CHANGING DISTRICT

Michigan District 7 for the U.S. House has a history of flipping in the last two election cycles and it could well happen come the general election showdown in 2026. Now held by Republican Tom Barrett, this sprawling district takes in a sliver of Oakland County (Milford and Lyon townships), along with the counties of Ingham, Livingston, Clinton, Shiawassee and Genesee. In the 2022 race, Barrett lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin who has now moved on to the Senate. Barrett tried again in 2024 and beat Democrat Curtis Hertel Jr., now the chair of the Michigan Democratic party. But political observers say it will be a tight contest this year, with The Cook Political Report ranking the district as a “toss up” for 2026. Six Democrats have filed so far for this contest, and December polling had Barrett at 42 percent against Bridget Brink who clocked in at 40 percent. Brink, who Barrett is trying to paint as a carpetbagger who just moved to the state, was originally appointed by President Joe Biden to be the ambassador to Ukraine, a position she quit in protest this past April over handling of the war-torn country by President Donald Trump. The other more notable candidate from the pack of Democrats is Matt Maasdam, a former Navy SEAL who had been an aide to former President Barrack Obama – whose impressive military career included carrying the nuclear football and the codes. In that money is a big factor in such a race, here’s a cash-on-hand snapshot as of the end of last September: Barrett, $1.79 million; Brink, $738,000; and Maasdam, $395,000.

Bridget Brink

Matt Maasdam