Democrats hold Michigan Senate majority with special election win in District 35

By Elyse Apel
The Center Square

Democrat Chedrick Greene won the special election in Michigan’s 35th Senate District by a wide margin Tuesday night, preserving Democrats’ narrow majority in the chamber.

The win keeps Democrats’ slim 19-18 edge in the Michigan Senate intact, avoiding a potential tie that could have complicated the policy agenda of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the final stretch of her term.

District 35, which covers much of the Tri-Cities region in central Michigan, has emerged as a competitive seat only in recent years. Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet won the district by about 6% in 2022 before resigning in January 2025 after her election to U.S. Congress.

Before 2022, it had been a solidly Republican seat.

The seat remained vacant for roughly 16 months following McDonald Rivet’s departure, after Whitmer delayed scheduling the special election – a move that drew criticism from Republicans and some concern from within her own party.

Whitmer ultimately called for Tuesday night’s special election last fall, as previously reported by The Center Square, 238 days after the seat first became vacant.

With an estimated 95% in, Greene received nearly 60% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee Jason Tunney (39.4%) and Libertarian candidate Ali Sledz (1.7%).

In a statement, Greene credited this win with his campaign’s focus on everyday concerns.

“We delivered this decisive victory by listening and speaking to the things keeping everyday people up at night—worries about affordability, safety, and freedom,” Greene said. “I am excited to go to Lansing to fight for every policy and dollar that helps hardworking men and women build better lives here in Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties and sets our kids up for brighter futures.”

Tunney conceded the race but signaled plans to continue his efforts to win the seat in the future.

“Tonight, we fell short in the special election, but I’m incredibly proud of what this campaign accomplished together,” Tunney said. “As we head into November, the contrast between Chedrick and myself will only become clearer to more and more voters.”

Greene’s win in the district by nearly 10% comes as Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by less than 1 percentage point in 2024.

The next regularly-scheduled elections for the Michigan Senate are in 181 days.