2026 Michigan State Senate Races

Last updated August 5, 2026.

All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are up for election in 2026.  Democrats currently have a 20-18 majority, which they won in 2022.  The Michigan state senate is up only in midterms, which don't favor Republicans they way they did prior to 2016.  Republicans lost two seats in the bad year of 2022.

Michigan's Independent Redistricting Commission drew a state senate map for 2022.  The commission drew lines that split many counties and split Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and the Lansing area to benefit Ds.  The city of Detroit was split to reduce the number of black-majority districts from five to zero.  The commission created several competitive districts.

Michigan Redistricting: State Senate Map Approved

Interactive versions of the map are available at Dave's Redistricting and MICRC.

Michigan State Senate Map-Dave's Redistricting
Michigan State Senate Map-MICRC (old map)

2026 Candidate List (Michigan Secretary of State)

In 2024, a federal court found that many districts in metro Detroit were racially gerrymandered and struck down this portion of the map.  Districts 1-11, 13, 23, and 24 have been redrawn for 2026.  In particular, the new district 13 is more winniable for the GOP.

18 senators are term-limited.  Two senators are running for congress, one for governor, one for US Senate, and two just retired.  There will also be several interesting general election races. 

Michigan's term limits law was changed by constitutional amendment in 2022.  Previously, someone could serve up to 6 years in the state house and 8 years in the state senate.  This was changed to a total of 12 years total in the legislature.  Previously, many state reps ran for state senate when (or before) their six years was up, and usually almost all state senators were previously state reps.  Now, state reps can serve all 12 years in the state house, so fewer are running for state senate, and some districts have no state reps running.  Alternatively, three state reps did not seek reelection in 2024 so they would be eligible for two terms in the state senate, rather than one.

Consider the districts in detail.

Percentages are given for the 2022 election in districts that are unchanged.  The election data for each district is the R candidates for President 2016 (P16), Attorney General 2018 (AG18), Governor 2018 (G18), and President 2020 (P20).  (There was 1-5% of the vote for third party candidates in these races.)

1. [SC Detroit, Downriver] Safe D

P16: 17 G18: 15 AG18: 16 P20: 19 P24: 23
This seat is 48% black and 18% Hispanic.  Senator Erika Geiss is term limited.   Activist Justin Onwenu (D) defeated former state rep (20-24) Abraham Aiyash, who retired to be eligible to run for two terms.  Patrick O'Connell will be the R nominee.

2. [Dearborn, Dearborn Heights] Safe D

P16: 38 G18: 32 AG18: 34 P20: 37 P24: 45

This seat has a significant Middle Eastern population.  Senator Sylvia Santana is term limited.  Activist Abbas Alawieh defeated state rep (22-26) Erin Byrnes for the D nomination.  Harry Sawicki will be the R nominee, as in 2022.

3. [E Detroit] Safe D

P16: 3 G18: 4 AG18: 4 P20: 5 P24: 10

This seat is 78% black.  Stephanie Chang is term limited.  John Conyers III, son of congressman (1964-2017) John Conyers, won over a field of 11 candidates.  He won 24-19 over former senator Adam Hollier, who ran for Congress in 2022 and 2024, Mohammad Alam, LeJuan Council, former state rep (14-20) LaTanya Garrett, Korey Hall, Kimberly Hill Knott, Gary Hunter, Toinu Reeves, Abraham Shaw, and Eboni Taylor.  Mark Price is the R nominee.

4. [S Wayne] Safe D

P16: 45.9 G18: 40 AG18: 41 P20: 46.6 P24: 49

Senator Darrin Camilleri is running for reelection.  The R nominee is Marcie Grzywacz.

5. [Canton, Westland] Safe D

P16: 40 G18: 36 AG18: 38 P20: 39 P24: 41

State rep (18-26) Matt Koleszar is the D nominee.  Estelle Oliansky is the R nominee.

6. [W Detroit, Redford] Safe D

P16: 8 G18: 8 AG18: 8 P20: 9 P24: 10

This seat is 84% black.  Incumbent Mary Cavanagh, who once pled to 'superdrunk' driving is running for reelection.  She easily defeated Stephen Jensen.  The R nominee is Joi Pokerwinski.

7. [Southfield, Pontiac, Bloomfield Hills] Safe D

P16: 29 G18: 29 AG18: 30 P20: 29 P24: 31

This seat is 38% black.  Incumbent Jeremy Moss is running for congress.  State rep (22-26) Jason Hoskins defeated businesswoman Shadia Martini and surgeon Rakesh Ramakrishnan for the D nomination.  The R nominee is Anthony Paesano.

