• Michigan Democrats won all three of the state’s ‘toss up’ US House races in the midterm election
  • In the process, two GOP incumbents were ousted: Tom Barrett in the 7th District and Bill Huizenga in the 4th District
  • Democrats also picked up 10th District seat held by John James, who ran for governor rather than seek reelection to Congress

LANSING — Michigan Democrats flipped three US House seats in Tuesday’s midterm election, ousting incumbent Republican Reps. Bill Huizenga and Tom Barrett in the process. 

Sean McCann’s victory over Huizenga in southwest Michigan’s 4th Congressional District and Will Lawrence’s win over Barrett in mid-Michigan’s 7th District helped solidify a Democratic majority in the House for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. 

Democrat Christina Hines also defeated Republican Mike Bouchard to win the Macomb County-based 10th District seat held by John James, who lost his bid for governor. 

In a statement, Hines said she “could not be more excited to get to work” on things like lowering costs and fighting to “ensure everyone has access to affordable, quality healthcare.”

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Barrett, in a statement released mid-day Wednesday, said he had conceded the race to Lawrence shortly after 2 am, adding that he was “disappointed in the outcome” but proud of his team and campaign.

Bouchard also conceded to Hines early Wednesday, before the vote tallies were finalized. Huizenga had not yet publicly acknowledged defeat when the Associated Press called his race at 1:13 p.m.

The results mean Democrats will hold a nine out of the state’s 13 congressional seats next term, ending what had been a 7-6 GOP advantage.

Barrett and Huizenga join another ousted incumbent this cycle: Detroit Democrat Shri Thanedar lost in the primary to state Rep. Donovan McKinney, who easily won election on Tuesday because the 13th District is considered one of the most progressive in the nation.

In other races, Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Moss won Oakland County’s 11th District, which incumbent Democrat Haley Stevens vacated to unsuccessfully run for US Senate. 

Several incumbents also won reelection, including Democrats Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, as well as Republicans Tim Walberg of Tipton, John Moolenaar of Caledonia and Jack Bergman of Watersmeet.

Here’s what to know about the three seats Democrats flipped:

4th District

Huizenga, a Zeeland Republican, served in the US House since 2011, which should have given him an incumbent’s advantage as he sought reelection to a ninth term. 

But McCann, a Kalamazoo Democrat, benefited from name recognition because he has represented parts of southwest Michigan in the state Legislature on and off since 2011.

Like many other Democratic nominees this election season, McCann had sought to play up Huizenga’s ties to Trump while Huizenga has positioned himself as a workhorse focused on affordability. 

“This victory belongs to the people all across Southwest Michigan, and it’s the people that I will work every day to serve — to take on the corruption and policies shortchanging our families, and work with anyone to make life better and protect the American Dream for our children,” McCann said in a victory statement. 

“Michigan families deserve nothing less, and I look forward to getting right to work for the people of this district.”

7th District

Lawrence bested Barrett in a mid-Michigan district that experts had called a bellwether for national control of a US House, where Republicans held a four-seat advantage ahead of Nov. 3.

But that advantage is now gone. Democrats flipped 29 seats nationally, including Barrett’s. Race results in some contests are still pending, though Democrats are certain to have a chamber majority.

The politically purple 7th District includes Clinton, Shiawassee, Ingham and Livingston counties and parts of Eaton and Oakland counties.

Lawrence, a progressive Democrat and community organizer who beat out two centrist candidates in the August primary, campaigned against high prices, the Iran War and data centers in an attempt to woo voters angry with Trump — and by extension Barrett. 

Barrett, meanwhile, sought to distance himself from Trump while describing Lawrence’s past support for defunding the police and loosening immigration restrictions as “extreme” and too far left.

Lawrence’s win represents a key victory for progressive Democrats. Despite his primary win, some onlookers had openly wondered whether a progressive could succeed in the general election, which wound up becoming one of the most expensive US House races in the nation this cycle.

“We built an unprecedented movement here in Mid-Michigan, powered by thousands of volunteers, and we showed that you can beat an incumbent Republican without taking a dime of corporate PAC money,” Lawrence said in a statement.

He added: “Our people-powered movement took on the richest and most powerful people in the world, and we won.”

10th District

Hines beat Bouchard in the 10th District, a politically diverse region spanning southern Macomb County and the Oakland County communities of Rochester and Rochester Hills.

In a victory statement sent just before 4 am Wednesday, Hines said she “could not be more excited to get to work” in the US House.

“I’ll work to lower costs, ensure everyone has access to affordable, quality healthcare, and fight against the corruption in DC so that Congress starts delivering real results for working people,” she said. 

“My responsibility will always be to the people of this district, and no matter if you voted for me or not, I look forward to serving you.”

James won the district by six percentage points as an incumbent in 2024, but his decision to run for governor created an open lane for a newcomer from either major party.

Hines, a former prosecuting attorney in Macomb and Oakland counties, had campaigned on eliminating tariffs, lowering health care costs and getting corporate money out of politics.

Bouchard, a US Army veteran and son of Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, ran on promises to prioritize border security, strengthen the US military and levy tariffs on other countries (excluding Canada) in hopes of boosting Michigan manufacturers.

Even before the race was called by the Associated Press on Wednesday, Bouchard congratulated Hines on her victory in a statement posted to Facebook just before 4:30 a.m. 

“I pray for her and her family as they step up to represent us all,” Bouchard wrote.

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