Chedrick Greene won a special state Senate election in Michigan, securing Democratic control of the chamber in a closely divided battleground state. The Marine veteran and firefighter defeated Republican Jason Tunney, a former prosecutor, in the contest to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet, who left the state Senate after winning election to Congress last year.
Greene's victory preserves a 20-18 Democratic majority in the Michigan state Senate. Democrats also hold the governorship through Governor Gretchen Whitmer, though Republicans maintain a 58-52 advantage in the state House.
The result fits a wider pattern emerging during President Donald Trump's second term: Democrats have overperformed their 2024 presidential performance in special elections. Kamala Harris lost the Saginaw Bay area district by fewer than 1,100 votes in the general election, capturing 50.4 percent to Trump's 49.6 percent. Greene's margin proved substantially larger, with him leading by 22 points once 55 percent of expected votes were counted.
Both campaigns drew prominent state and national figures to the district. Whitmer held a rally for Greene last week, and Pete Buttigieg, the former Transportation Secretary and Michigan resident, also campaigned for the Democrat. Tunney's side featured GOP Representative John James, who is mounting his own race for governor.
The special election underscores Michigan's continued status as a political battleground, with control of the state Senate hinging on narrow margins and individual district performances. Democrats' success in flipping or defending seats despite the presidential environment suggests their machinery remains competitive in the state, even as Republicans hold advantages elsewhere in state government.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "A special election win on the same turf where Trump nearly closed a gap tells you the Democratic ground game in Michigan still functions, whatever the headwinds at the top of the ticket."
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