8. [Livonia, Farmington Hills, Novi] Safe D

P16: 45 G18: 42 AG18: 44 P20: 42 P24: 43

District 5 incumbent Dayna Polehanki will run here.  The R candidate is Kenneth Massey.

9. [Troy, Rochester Hills, Sterling Heights] Tossup

P16: 50.6 G18: 46.7 AG18: 49.3 P20: 49 P24: 51.3

This suburban seat is 17% Asian.  It moved about 0.5% left in the new map.  Incumbent Michael Webber (R) is running for reelection.  Troy City Councilwoman Theresa Brooks defeated Oakland County Commissioner Brendan Johnson and attorney Ren Nushaj for the D nomination.

10. [Royal Oak, Madison Heights, W Warren] Safe D

P16: 33 G18: 29 AG18: 30 P20: 32 P24: 34

This seat is 42% black.  White incumbent Paul Wojno is term limited.  State rep (22-26) Natalie Price defeated Mark Anthony Murphy and activist Amanda Treppa for the D nomination. Michelle Nard will be the R nominee.

11. [E Warren, E Sterling Heights, Roseville] Safe D

P16: 46 G18: 39 AG18: 41 P20: 45 P24: 47

This seat is 20% black.  Incumbent Veronica Klinefelt (D) defeated Joseph Hunt and Alysha for the D nomination.  Johnnie Townsend is the R nominee.

12. [Lake St. Clair shoreline] Tossup

49.9-50.1 P16: 52.2 G18: 46.4 AG18: 48.9 P20: 51.5 P24: 53

This district hugging the Lake St. Clair shoreline is actually a decent draw for Rs.  Unlike the congressional and state house maps, the Grosse Pointes are not drowned in a Detroit district.  

Incumbent Kevin Hertel (D) of St. Clair Shores is running for reelection.  Small businessman John Goldwater defeated Joseph Backus, Patrick Biange, who ran as a D for state house in 2024, Algonac Mayor Eileen Tesch, and businesswoman Shelley Wright for the R nomination.

13. [West Bloomfield, Commerce, Waterford] Tossup

P16: 49.2 G18: 44.6 AG18: 46.6 P20: 48 P24: 49.9

Ten years ago, this would have been an R district, but these upscale suburban areas moved left under Trump.  The remap moved this district 3-6% right.  Incumbent Rosemary Bayer (D) is retiring.  Former Oakland County deputy county executive Sean Carlson, who resigned under investigation, defeated DC Anderson and small business owner Cecil George for the D nomination.  Former state rep (18-22) Ryan Berman is the R nominee.

14. [N Washtenaw, Jackson] Safe D

44-56 P16: 43.8 G18: 40.4 AG18: 42.4 P20: 43.9 P24: 45

In one of the outrageous pro-D gerrymanders on the map, Ann Arbor is split in half in an attempt to drown most of Jackson County in a D district.  Incumbent Sue Shink (D) is running for reelection.  Tawn Beliger is the R nominee.

15. [S Washtenaw] Safe D

26-74 P16: 27 G18: 26 AG18: 27 P20: 26 P24: 27

The rest of Washtenaw is safe for any D.  Incumbent Jeff Irwin is term limited.  Former state rep (20-24) Felicia Brabec, who retired in 2024 to be eligible to run for two terms, defeated Michael White for the D nomination.  Jason Rogers is the R nominee.

16. [Monroe, Lenawee, Hillsdale] Safe R

65-35 P16: 60 G18: 55 AG18: 57 P20: 62 P24: 64

Incumbent Joe Bellino is running for reelection.  Deandre Barnes is the D nominee.

17. [S Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, E Calhoun] Safe R

65-35 P16: 62 G18: 58 AG18: 60 P20: 63 P24: 64

Trumpist conservative Jonathan Lindsey is running for reelection.  Ashleigh Baker defeated Mike Jones and Brett Muchow for the D nomination.

18. [W Calhoun, Barry, SE Kent, E Allegan] Safe R

62-38 P16: 59 G18: 55 AG18: 58 P20: 60 P24: 61

Incumbent Thomas Albert of Lowell is running for reelection.  The D nominee is Anthony Pennock.

19. [Kalamazoo, Antwerp Twp] Safe D

40-60 P16: 41 G18: 39 AG18: 42 P20: 40 P24: 41

Incumbent Sean McCann is term limited and running for congress.  The D nominee is state rep (18-26) Julie Rogers.  The R candidate is Shaun Young.

