McMorrow announces campaign for U.S. Senate
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow speaks during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Photo: Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a rising star in the Democratic Party from Royal Oak, is the first Democrat to announce a run for U.S. Senate in 2026, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: As a battleground state, Michigan's Senate race will be among the country's most consequential midterm elections and one of the most targeted in terms of spending and media attention.
Catch up quick: McMorrow is running to succeed Sen. Gary Peters, the Oakland County Democrat who shocked Washington in January with his decision to retire from the Senate after two terms.
Between the lines: McMorrow, 38, is stepping into the void as the Democratic Party searches for answers during President Trump's second administration.
- She was critical of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a recent Politico interview and her new campaign video includes a clip of comedian Stephen Colbert mocking the "little paddles" that some Democrats used to protest Trump's speech to Congress last month.
What they're saying: McMorrow tells Axios that voters need to see a clearer strategy for countering Trump's policies, rather than simply hearing from candidates that he's a "dictator and a fascist."
- "Fighting just for the sake of fighting is not what we need in this moment," she says. "You have to recognize when there are opportunities to fight, being very clear about what you're fighting for, and then use that energy to actually deliver for people."
Flashback: McMorrow made national news in 2022 with an assertive floor speech in response to accusations from a Republican colleague that she was grooming and sexualizing children.
- McMorrow says the viral response gave her a platform to help Democrats take control of the state Senate later that year for the first time in 40 years.
Zoom out: Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg considered running for the open seat in 2026 but decided against it.
- U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) is expected to announce her decision this month.
- Abdul El-Sayed, the former gubernatorial candidate, told the Free Press yesterday that he's stepping down as Wayne County's health director as he considers a run for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat.
- On the Republican side, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers is expected to run for Peters' seat next year after losing to Sen. Elissa Slotkin in November.