SAGINAW, Mich.—Democrat Chedrick Greene defeated Republican Jason Tunney in a special election for the state Senate’s District 35 seat, preserving Democratic control of the Senate.
The Michigan Senate consists of 38 seats; Democrats held a 19–18 majority, with Greene now giving them a two-vote cushion of 20–18. All the Senate seats will be back up for election in November, including District 35.
Tunney conceded the race in a post on X late Tuesday.
“Tonight, we fell short in the special election, but I’m incredibly proud of what this campaign accomplished together,” he said. “We worked hard every single day to run the best campaign. This is only the halfway point. As we head into November, the contrast between Chedrick and myself will only become clearer to more and more voters. I’m excited about what lies ahead, and I’m not going anywhere. Thank you for fighting alongside me. We’re just getting started!”
In the city of Saginaw where the median annual household income is $38,579, gas prices were $4.79 a gallon on Tuesday. The impact of inflation on voters was a recurring theme among Democratic voters.
Saginaw’s Paul Purcell voted for Greene and pointed to the economy as a factor in the Democratic.
“Inflation, the price of gas,” Purcell said. “That’s what is really driving this. We see that every day.”
Lara Bell-Phillips, a Democrat who lives in Midland, voted for Greene.
“I want someone in Lansing who knows sometimes you have to choose between putting a full tank of gas in your car or paying for a child’s prescription,” Bell-Phillips said. “That’s what it comes down to. We are not a bunch of millionaires. We are working class people.”
Brandell Adams, the chairman of the Saginaw County Democratic Party, said Tuesday an “anti-Trump enthusiasm”—triggered by the Iran war, high inflation, and nearly $5 a gallon gas prices—has energized Democrats in Mid-Michigan and he said it could lead to a bigger “Democratic blue wave.”
“Typically, how Saginaw County goes is how it goes across the board [in Michigan],” Adams said. “Chedrick winning is like firing the starting gun to the mid-term races.”
Greene, a Marine veteran and fire chief endorsed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, positions himself as a champion for working families.
Tunney is a former prosecutor and business leader who said he wants to strengthen public safety, support local schools, and reduce the tax and regulatory burden on Michigan families and small businesses.
Controversial Election
This was a controversial election in Michigan because of how long it took to happen.The delay in scheduling led to a lawsuit filed in August 2025 alleging “taxation without representation.” The case was later dismissed after Whitmer scheduled the special election on Aug. 29.
The district had been without representation since Jan. 3, 2025, when Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned after being elected to the U.S. House.
Republicans criticized Whitmer for not calling for the special election in a timely manner, pointing out that in the past, it was done within days.
Whitmer’s critics counted the days since Rivet was elected to the House on Nov. 4, 2024.
“Today is the 487th day since the 35th State Senate District has had representation in Lansing,” Mike Cox, the former Republican attorney general, said May 5 on X. “All the while Whitmer has proposed billions in new taxes, spending & regulations and 270,000 Michiganders have had no say in stopping it.”
Cox threw his support behind Tunney, who he said, “understands the importance of manufacturing; he understands the importance of law and order; he will be a warrior in Lansing for the things that matter.”