Rep. Elissa Slotkin won her first House election in 2018, alongside a historic class of first-term Democrats including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Now, Slotkin is running for U.S. Senate to replace a retiring Democrat… and she’s facing a challenge from television star Hill Harper.
Harper announced his campaign Monday. Previously, he starred on the CBS show “CSI: NY” for nine seasons and currently appears on ABC’s “The Good Doctor.”
He also served on former President Barack Obama’s cancer panel in 2012 as a survivor of the disease himself.
In an interview with The Associated Press before his announcement, Harper described himself as a small-business owner, a union member and an activist. He said that not being a “career politician” would serve as an advantage in Congress and that he plans to run a campaign “powered by the people, for the people.”
“It’s not about party. It’s about people feeling represented,” Harper said. “And being an independent voice in the U.S. Senate is something I believe Michiganders want right now.”
Take a look —
We can all feel it: D.C just isn’t getting things done for people.
We need representatives who'll take on special interests, get money out of politics, and make our government work for all of us.
That’s why today, I’m announcing my campaign for U.S. Senate in Michigan! ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/lv11ncDcsK
— Hill Harper for U.S. Senate (@hillharper) July 10, 2023
The field of Democratic candidates has grown in recent months. State Board of Education member Pamela Pugh, former Detroit state Rep. Leslie Love, businessman Nasser Beydoun and attorney Zack Burns have all announced campaigns.
However, many top Democratic candidates who had been considering a run for the Senate opted against it before Slotkin’s February announcement, seemingly clearing the field for the third-term representative who rose to prominence by consistently winning one of the nation’s most competitive House seats.
Two GOP candidates have announced, including state Board of Education member Nikki Snyder. However, Republicans have yet to find a slam-dunk candidate. Several potential candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, are considering bids.
In the 2016 election, Michigan was the closest state by percentage. In 2020, Republican John James, now a U.S. representative, narrowly lost to incumbent Democrat Sen. Gary Peters.
The open Senate seat presents a pickup opportunity for Republicans, and it represents a must-win for Democrats looking to maintain their 51-49 control of the Senate.
Republicans have taken just one of Michigan’s last 15 Senate races, winning an open seat in 1994.
Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats staring down a difficult election next year. 23 Democrats are seeing their terms expire, compared to only 10 Republicans. Incumbent Democrats are facing re-election in closely divided states like Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. Some Democrats are even facing re-election in Trump-voting states like Ohio, Montana, and West Virginia. No Republican is running for re-election in a state won by President Joe Biden.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.