A breakdown of the five candidates that will be on the Michigan Primary ballot for U.S. Senate

 

LANSING, Mich. -- On Tuesday, Michigan voters will cast their ballots for the Primary Election.

With longtime Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow vacating her seat in the Senate this election year, five candidates are now vying for the spot.

Elissa Slotkin

Elissa Slotkin is a current democratic Congresswoman who's been representing Michigan's 7th district in the House since 2019.

Slotkin lists her priorities as protecting democracy including LGBTQ+ and women's rights, as well as gun reform being the first member of Congress to have two school shootings in her district. The issue steering her campaign though, is defending and expanding Michigan's middle class.

"My sun and my moon are jobs, jobs with dignity, with good salaries that allow you to save every month," explains Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin. "Then on the other side of the ledger, bringing down the absurd costs of healthcare prescription drugs, housing, post-secondary education and childcare.

Hill Harper

Hill Harper is a Hollywood actor turned politician hopeful.

Claiming to be a voice for small Michigan farmers and advocate for renewable energy, Harper's hoping to bring a fresh perspective to the Senate, which he says is filled with career politicians.

"Regular people have to have individuals that understand what it's like to build a small business and the challenges that come with that, to raise a child in this environment where the number one cause of death in children is gun violence," says Hill Harper, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. "Knowing what it's like to be a part of a union to fight for a living wage, that's the type of representation they want."

Mike Rogers 

Former Michigan Congressman and Senator Mike Rogers wants to see the longtime Michigan Senate seat turn red, after being blue since 2001.

If elected, he also wants to change the inflation impacting Michiganders, and the U.S. strategy at the border that's bringing crime to the state.

"We spent $350 billion last year on giving room and board to illegal aliens, and their phones, and now they're giving them healthcare, they're giving them debit cards," says Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Mike Rogers. "By the way, that $350 billion could pay for every Michigan teacher and every Michigan State Trooper for 15 years."

Dr. Sherry O'Donnell 

Dr. Sherry O'Donnell is a local physician who spent years traveling the world to help with disaster relief and medical missions, including in 2020 where she spent her time on the frontlines of the Covid pandemic in New York City.

She describes herself as pro-life and pro-education.

"Being a physician cost me 12 years of education, I started a residency training program in our community, so I value education," says Dr. Sherry O'Donnell, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. "We're dumbing our kids down. Right now, Michigan is on the bottom 10, I think we're 42nd depending on one survey and 49th depending on other surveys you look at."

Justin Amash

Justin Amash, a former House Rep., says it's easier to get ideas across in a group of 100, rather than 435.

Amash's pitch to be the G.O.P. nominee is a commitment to fight for a representative government, and putting an end to the Authorization for use of Military Force that's been in effect since the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

"There's essentially one war that the United States is involved in, it's this forever war that's authorized by that 2001 Authorization," explains Justin Amash, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. "We need to repeal that authorization and ensure that when a president sends men and women off to war, that he has the authorization from Congress, a proper authorization that reflects the will of the American people."