesday, securing his party’s control of the state Senate through the remainder of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s term.

Greene, a firefighter and Marine veteran, defeated Republican Jason Tunney, a former prosecutor, in the race for Michigan’s 35th Senate District, which includes Saginaw and Bay City and is surrounded by more conservative rural areas. Democrats had held a one-seat majority in the chamber, putting control at stake.

“I just want you to know who’s had your back for 31 years and you can be sure I’ll still have your backs in Lansing,” Greene told cheering supporters at a watch party, referring to the state’s capital city.

Libertarian candidate Ali Sledz lagged far back in third for the seat left vacant since January 2025. Tunney conceded the 35th state Senate district race, saying he “fell short” but vowing to run again in November. The term at play in Tuesday’s election runs only through the end of the year, leaving the seat up for reelection again in the fall.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/michigan-special-election-senate-greene-tunney-68d0450686b45eaaceca99f01a8a1d5a

[EarlG]

1. Since AP didn't include the vote totals, here's the "clue" they're talking about

Democrat Chedrick Greene, a Saginaw fire captain and former U.S. Marine, was elected to the Michigan Senate on Tuesday night with 60% of the vote, defeating Republican Jason Tunney in a crucial special election that keeps Democrats in control of the chamber through the end of 2026.

(snip)

The district encompasses portions of Saginaw, Bay and Midland counties, including the cities of Saginaw, Bay City and Midland. McDonald Rivet was the first Democrat to hold the seat in its history, though it covered a different portion of the state prior to the 2022 redistricting cycle. She won her election in 2022 with 53% of the vote. The district had much closer margins in the 2024 presidential race — the AP noted that Kamala Harris barely edged out a win over President Donald Trump in the district in 2024, 49.7% to 48.9%, on the strength of her 17-percentage-point lead in the Saginaw portion of the district.

https://michiganadvance.com/2026/05/05/greene-wins-michigan-senate-special-election-democrats-retain-control-of-chamber/

Another major swing towards the Democrats in this race.

[JBTaurus83]

2. Born and raised there

60% for a Democrat is pretty damn impressive. Especially a person of color. When I was growing up, it wasn’t exactly a bastion of liberalism. Bay County did elect quite a few socially conservative Catholic Dems.