Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday, Nov. 24, said she is endorsing state Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Bloomfield Township, in next year’s race to replace U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the 11th Congressional District based in Oakland County.
“Jeremy Moss is a tough, tested leader who fights like hell every day to make Michiganders’ lives better,” Whitmer said in a prepared statement. “As a member of Congress, I know he will stand up for working families, lower costs for Michiganders and fight for our freedoms. He has always had Michigan’s back, and I’m proud to support him.”
The Free Press doesn’t typically report on political endorsements unless they are newsworthy: In this case, Whitmer is perhaps the best known and most popular Democratic elected official in Michigan, and her endorsement in what looks to be a contested Democratic primary could be significant to Moss’ chances.
“I’m proud to earn Gov. Whitmer’s early support in this race,” said Moss, a former Southfield city councilman who also has served in the state House and is currently president pro tempore in the state Senate. “During our many years of partnership, we’ve worked to deliver tax relief, protect our rights and stand up for Michigan families.”
Stevens, D-Birmingham, is stepping down from the seat she first won in 2018 to run in the Democratic primary to enter the race to replace Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters. Peters early this year announced he would not run for a third six-year term in the Senate.
By receiving Whitmer’s endorsement, Moss clearly establishes himself as the favorite among the Democratic establishment in Michigan, having also been endorsed by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, state Attorney General Dana Nessel and U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald-Rivet of Bay City, among others.
The 11th District is solidly Democratic leaning, and whoever wins the party primary next August will be the favorite to win the seat in November 2026. Among those already in the Democratic race are former Ford engineer Don Ufford, lawyer Aisha Farooqi, Dr. Anil Kumar and John Paul Torres, a Waterford School District trustee. Republicans who have filed in the race include Mike Steger, who founded a pro-Trump advocacy group, and lawyer Anthony Paesano.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Whitmer endorses Jeremy Moss to replace Stevens in Congress
Reporting by Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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