Almost an afterthought when the election season began, Lansing activist Will Lawrence has won the Democratic nomination in mid-Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, according to reports, riding a progressive wave to victory and a chance − perhaps the best of any in the state − to flip a seat held by a Republican.
Decision Desk HQ and MS NOW called the race for Lawrence before 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 4, followed shortly by the Associated Press, the Washington Post and CNN. Lawrence will face first-term U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, in the November general election in a district considered evenly divided in partisan terms and a key pickup opportunity for Democrats eager to take back majority control of the U.S. House.
But the election of Lawrence, who has the support of progressive stalwart and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, could also present Barrett his best chance of holding onto the seat. Barrett is certain to characterize Lawrence as too extreme for what many consider a more moderate electorate in the district.
Lawrence co-founded the Sunrise Movement, which advocates for policies to fight climate change, and has been an activist working for protections for low-income renters in Michigan and elsewhere.
“Tonight the people of Michigan’s 7th District sent a clear message: they are tired of Silicon Valley billionaires and D.C. insiders determining the future of our towns and our country. They want an unbought representative who isn’t afraid to stand up to leaders of both parties and fight for working people,” Lawrence said.
“Tom Barrett may have the high-powered D.C. consultants and corporate CEOs in his corner, but our movement is made up of real Michiganders, coming together across political differences. We’re ready and fired up,” he said.
The only Democrat in the race who was a native of the district, Lawrence defeated two candidates who seemed on paper better positioned to win based on their records: Bridget Brink, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam, who also worked as a military aide to former President Barack Obama.
He was also outraised significantly in terms of campaign fundraising by the other two, who tapped into more support from establishment Democrats. But it was clear as returns came in on primary night that the other two were splitting a larger share of primary vote while Lawrence had to the progressive base to himself.
Barrett was unopposed in the Republican primary.
This has been the most closely watched Democratic primary for a U.S. House seat in Michigan this year given that the 7th Congressional District, anchored in Lansing and stretching across several mid-Michigan counties, is considered a tossup and Barrett vulnerable in his reelection campaign.
If, as many observers predict, the 2026 midterm elections lean toward Democrats nationally, that would be more likely to show itself in this congressional district than any other Michigan.
For months, it’s been a hard-fought race with little clear indication of who might have the edge. It was thought Lawrence could be helped by a strong showing in the district for U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who was also running as a progressive stalwart.
But Brink, who split with President Donald Trump over the handling of U.S. support for Ukraine in that country’s war with Russia and moved back to Michigan, consolidated much of the support of establishment Democrats. Maasdam, meanwhile, leaned heavily on outside help from Democratic veterans groups and received the backing of a key supporter: U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who previously represented this district and helped bring Maasdam into the race.
“Army veteran and helicopter pilot Tom Barrett is a proven fighter for mid-Michigan, consistently delivering common sense wins for hardworking Michiganders,” said Zach Bannon, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, who called Lawrence a “socialist” who is “too extreme” for the district.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on X @tsspangler.
This story has been updated with additional information.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Reports: Lawrence wins Democratic primary, will face Barrett in fall
Reporting by Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
