Top Michigan Democrat bows out of Senate consideration, paving way for Slotkin
Ryan King
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A top Michigan Democrat confirmed she would not enter the 2024 Senate competition, leaving a mostly clear primary field for Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who was widely speculated as a top likely candidate, voiced gratitude for the encouragement she received to vie for the seat but said she was content with her current job in the House.
REP. ELISSA SLOTKIN ANNOUNCES 2024 MICHIGAN SENATE RUN
“After much consideration, I have decided that I can best serve Michigan and our nation as a member of the U.S. House. Because, bluntly, I love my job. I love my district. And most importantly, I love my constituents,” Dingell tweeted.
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Slotkin debuted her campaign in February to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
“I have heard from so many who encouraged me to run for this open Senate seat. I am truly grateful for the support & encouragement I have received over the past few months. Knowing that I have your confidence is inspiring and truly means the world to me,” Dingell added.
Dingell is a prominent figure among Michigan Democrats. She successfully vied to replace her husband, the late Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), after he retired. He later died in 2019.
With her stepping out of consideration, Slotkin appears unlikely to face a significant primary battle. Top-tier Democrats such as Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist (D-MI), state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson have all declared they won’t jump into the fray.
Former Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), who was hoping for a “strong African American to run,” kept a possible run on the table.
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Republicans such as Reps. Bill Huizenga and Lisa McClain, former Reps. Mike Rogers, Fred Upton, and Peter Meijer, and former 2022 gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon are rumored to be mulling a run.
Democrats are poised to stare down a brutal Senate map in the 2024 cycle and will be forced to defend 23 seats, three of which are held by Democratic-aligned independent senators, while Republicans will only have to defend 11.