At the end of a contentious three-person race, Lansing-area political organizer William Lawrence has won the Democratic nomination for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District.
The Associated Press called the race for Lawrence at 11:23 p.m., with Lawrence receiving 43.2% of the vote with 55% of votes counted.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink received 29.2% while retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam received 27.6%
Lawrence is now slated to face the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte), in the November general election.
Michigan’s 7th Congressional District is made up of Clinton, Ingham, Livingston and Shiawassee counties, most of Eaton County and parts of Genesee and Oakland counties. It’s considered a key swing seat, with the nonpartisan Cook Political report rating it as a “toss-up” heading toward November.
The primary contest also showcased the split between the Democratic Party’s more progressive wing, with Lawrence, who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt. ), defeating his moderate Democratic opponents. Maasdam had the endorsement of U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who held the U.S. House seat before being elected to the Senate in 2024.
Slotkin’s endorsement, which came as Maasdam was running third in polling, represented a break from many party officials, including former Govs. Jennifer Granholm and Jim Blanchard, and some major labor unions, such as the Michigan Education Association, who had endorsed Brink.
In his bid to appeal to voters across political divides, Lawrence campaigned on concerns tied to hyperscale data centers, calling for a 12-month federal moratorium on the construction of new facilities.
During Lawrence’s election watch party, his supporters chanted “data centers lost.”
On Saturday, the three candidates will gather for a unity rally hosted by the 7th Congressional District Democratic Committee, honoring Brink, Maasdam and Lawrence’s pledge to back the winner no matter who prevailed in the primary. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel will introduce the winner.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
Originally published on michiganadvance.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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