MI-SD35: DLCC says Michigan's 35th Senate race 'most competitive' 2026 special election, spotlight Greene (D)
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which serves as the campaign arm of the Democratic Party for state legislatures, has named Michigan’s 35th state Senate district as the most competitive special election in the country in 2026 and added Democratic candidate Chedrick Greene to its list of “Spotlight” candidates, who will be promoted to the committee’s national donor base.
“All eyes should be on Michigan this spring. This will be the most competitive special election in a battleground state this year, and a chamber majority is on the line,” Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams said in a press release issued Friday morning. “This election will set the tone for the midterms as we work to build state power across the country to safeguard against Trump’s abuses of power and his agenda that is raising costs. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the DLCC will be with Michigan Democrats every step of the way between now and November.”
Greene, a Saginaw fire captain and a retired Marine, will face Jason Tunney, a lawyer at Tunney Law in Saginaw, in the special general election on May 5, which will decide control of the state Senate for the remainder of 2026.
Democrats currently hold a one-vote majority in the chamber at 19-18, meaning that if Republicans gain control of this seat in May, that majority would disappear. And while Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist would be able to cast a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, he can only do so if every member of the chamber is present and there is a 19-19 tie.
https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/dlcc-says-michigans-35th-senate-race-most-competitive-2026-special-election-spotlight-greene/