Dems have controlled Michigan's U.S. Senate seats for over 30 years. Who was the last Republican elected?

Michigan's U.S. Senate race is one of the most-watched in the country, with Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers competing for the most votes.

If El-Sayed wins, Democrats will maintain representation in the U.S. Senate from Michigan. However, if Rogers is projected to win, he would be the first Michigan Republican elected in more than 30 years.

How long have Michigan Democrats been in the Senate?

Michigan has two U.S. Senate seats — Class I and II. Democrats have controlled Class I since 2000, following the election of former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and have controlled Class II since 1978 with the election of the late Sen. Carl Levin.

Last Republican elected to the Senate in Michigan

The last Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Michigan was Spencer Abraham in 1994.

Abraham served one term as a Class I senator, succeeding Democrat Donald Riegle. He lost his reelection bid to Stabenow. Abraham would go on to become the U.S. energy secretary from 2001 through 2005 under then-President George W. Bush.

Multiple attempts to reach Abraham went unanswered. 

In the Class II seat, the last Republican to hold the seat was Robert P. Griffin, who was appointed in 1966 following the death of then-Sen. Patrick McNamara. Griffin was officially elected to the seat in the 1966 election and then reelected in 1972. 

But Griffin's time in the Senate ended in 1978 when he was defeated by Levin.

Who currently sits in the Senate?

Michigan's U.S. Senate seats are currently held by Democrats Elissa Slotkin (Class I) and Gary Peters (Class II). Slotkin was elected in the 2024 election, beating Rogers. She replaces Stabenow, who announced in 2023 that she would not seek reelection. 

Meanwhile, Peters was elected to the Senate in 2014, succeeding Levin. In January 2025, Peters announced that he would not seek reelection.