MI-SD35: The 35th Senate District special primary election is Tuesday. Here's the stakes and who's running.
The primary election for Michigan’s 35th Senate District’s special election is on Tuesday, with 10 candidates running between the Republican and Democratic tickets.
The district covers parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties, and from the last redistricting in 2011 through 2022, had only been held by Republicans. After winning the seat in 2022 with 53% of the vote, Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) resigned at the start of 2025 after being elected to represent Michigan’s 8th Congressional District.
The seat has sat vacant since McDonald Rivet left it, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer faced criticism for not calling the special election earlier.
The special general election will take place on May 5, and the stakes are high for control of the Michigan Senate. Currently, the Democrats hold a 19-18 majority in the chamber. If Republicans gain control of this seat in May, that majority would disappear. And while Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist would be able to cast a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, he can only do so if every member of the chamber is present and there is a 19-19 tie.
https://michiganadvance.com/2026/01/30/the-35th-senate-district-special-primary-election-is-tuesday-heres-the-stakes-and-whos-running/