Haley Stevens Announces Candidacy for Michigan’s Senate Seat Amid Economic Concerns
In a strategic move amid economic tensions, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens has stepped forward to contest Michigan’s vacant U.S. Senate seat. Her campaign launch featured a video highlighting economic instability attributed to former President Donald Trump’s tariff strategies, which Stevens argues are jeopardizing Michigan’s vital auto industry.
Stevens, who is pursuing her fourth term, emphasized the urgency of addressing these economic threats, stating, “His chaos and reckless tariffs are putting tens of thousands of Michigan jobs at risk.” She further urged for an end to the “chaos agenda” in a conversation with The Associated Press.
As a Democrat, Stevens joins a growing list of significant contenders in what is anticipated to be one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races. This election holds particular significance as the Republican majority of 53-47 could be impacted in this battleground state, which Trump previously secured.
Stevens emerges as a prominent candidate following Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ decision not to seek reelection. She faces competition from notable figures such as State Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former gubernatorial hopeful Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary. Meanwhile, the Republican side sees former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers aiming for a comeback after a narrow defeat in 2024.
With a background in the U.S. Treasury’s auto task force during the financial crisis under President Obama, Stevens has criticized Trump’s import taxes for posing a new economic threat to Michigan’s auto-dependent economy. “People are very much at a boiling point around the uncertainty of tariffs,” Stevens noted.
Stevens has consistently voiced opposition to Trump’s tariffs, particularly those affecting Canada, arguing that they disrupt the auto industry and create instability for businesses. Yet, she clarifies that not all tariffs are opposed, aligning with Democrats advocating for strategic tariff use.
Stevens supports tariffs designed to bolster competitiveness against China, saying, “What I do not support are shoot-by-the-hip, erratic tariffs that give us no rules of the road or path to understand how we can succeed.”
Her political journey saw her triumph in Oakland County, a crucial electoral area in Michigan, where she turned a traditionally Republican seat Democratic in 2018. Stevens has since maintained her position through favorable district changes.
—
Read More Michigan News
