LANSING, Mich. — Former Democratic state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. on Monday will announce a marketing campaign for Michigan’s seventh Congressional District, one of many nation’s best House districts.
Hertel and one other ex-state senator, Republican Tom Barrett, who launched his second run for the seat Sunday night time, are the primary to announce bids for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin‘s seat. Slotkin, a Democrat, announced earlier this year that she would seek Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Michigan’s seventh District was house to one of many nation’s most costly contests final yr, with Slotkin beating Barrett, and each nationwide events have already vowed to once more go all out to win the battleground district in 2024.
Hertel was recruited by Slotkin to run for the seat and can announce his candidacy in Lansing. He represented Lansing and East Lansing within the state Legislature from 2015 to 2022 earlier than being term-limited. He briefly served as Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s director of legislative affairs earlier than stepping down from that function on June 30.
The 45-year-old Hertel comes from a household of officeholders. His father, a brother and two uncles served within the Legislature, and a 3rd uncle was within the U.S. House. He outlined his household’s legacy as “a strong belief in Democratic ideals but also a willingness to work across the aisle to make things better.”
“We need to be able to debate and listen because, at the end of the day, we have to find the best middle ground to actually solve problems for people,” Hertel instructed The Associated Press in an interview earlier than his announcement.
Barrett launched his second bid for the seat after dropping the district to Slotkin by greater than 5 proportion factors final yr. The 42-year-old Barrett served within the Army for greater than 20 years earlier than getting into politics and representing mid-Michigan within the state Legislature from 2015 to 2022.
In an interview with the AP, Barrett stated his final marketing campaign was hampered by a weak top-of-the-ticket gubernatorial candidate and a big fundraising drawback. He stated he expects an enchancment in each areas subsequent yr.
“It’s not going to be a cakewalk. This is a very competitive district,” Barrett stated. “But I have my own lessons learned along the way, and I know a little more what to expect running in such a high-profile congressional race.”
Michigan’s seventh District, which underwent redistricting earlier than the 2022 midterms, is a mix of Republican-dominated counties similar to Clinton and Shiawassee and Democratic strongholds like Ingham, which is house to the state Capitol and Michigan State University.
Slotkin‘s comfy victory final yr in what was anticipated to be a slim contest has made her a favourite to interchange Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who introduced in January that she can be retiring after serving 4 phrases. While a number of different Democratic candidates are difficult her for the Senate seat, no high-profile Republican has stepped ahead.
Slotkin has promised to assist the Democratic candidate in her House district and stated in a latest interview with the AP that she is “dedicated – to the point of obsession – in keeping this district because we can flip the House in 2024 with the seat being held.”
Losing the seat might put the bulk out of attain for Democrats and broaden the Republicans’ slim cushion within the House. The National Republican Campaign Committee, the marketing campaign arm of House Republicans, has stated it plans to go “all hands on deck” to win the district in 2024.
Democrats in Michigan received practically each aggressive congressional race final yr, even flipping a House seat in Grand Rapids for the primary time because the Seventies. Barrett attributes the losses to a weak prime of the ticket with statewide candidates who have been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
“The top of the ticket should be far more competitive next year,” Barrett stated. “My name ID is also considerably higher, and I don’t need to necessarily introduce myself to people the same way.”
Hertel has the benefit of getting represented elements of Ingham County, which holds near half the district’s inhabitants and which Slotkin received by practically 36 proportion factors. He plans to have an “aggressive field campaign” that facilities on “individual voter contact.”
“If you’re going to ask people for their vote – and ask people to serve them – they should have an opportunity to meet you, talk to you, ask questions and have you listen to what they care about,” Hertel stated.
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