(WXYZ) — U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the winner of Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, DDHQ projects. Slotkin was running against actor and businessman Hill Harper.
Elissa Slotkin speaks to supporters after projected U.S. Senate primary win
Slotkin, 48, is currently the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 7th District – which includes all of Ingham, Livingston, Shiawassee and Clinton counties, plus areas of Eaton, Genesee and Oakland counties.
She released a statement on X Tuesday night:
THANK YOU, MICHIGAN!!
Thank you to everyone who cast their ballot in this primary election – and to everyone who knocked a door, talked to voters, or chipped in a few bucks to fuel this campaign. I’m thrilled to officially be your Democratic Nominee for Senate. And for those who may not have voted for me, I look forward to earning your support.
“For me, going from the House to the Senate is about being able to deliver even more for my constituents on the issue that is my sun and my moon, which is, America and Michigan has to be a place where we can get in and stay in the middle class,” Slotkin said to our Chuck Stokes on Spotlight on the News. “My whole life revolves around that.”
She was first elected to the U.S. House in 2018 and took her seat in 2019, flipping the normally Republican district for the first time since 2001.
She said her Senate campaign has focused on protecting people’s rights and democracy, keeping communities safe, building things in America, and defending the middle class.
Slotkin went to school at Cornell and then Columbia University with a goal of working in national security, according to her House biography.
She joined the CIA as an intelligence analyst and worked with the military during three tours in Iraq.
Slotkin has often touted her work with both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama and worked in the Defense Department for several years.
The Senate seat became open after current Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced last year she would not seek re-election. Stabenow was Michigan’s first female U.S. Senator and was officially sworn in in 2001.
Stabenow released a statement endorsing Slotkin Tuesday night:
"I strongly endorse Elissa Slotkin to be Michigan's next United States Senator. Elissa has dedicated the last five and a half years to creating a better life for families in her district. It's clear she knows what it takes to be a great legislator. She understands the skills you need in the Senate -- not just to give speeches -- but to actually get things done. From her leadership on the House Agriculture Committee during Farm Bill negotiations to securing millions of dollars for affordable child care, I've seen her in action.
"Elissa is truly grounded in the communities she represents. I've seen firsthand how engaged, accessible and present she is across her district.
“I have the honor of being the first woman from Michigan elected to the U.S. Senate. But I have always believed it’s not enough to be the first, unless there is a second and a third. I’m excited to pass the torch at the end of the year and see Elissa Slotkin represent Michigan in the halls of the U.S. Senate.
During her interview on Spotlight on the News, Slotkin was asked about inflation, immigration, abortion rights, civil rights and more.
VIDEO: Check out her interview below:
WATCH: Political analyst Mario Morrow joins 7 News Detroit to talk election results
