Incumbent Rep Elissa Slotkin wins Democratic Senate primary in Michigan

Incumbent Rep. Elissa Slotkin won the Democratic primary election for Senate in Michigan on Tuesday, setting up a short general election campaign before November. 

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., defeated actor Hill Harper in the state’s Democratic primary to fill outgoing Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat. 

Slotkin currently represents Michigan in the House of Representatives. She was previously a Middle East analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). She first ran for office in 2018 and defeated a Republican incumbent, flipping her district. 

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Rep Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks with her constituents at a town hall meeting where she discussed her decision to vote in favor of the impeachment of President Donald Trump on December 16, 2019, in Rochester, Michigan. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

In her Senate campaign, Slotkin positioned herself as a moderate in the swing state of Michigan. She has pointed to her work under both former President Obama and former President Bush to make this point. 

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Slotkin has also remained careful in her stance on Israel and the war against terrorist group Hamas in Gaza. However, Michigan is home to a significant Arab population which has been pushing the Biden administration to end its military assistance to Israel. Slotkin’s Democratic opponent, Harper, has been more vocal in criticizing Israel and the Biden administration’s support for the U.S. ally. 

Actor and U.S. Senate candidate Hill Harper engages the audience during the State of Our Democracy: Voter Apathy in the Black Community panel on day two of the 2023 37th Annual NOBCO Economic Development Conference at The Westin Charlotte on October 20, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for NOBCO)

Harper has called for a ceasefire on several occasions and had pressed Democratic front-runner Slotkin to do the same. 

The Democrat nominee is now tasked with winning the general election in November, which could go either way given the battleground nature of Michigan. 

Vice President Kamala Harris became the leading favorite for Democratic presidential nominee after President Biden withdrew from the race on Sunday. (Getty Images)

Non-partisan political handicapper, the Cook Political Report, rated the open Senate seat as a "Toss Up." The race was originally thought to be "Lean Democratic" but was shifted shortly before President Biden exited the 2024 race.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. 

Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..