20. [N Berrien, Van Buren, W Allegan, SW Kent] Safe R

61-39 P16: 57 G18: 55 AG18: 57 P20: 57 P24: 58

Incumbent R leader Aric Nesbitt is term limited and ran for governor.  Attorney Chris Moraitis, son-in-law of former state senator (10-18) Tonya Schuitmaker, won 42.5-42 over Casco Township Treasurer and Allegan GOP chair Kenny Clevenger.  Moraitis had the most support in Van Buren County and Clevenger had the most support in Allegan County.   Curtis Clark, who ran for congress with the Constitution Party in 2022 and 2024, is also sought the R nomination.  Dale Murney is the D nominee.

21. [W Ingham, Eaton] Safe D

40-60 P16: 41 G18: 37 AG18: 40 P20: 41 P24: 43

In another outrageous pro-D gerrymander, Lansing is split, and East Lansing is put a into separate district.  Incumbent Sarah Anthony is running for reelection.  Josh Burns is the R nominee.

22. [Livingston, S. Genessee] Safe R

61-37 P16: 62 G18: 56 AG18: 59 P20: 61 P24: 61

Incumbent conservative Lana Theis is term limited.  Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy is unopposed for the R nomination.  Robert Hower is the D candidate.

23. [N Oakland] Safe R

P16: 62 G18: 57 AG18: 59 P20: 60 P24: 61

This district was redrawn to include R areas in north Oakland.  Incumbent Jim Runestad is term limited.  Moderate state rep (22-26) Donni Steele defeated small businessman Daniel Lawless is also seeking the R nomination.  Greg Hill defeated Margarette Gupta and for the D nomination.

24. [N Macomb] Safe R

P16: 62 G18: 55 AG18: 58 P20: 62 P24: 63

This district was redrawn to include R areas in north Macomb.  Incumbent Ruth Johnson is term limited.  State rep (18-21, 22-26) and former state senator (21-22) Doug Wozniak, who won a 2021 state senate special election for a Macomb-based seat, is running, and has most establishment support.  Wozniak deferred to Johnson in 2022 after redistricting put them in the same district.  He was succeeded in the state house by Terence Mekoski, a former police officer and Stop the Steal candidate.  Wozniak ran for state house and defeated Mekoski in 2022.  Wozniak won 70-30 over Mekoski this year.  Edlira Sako defeated Frank Borsellino for the D nomination.

25. [St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron] Safe R

67-33 P16: 65 G18: 57 AG18: 60 P20: 66 P24: 68

Incumbent Dan Lauwers is term limited.  Former state rep (20-24) Andrew Beeler, who retired to be eligible to run for two terms, won easily.  Other R candidates were former state rep (18-22) Gary Eisen, who lost a redistricting-induced matchup with Beeler in 2022 and lost a comeback attempt in 2024, John Mahaney, and former Mussey Township Supervisor Randy Schultz.  The D nominee is April Osentoski.

26. [Lapeer, NE Genessee, S Saginaw, W Tuscola] Safe R

62-38 P16: 59 G18: 52 AG18: 56 P20: 61 P24: 63

Incumbent Kevin Daley is term limited.  State rep (22-26) Matthew Bierlein defeated small business owner Daltson Atwell, James Graham, farmer Gabriel Lossing, and Candice Miller (not the former SOS) for R nomination.  Brendan Johnson defeated Martin Cousineau for the D nomination.

27. [central Genessee] Safe D

36-64 P16: 36 G18: 32 AG18: 35 P20: 37 P24: 40

This seat is 29% black.  Incumbent John D. Cherry, the son of the state senator and LG of the same name, is running for reelection.  Bill Bain defeated Tammy Parillo for the R nomination.

28. [East Lansing, Clinton, Schiawassee] Safe D

42-56 P16: 43.2 G18: 38.2 AG18: 43.9 P20: 43.6 P24: 44.5

This is the other half of the gerrymander that split East Lansing from Lansing.  Incumbent Sam Singh is retiring.  MSU professor Rashida Harrison won 42-38 over Ingham County Commissioner Mark Polsdofer, police officer Ted Kilvington, and Ingham County Commissioner Robert Pena for the D nomination.  Julie DeRose is the R nominee.

29. [S Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood] Safe D

40-60 P16: 37 G18: 37 AG18: 39 P20: 35 P24: 36

This district was held by an R until 2018, but Grand Rapids has zoomed left under Trump.  Incumbent Winnie Brinks is term limited.  East Grand Rapids City Commissioner Abbie Groff-Blaszak won 48-33 over state rep (22-26) Phil Skaggs and DSA candidate Ivan Diaz.  Brady Middleton is the R nominee.

30. [N Grand Rapids, central Kent, NE Ottawa] Tossup

49.8-48.9 P16: 50.1 G18: 47.4 AG18: 50.6 P20: 47.1 P24: 47

Another gerrymander is splitting Grand Rapids between 29 and 30 to create a competitive district here.  Fortunately, the rural areas of Kent and Ottawa are still solidly R downballot, through the presidential numbers got much worse under Trump.  Incumbent Mark Huizenga (R) is seeking reelection.  State rep (22-26) Carol Glanville defeated activist Rickie Kreuzer for the D nomination.

31. [Ottawa, Holland area] Safe R

62-38 P16: 61 G18: 60 AG18: 63 P20: 59 P24: 59

Incumbent Roger Victory is term limited.  Businessman John Wetzel (R), who had mostly establishment support, defeated house washer Kevin Maas and financial advisor and 2024 congressional candidate Michael Markey Jr..  Chris Kleinjans defeated Keagan Host for the D nomination.

32. [Muskegon, Lake Michigan coast] Lean R

53-47 P16: 49.6 G18: 46.4 AG18: 49.2 P20: 51.7 P24: 52.7

Incumbent Jon Bumstead is term limited.  Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole defeated frequent Libertarian candidate Max Riekse for the R nomination.  College professor Rebecca Amidon is the D nominee.

33. [N Kent, Ionia, Montcalm, Newaygo, Lake] Safe R

66-34 P16: 64 G18: 59 AG18: 62 P20: 66 P24: 67

Incumbent Rick Outman is term limited.  State rep (22-26) Gina Johnsen won 33-29-21 over Katie DeBoer, state rep (22-26) Joseph Fox, and frequent candidate Tom Norton.  Johnsen had the most establishment support, while Fox had some more grassroots endorsements.  Stan Opal is the D nominee.

34. [central Lower Peninsula] Safe R

64-33 P16: 60 G18: 55 AG18: 58 P20: 63 P24: 65

Incumbent Roger Hauck won renomination over Rhonda Lange.  Tyler Landgraf is the D nominee.

35. [Saginaw, Bay, Midland] Lean D

47-53 (38-60 in 2024) P16: 47.1 G18: 44.2 AG18: 46.4 P20: 47.6 P24: 48.9

This is another pro-D gerrymander, combining three mid-Michigan seats to make about the best district possible for Ds.  While all cities, Saginaw (blacks), Bay City (white working class), and Midland (upscale Rs) have little in common demographically.  A decade ago, this would have been safe D, but Bay County has moved right. Turnout in Saginaw and candidate quality have long been a problem for Ds.  Incredibly, despite D dominance of Saginaw County, Rs held its state senate district between 1990 and 2022.
Kristen McDonald Rivet (D) won a narrow victory in 2022.  She then was elected to congress in 2024.  This seat sat vacant for 16 months, as Governor Gretchen Whitmer refused to call a special election.  When it was finally held in May 2024, fire captain Chedrick Greene (D) defeated Jason Tunney 60-38.  Greene is seeking reelection this year.  Jason Tunney defeated Chadwick Twillman for the R nomination in August.

36. [NE Lower Peninsula] Safe R

66-34 P16: 65 G18: 59 AG18: 63 P20: 67 P24: 68

Conservative incumbent Michele Hoitenga is seeking reelection.  Mark Yonkman is the D nominee.

37. [NW Lower Peninsula] Safe R

55-43 P16: 56 G18: 52 AG18: 55 P20: 55 P24: 55

Incumbent John Damoose is seeking reelection.  Kate Gallup defeated Mitchell Treadwell for the D nomination.

38. [Upper Peninsula] Safe R

62-37 P16: 56 G18: 51 AG18: 53 P20: 57 P24: 59

Incumbent Ed McBroom is term limited.  State rep (22-26) David Prestin won 53-47 over his predecessor, conservative former state rep (16-22) Beau LaFave, for the R nomination.  The D nominee will be Kelli Van Ginhoven.  Former state rep (16-22) Sara Cambensy (D) is running as an independent.

Summary of Ratings:

Safe D: 17 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 19, 21, 27, 28, 29)

Lean D: 1 (35)

Tossup: 4 (9, 12, 13, 30)

Lean R: 1 (32)

Safe R: 15 (16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38)