Democrat Chedrick Greene won the special election for Michigan Senate's 35th District on Tuesday, according to projections from CBS News and The Guardian. The race was called just before 11 p.m., with over 60% of the votes counted.
Key Takeaways
Democrat Chedrick Greene won the special election for Michigan Senate's 35th District on Tuesday. The victory keeps Democrats in control of the state Senate through Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's term.
- Democrat Chedrick Greene secured a decisive win with 58% of the vote, defeating Republican Jason Tunney and Libertarian Ali Sledz.
- The seat became vacant after former Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet was elected to the U.S. House in November 2024.
- Greene is a Marine veteran and fire captain who previously worked as a district assistant under McDonald Rivet, appointed by Whitmer to the Statewide Housing Partnership in 2023.
- The race took place in Michigan’s traditionally purple 35th senate district, which includes parts of Bay and Saginaw counties.
- Greene's victory is seen as a potential indicator for the upcoming midterms in this battleground state.
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 7 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Election Winner | Broad Agreement | Democrat Chedrick Greene won with 58% of the vote. | |
| Votes Received By Candidates | Broad Agreement | Greene: 36,374 votes; Tunney: 24,337 votes; Sledz: 1,054 votes. | |
| District Demographics And History | Broad Agreement | District includes parts of Bay and Saginaw counties, traditionally purple areas. |
Election Winner
Broad AgreementDemocrat Chedrick Greene won with 58% of the vote.
Votes Received By Candidates
Broad AgreementGreene: 36,374 votes; Tunney: 24,337 votes; Sledz: 1,054 votes.
District Demographics And History
Broad AgreementDistrict includes parts of Bay and Saginaw counties, traditionally purple areas.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The victory keeps Democrats in control of the state Senate through the remainder of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's term. Greene led with 36,374 votes, or 58%, followed by Republican Jason Tunney with 24,337 votes, or 39%. Libertarian Ali Sledz received 1,054 votes.
The seat became vacant after former Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet was elected to the U.S. House in November 2024. Whitmer called for a special election in August 2025, with the primary held on Feb. 3, 2026.
Greene is a Marine veteran and fire captain of the Saginaw Fire Department who previously worked as a district assistant under McDonald Rivet. He was appointed by Whitmer to the Statewide Housing Partnership in 2023.
The race took place in Michigan’s 35th senate district, an area that includes parts of Bay and Saginaw counties — traditionally purple areas of the state. In the 2024 election, former vice-president Kamala Harris won this constituency by only a single percentage point.
Greene told supporters on Tuesday night: “We delivered this decisive victory by listening and speaking to the things keeping everyday people up at night – worries about affordability, safety and freedom.” Hakeem Jeffries, the US House minority leader, heralded Greene’s win on social media. “State Sen-elect Chedrick Greene’s decisive 19-point overperformance last night ensures Democrats keep control of the Michigan Senate,” Jeffries wrote on X. “A massive defeat for MAGA Republicans!”
Tunney, a former prosecutor, vowed to challenge Greene again when voters return to the polls in November to elect a representative for the 35th district for a full four-year term.
The race was closely watched as a potential indicator for the upcoming midterms in this battleground state. The district is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Detroit and includes Saginaw, Bay City and Midland. It is seen as reflective of the entire state and includes part of Saginaw County, the only Michigan county to back the winning presidential candidate in each of the last five elections.
Whitmer, a Democrat, is term-limited, setting up a competitive race in November to succeed her. With Democrats currently controlling the state Senate 19-18, Tuesday's outcome was crucial for deciding the state's legislative agenda in the months before she leaves office in January.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 7 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.