Candidates for Michigan's 7th U.S. Congressional District distance themselves from Trump, DSA
The race for Michigan's 7th U.S. congressional district is quietly becoming one of the most contested races in the fight for congressional control.
According to a report by NPR, advertising spending for Michigan's 7th district is higher than in any other U.S. House race.
Political ads might have you thinking the two candidates in this race land on the fringes of their respective parties, but when we spoke to them, they gave us reason to think otherwise.
Incumbent Republican Tom Barrett says his reelection campaign in the 2026 cycle is starkly different than when he ran in 2022 and 2024.
"Some of the issues are different than some of the ones I've campaigned on in the past. The war in Iran that I've voted against four different times now. I'm one of the only Republicans to vote against the war in Iran. Whether it's the issue of data centers and artificial intelligence," Barrett said.
He says it's stances like these that show how he's advocating for his district and not just the Trump agenda, as higher gas and grocery prices weigh heavily on voters.
"I'm not looking for things to instigate a fight with the president, but I am someone who stands up for my district and tries to fight for things that I believe in," he said.
First-time candidate and community organizer Will Lawrence is looking to flip the politically split district for Democrats, and he knows he'll need to convince voters outside his hometown of Lansing.
"We're doing our 'Main Street not Wall Street' tour now, visiting 24 small and medium-sized towns across the district because it's important to show up and listen to what's on people's minds," he said.
Lawrence told us he's not affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) movement, but he does support many of the ideas on its platform.
"I'm not a member of the DSA, but I do agree with people in that organization that we all should have good healthcare, we all should have good housing, and the billionaires in this country should all be paying their fair share in taxes," he said.
Both candidates say they'll be knocking on doors and meeting community members through election day because they know how close and important this race is.
