Your Weekly Michigan Political Brief

Your Weekly Michigan Political Brief Campaign 2026 announcements and endorsements for the week of Aug. 31, 2026 Illustration by States Newsroom Endorsements Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has been endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the IAM Union’s Michigan Machinists Council. EMILYs List endorsed Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks for Michigan lieutenant governor. Former U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has endorsed Rebecca Amidon, Democratic candidate for Michigan’s open 32nd State Senate District. Joanna Whaley, Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 2nd House District has been endorsed by SEIU Michigan, United Steelworkers, National Association of Social Workers – M-Pace, Rank MI Vote, Committee to Protect Healthcare, The Oath of Office, State Rep. Dylan Wegela – District 26 and State Rep. Jasper Martus – District 69. Reproductive Freedom for All has endorsed Democrats Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate, Callie Barr for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, William Lawrence for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, