With Michigan’s House seats back on the ballot in 2024, here are the key races to watch

Michigan Capitol | Susan J. Demas

As Tuesday’s campaign filing deadline has passed, the races for the Aug. 6 primary election are beginning to take shape with all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives on the ballot. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives her State of the State speech, Jan. 24, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols

Democrats currently hold a narrow 56-54 advantage in the House. As the party also controls the Senate and all top executive posts, Republicans are looking to take back the chamber this fall to serve as a check on Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s power.

Candidates looking to run for state representative had until 4 p.m. Tuesday to file the documents needed to appear on the primary ballot. While the list of candidates is unofficial, a majority of lawmakers are seeking to retain their seat, while many are set to face challenges in their respective partisan primaries. Candidates have until 4 p.m. Friday to withdraw. 

Per the Secretary of State listing last updated Tuesday morning, each state House race featured at least one Democratic and Republican candidate, with the exception of the 60th and 90th districts. Seven seats are up for grabs as multiple incumbents decide against seeking reelection.

Several former lawmakers also are seeking reelection following 2022 changes to the state’s term limits law. Legislators may now serve 12 total years in either chamber. The previous law, enacted in 1992, restricted service in the state House to three, two-year terms and time in the Senate to two, four-year terms.

Incumbents face primary challenges

Overall, 36 members of the House who are seeking reelection could have one or more opponents in the primary, with 18 Democrats and 18 Republicans potentially facing a challenger in August. 

While Detroit-area lawmakers often face challengers in the Democratic primary, the unofficial list of candidates maintained by the Secretary of State shows several Democratic lawmakers outstate also could have an opponent in the primary. 

Speaker Joe Tate after the State of the State speech, Jan. 24, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols

Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) could be up against three other candidates in August in the 9th District: Bobby Christian, R.M. Nelson and Lory Renea Parks. On the Republican side of the ballot is Michele Lundgren, one of the 15 individuals charged for submitting a false slate of electoral votes for Donald Trump following the 2020 election, which Trump lost to President Joe Biden. 

House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) could be challenged by Ernest T. Little, Tonya Myers Phillips and Abraham D. Shaw in the 7th District, with Barry Altman and Shelby Wininger seeking the Republican nomination.

Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) could also face a challenger in Republican Rich Cutshaw, as Michigan Democratic Party Youth Vice Chair Austin Marsman is unopposed in the primary for the 42nd District. 

House Minority Floor Leader Bryan Posthumus (R-Cannon Twp.) looks to be unopposed in both the primary and the general election in the 90th District. 

Both of the newly elected candidates to the Michigan House will face a number of primary challengers in November. 

Rep.-elect Mai Xiong (D-Warren), who was elected to represent Michigan’s 13th House District in the April 16 special election, could square off against former state Rep. Richard Steenland (D-Roseville) and Patricia Johnson Singleton, who previously served as an at-large representative on the Detroit Public Schools Board of Trustees. Four Republicans have also filed for the primary ballot: Jerrie Bowl Bilello, Mark Foster, John Sheets and Richard Singer, who lost to Xiong in the special election. 

Rep.-elect Peter Herzberg (D-Westland), who was elected to Michigan’s 25th House District this month, could face four Democratic challengers in August. Both Melandie Hines and Layla Taha, who lost to Herzberg in the special primary, could challenge him for a full term. The other two Democrats who have filed are Salif Kourouma and Lekisha Maxwell. Republican Josh Powell, who was defeated by Herzberg in the special election, is unopposed. 

Warren Mayor Jim Fouts | Susan J. Demas

Former Warren Mayor Jim Fouts, who recently lost a court challenge asking for a new mayoral election and has faced controversy over using slurs for people with disabilities and African Americans, could challenge incumbent state Rep. Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park) in the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 14th House District. 

In the northern Lower Peninsula, state Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen) who represents the 104th House District, faces a challenge from Republican Owen Suhy, while right-wing radio host “Trucker Randy” Bishop has filed to run as a Democrat, and is opposed by Larry Knight in the primary. Bishop, a former Antrim County chair who has spread pro-Trump conspiracies about the 2020 election, also filed to run as a Democrat in a 2022 state Senate election.

State Rep. Gina Johnsen (R-Odessa) also faces a challenge from John Rocha in the 78th House District. Rocha previously ran in 2022 and was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, but was one of 11 candidates disqualified due to out-of-compliance campaign finance filings. He received more than 8% of the vote in the August 2022 primary while running as a write-in candidate.

In the Upper Peninsula, state Rep. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) could face two primary challengers in the 109th House District, Randy Girard and Margaret Brumm. Melody Wagner, who lost to Hill in the general election in 2022, has filed for the Republican primary, alongside Karl Bohnak, Burt Mason and George Meister. 

Former State Rep. Latanya Garrett (D-Detroit) has filed to challenge incumbent Rep. Helena Scott (D-Detroit) alongside Chris Gilmer-Hill in Michigan’s 8th House District. Alex Kuhn is unopposed in the Republican primary.

State Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford), could have two challengers in the Republican primary for Michigan’s 66th House District: Randy LeVasseur and Jeffrey M. Omtvedt. Schriver was previously sanctioned by Tate for a “sustained campaign of racist rhetoric and hate speech” posted to social media about the “Great Replacement” theory, with Tate stripping Schriver of his office staff, funding and his committee assignment. 

Open seats create competition 

As some lawmakers try to fend off challengers, others are exiting the House to pursue other priorities. 

The representatives of Michigan’s 33rd, 34th, 35th, 40th, 64th 81st and 93rd House districts have not filed for reelection. 

State Rep. Robert Bezotte (R-Howell) | Laina G. Stebbins

While state Rep. Bob Bezotte (R-Howell) initially said he would not seek another term, he has changed course and filed for reelection, possibly facing three challengers in the Republican primary in Michigan’s 50th House District.

State Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Twp.) who currently represents the 33rd House District, has said she will not seek reelection in the House but plans to run for the 15th District Senate Seat in 2026. The seat is currently held by Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) who will be ineligible to run in 2026 due to term limits. Democrats Morgan Foreman and Rima Mohammad and Republicans Jason Rogers and Alan Dettling have each filed to succeed Brabec.

State Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Onsted) cannot seek reelection in the 34th House District due to term limits, with Democrat John Dahlgren and Republican former state Rep. Nancy Jenkins-Arno (R-Clayton) seeking to represent the district. 

In the 35th House District, state Rep. Andrew Fink (R-Adams Twp.) has said he will not seek a third term, and will instead run for the Michigan Supreme Court this year. Don Hicks is the only Democrat who has filed in the field, while Tom Matthew, Adam Stockford and Jennifer Wortz are seeking the Republican nomination.

As state Rep. Christine Morse (D-Texas Twp.) runs for judgeship in Michigan’s 9th Circuit Court in Kalamazoo, Lisa Brayton and Matt Longjohn are seeking the Democratic nomination for her seat, with Kelly Sackett unchallenged in the Republican primary in Michigan’s 40th House District.  

State Rep. Andrew Beeler (R-Port Huron) confirmed in March that he would not seek reelection after two terms in the state House, but told the Port Huron Times Herald he would be interested in running for state Senate in 2026 after Sen. Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway) is term-limited. Republicans seeking to claim the open seat in the 64th House District could face a packed primary with five candidates seeking the nomination: Former state Rep. Gary Eisen (R-St. Clair Twp.), Jorja Baldwin, Dan Geiersbach, Ryan Maxon and Joseph Pavlov. Three candidates have filed for the Democratic ballot: John Anter, Matthew Castillo and Ken Heuvelman. 

With Rep. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) announcing in January that she would not seek reelection after six years in office, two candidates have submitted paperwork in seeking to claim the open seat in the 81st House District: Democratic Kent County Commissioner Stephen Wooden and Republican Jordan Youngquist. 

In the 93rd House District, which covers parts of Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, Montcalm and Saginaw counties, state Rep. Graham Filler (R-St. Johns) will not seek reelection and is considered a likely 2026 attorney general candidate. Democrat Kevin C. Seamon and Republican former state Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw Twp.) are each unopposed in the primary.

Looking to November

State Rep. Matt Maddock attends a right-wing rally at the state Capitol, Feb. 8, 2022 | Laina G. Stebbins

Two other Republicans have filed to challenge Trump ally state Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) in the 51st House District: Laura Vogel and Kevin Siegler. Democrat Sarah May-Seward — who opposed Maddock in the 2022 election — has filed to appear in the primary against Debbie Llewellyn.

State Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) is unopposed in the Democratic primary for the 38th House District, but Kevin Whiteford, who lost to Andrews in the 2022 election, has filed for the Republican primary. George Lucas, who also sought the Republican nomination in 2022, is also running in 2024.

In the 54th House District, state Rep. Donni Steele (R-Orion Twp.) and Democrat Shadia Martini are unopposed in their primaries, setting up a potential rematch after Martini’s loss in 2022.

Former state Rep. Tommy Brann (R-Wyoming) has filed for the Republican primary in the 83rd House District, alongside Cindy Ramirez Amante. If he is successful, Brann would challenge state Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming), who is unopposed in the primary. 

Former state Rep. Tim Sneller (D-Burton) is currently unchallenged in the 68th House District, setting up a November challenge against state Rep. David Martin (R-Davison).

State Rep. Joseph Aragona (R-Clinton Twp.) is unopposed in both his primary and in the general election in the 60th District. 

In the 74th House District, which includes parts of Lansing, state Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) is unopposed in the primary, and could face Republican Tom Gerard Izzo — not to be confused with Michigan State University Basketball Coach Tom Michael Izzo — in the general election.

Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) speaks on the House floor on June 21, 2023. (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

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