On Tuesday special elections were held in two neighboring Midwestern states and the results show a deep contrast of messaging: You’re either in deeply with the Trump agenda, or you are not.
Michigan held a State Senator special election in a district that has been held open by Governor Whitmer since January 2025, when former state senator Kristen McDonald Rivet(D) took her seat in Congress.
Democrat Chedrick Greene defeated Republican Jason Tunney in Tuesday’s special election to fill the 35th state Senate district seat, and the win secures control of the state chamber for the next eight months until the November general election.
Greene promised to work on affordable housing, better paying jobs, and medical debt.
Michigan GOP had lame excuses:
Greene, a marine veteran, firefighter, and union member didn’t just win, he walloped his Republican and Libertarian opponents with a massive 20 point shellacking in a district that Kamala Harris carried by less than one percentage point in 2024.
Greene even surpassed the margins of President Obama’s win in 2008, turning some cities in the central Michigan district that had voted for John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Donald Trump.
District 35 has historically been known as a swing district, currently encompassing parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties.
Meanwhile, Indiana primary voters punished state senators who defied Trump’s orders to redistrict their state’s Congressional maps.
At least five GOP incumbents lost their primary elections on Tuesday (after having courage like fellow Indianan Mike Pence) to defy Trump’s orders to launch a mid-decade redistricting attempt in December 2025 to boost odds of keeping control of the US House of Representatives.
All nine of Indiana’s congressional districts held primaries on Tuesday. Seven of those nine districts are held by Republicans.
All seven of those Republicans faced candidates endorsed by Trump, who were backed by the support from millions of dollars from Trump allies.
Only one of those, Sen. Greg Goode, survived the onslaught. Another seat has yet to be called between incumbent Spencer Deery and Paula Copenhaver splitting the vote each at 50%.
All others lost in a landslide.
- State Senate 1: Trevor de Vries beat incumbent Daniel Dernulc 75% to 23%.
- State Senate 11: Brian Schmutzler beat incumbent Linda Rogers 59% to 41%.
- State Senate 19: Blake Fletcher beat incumbent Travis Holdman 62% to 38%.
- State Senate 21: Tracey Powell beat incumbent James Buck 65% to 35%.
- State Senate 38: Incumbent Greg Goode holds against Brenda Wilson 53% to 36%.
- State Senate 41: Michelle Davis beat incumbent Greg Walker 59% to 41%.