Michigan is set to host yet another consequential open seat Senate contest in 2026. But, unlike last cycle, Democrats are on track to have a competitive primary that could hamper their ability to defend the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters — and that may also act as an early proxy fight in the battle for the direction of the Democratic Party.
In 2024, then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin had an easy path to the Democratic nomination for an open seat and edged out former Rep. Mike Rogers by just over 19,000 votes, even as President Donald Trump flipped the Wolverine State back into the GOP column.
But this cycle, the Democratic side is expected to be crowded, with many ambitious politicians who passed on a run two years ago now eager for a chance at a Senate seat that may not become vacant again for decades. Others are opting instead to jump into the open race for governor, which we’ll dive into next week.
On the Republican side, Rogers is expected to reprise his Senate run, though he could face a
What is The Cook Political Report?
The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the US House of Representatives, US Senate, Governors and President as well as American political trends.
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.