U.S. House seat for central Michigan flips Republican

Republican Tom Barrett late on Tuesday flipped Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press. The open seat for the 7th Congressional District is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, who ran against former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers for an open seat in the U.S. Senate. Barrett’s victory brings the GOP slightly closer to retaining its majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans have already won control of the White House and the Senate, according to AP projections.

Who is Barrett? A self-described fiscal hawk, Barrett served in the military for 22 years—serving in the Middle East, Korea, and elsewhere. He’s previously served on the Michigan House of Representatives and state Senate. His opponent, Democrat Curtis Hertel, also previously served in the Michigan Senate.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, said it spent over $11 million on television, digital, mail, radio, and text advertising to support Barrett’s race.

Dig deeper: Visit WORLD’s 2024 Election Center for more reports about race results across the country.