Trending Now - Michigan's Special Election Could Shift Senate Power Ahead of Midterms

WHO:

ABC News - Democrat Chedrick Greene and Republican Jason Tunney are candidates for the 35th state Senate district seat.

ABC News - Libertarian candidate Ali Sledz is also running in the special election.

ABC News - Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is the current governor of Michigan.

ABC News - Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II would serve as the tiebreaking vote if the Senate is tied.

WHAT:

ABC News - A special election in Michigan could determine whether Democrats maintain their slim majority in the state Senate.

ABC News - The current control of the state Senate is 19 Democrats to 18 Republicans.

ABC News - The special election is for a seat that has been vacant since January 2025.

ABC News - The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee invested $250,000 to support Greene in February.

ABC News - Trump carried all three counties in the 2024 presidential race.

WHERE:

ABC News - The 35th state Senate district is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Detroit and includes Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland.

ABC News - Saginaw County is the only Michigan county to back the winning presidential candidate in each of the past five national elections.

WHEN:

ABC News - The special election is scheduled for a Tuesday.

ABC News - The term for the seat in the special election is only through the end of the year, with another election set for November.

WHY:

ABC News - The outcome of the special election is seen as a test of voter sentiment ahead of the midterm elections.

ABC News - Republicans argue that Gov. Whitmer waited too long to call the special election, leaving the district without representation for nearly 500 days.

HOW:

ABC News - Greene is campaigning on lowering costs and emphasizing his union backing, while Tunney is highlighting his local roots and running as a conservative Republican.

(UPDATED May 5, 2026 07:37 UTC)

In Michigan, a special election is set to determine the future of the 35th state Senate district, where Democrat Chedrick Greene, Republican Jason Tunney, and Libertarian Ali Sledz are vying for the seat that has been vacant since January 2025. Currently, the state Senate is narrowly controlled by Democrats, with a slim majority of 19 to 18, and the outcome of this election is viewed as a crucial indicator of voter sentiment ahead of the midterm elections. Greene is focusing his campaign on lowering costs and his union support, while Tunney emphasizes his local roots as a conservative Republican, with the election scheduled for a Tuesday, followed by another election in November.