Former Michigan lawmaker Adam Hollier is changing lanes again.
Hollier, who was a state senator from 2018-2022, announced Tuesday, Feb. 3, he would end his campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for secretary of state and instead run for a Senate post once again, this time in Michigan’s 3rd Senate District.
He’d previously announced a run for secretary of state, Michigan’s top elections role, in September, after previously campaigning for the U.S. House seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit. Hollier had run for Thanedar’s seat twice before that, finishing second to the Congressman in a crowded primary in 2020 and then having his campaign upended by fraudulent signatures on his nominating petition in 2022, when he was disqualified from the primary ballot.
“This race was never about me, it was about ensuring strong Black leadership at every level in our state,” Hollier said in a statement. “It is with that higher purpose that I am stepping aside in my race for secretary of state and running for reelection to the state Senate, in the hopes that our community will be able to come together and ensure we have real representation up and down the ballot in November.”
At one point, Hollier looked to have a possible fundraising advantage over other secretary of state candidates, having transferred over his congressional campaign funds. But since Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II ended his gubernatorial campaign in January and instead switched to run for secretary of state, Gilchrist appears to have a leg up on other Democratic hopefuls for the party’s nomination at its April endorsement convention. Since pivoting to run for secretary of state, Gilchrist has picked up key support, including on Feb. 3, when the Michigan AFL-CIO endorsed his campaign.
Along with Gilchrist, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum and former Michigan Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli are the other Democrats in the secretary of state race. Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie ended his secretary of state campaign last month, directly citing Gilchrist’s entrance to the race.
Hollier is now running for a state Senate district currently represented by Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit. Chang is prevented from seeking another term in the Legislature by Michigan’s constitutional term limits.
The 3rd District includes all of Hamtramck, Hazel Park, Highland Park, Madison Heights, and covers parts of Clawson, Detroit, Royal Oak, Sterling Heights, Troy and Warren.
According to the state Bureau of Elections’ unofficial candidate listing, Democrats Eboni Taylor, Theodore Jones, Korey Hall and Bobby Christian have all filed to run for the 3rd District to replace Chang. Former congressional candidate John Conyers III has also formed a committee to run for the seat, according to campaign filings. The district has a heavy Democratic tilt, so its next senator will likely be chosen during Michigan’s statewide primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
If Hollier were to be elected in November, he would be able to serve two terms in the state Senate, as Michigan term limit laws enacted by voters in 2022 state lawmakers can serve a total of 12 years in the Legislature. When he was a lawmaker, Hollier represented the previous 2nd Senate District. Michigan’s legislative districts have since been redrawn.
You can reach Arpan at alobo@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Adam Hollier ends secretary of state campaign, pivots to state Senate
Reporting by Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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