Democrat Chedrick Greene wins Michigan state Senate special election
Democrat Chedrick Greene defeated Republican Jason Tunney in the Michigan State Senate 35 special election. Jason Tunney conceded the race, giving Greene the seat that had been vacant and serving as an early barometer 26 weeks before the general election. Greene's victory preserves Democrats' slim majority in the Michigan Senate through 2026, keeping the party in control of committee assignments and floor votes during the remainder of Governor Whitmer's term. The result matters because it shapes the legislature's ability to pass or block bills ahead of the fall midterms and signals voter sentiment in a competitive state.
Michigan Dems *hold* the narrowly divided state Senate, as Democrat Chedrick Greene defeats Republican Jason Tunney. They reclaim the 20-18 advantage they first won in the 2022 elections. However, every seat in the chamber will be up again in November, and Greene & Tunney are headed for a rematch.
The Downballot17Notably, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kept this seat vacant for 16 months, likely because she feared the GOP tying the chamber with a win. (She only called the election after facing legal action.) We first wrote about the race in Nov. 2024! Though back then, we thought it would happen "soon" ...
Mina3This is actually a HUGE and consequential win for Dems in a purple district in a purple state. It keeps Democrats in the drivers seat in MI.
