Since U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Lansing, announced in February that she was running to replace retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, everyone has assumed former state Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, would run again for the 7th District seat he lost to her in one of 2022’s hottest Congressional races.
But he’s not yet announced his candidacy.
Things are still shaking out on the Democratic side. Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum had considered a run for Slotkin’s seat, but said this week that she’s taking a pass. Instead, she will run for re-election to her current seat, and isn’t ruling out a 2026 run for Secretary of State to replace Jocelyn Benson, who will be term limited.
Other Democrats said to be considering a run for the 7th Congressional District are state Sen. Sarah Anthony of Lansing, state Rep. Angela Witwer of Delta Township, state Rep. Julie Brixie of Okemos, and former state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., who is currently serving as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s legislative affairs director. Recent reports indicate Hertel could be announcing a run soon.
While things aren’t firmed up for the Democrats, the only Republican assumed to be running is Barrett. Everyone assumes he’s running because he ran in 2022, and because his campaign strategist told the Lansing State Journal on Feb. 28 that Barrett was running, and that an announcement was coming in a “few weeks.”
But here we are in June — nearly 4 months later — and Barrett hasn’t said a word. Progressive political site Daily Kos also recently noted the lack of an official Barrett announcement.
In fact, Barrett hasn’t said much of anything since losing to Slotkin; his social media has been dark since the last election.
So, I reached out to Dan Wholihan, chairperson of the 7th District’s Republican party (and former chair of the Livingston County GOP). I figured if anyone knew anything about when Barrett’s announcement was coming, it would be Wholihan.
“I have to talk to Tom for specifics on any of his future plans,” he said.
While his social media and campaign site have been silent since the last election, Barrett emceed the April 11 Eaton County GOP Lincoln Tribute Dinner; Wholihan and Jennifer Smith, current chair of the Livingston GOP, also attended. Barrett was also on the agenda of a May 4 event of the South Lyon Area Republicans at Huron Valley Guns.
Now, no other Republican has announced a run, or is even rumored to be considering one. Perhaps I am jumping the gun. Maybe Barrett’s announcement is coming soon, which it needs to, at least according to one political consultant.
In a recent story in The Detroit News, political consultant Adrian Hemond, a Democrat and CEO of the Lansing-based firm Grassroots Midwest, said July 1, the start of the third fundraising quarter for federal candidates, is also probably the latest that anyone would want to launch a U.S. House campaign. Candidates need to start raising money as soon as possible, Hemond said, especially in a highly competitive district like Michigan’s 7th.
Consider that the race for the newly-drawn 7th District was one of the most-expensive Congressional contests in 2022. Slotkin raised nearly $9.9 million, spent $11.3 million, and had $128,870 on hand at the end of the year; Barrett raised $2.8 million — just a third of Slotkin’s haul — and he spent virtually all of it, ending the year with just $5,289 on hand.
And that’s not counting all the outside money spent. Here’s what AdImpact had to say about it:
If the Congressional race for the 7th District is anywhere near as costly in 2024, there’s a lot of money that will need to be raised in a race currently rated a toss-up by The Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections as of June 2023.
And maybe I’m making too much of Barrett not announcing yet.
Michigan’s 7th Congressional District includes all of Livingston, Ingham, Clinton and Shiawassee counties, the state capital of Lansing, as well as a majority of Eaton County and small portions of Oakland and Genesee counties.
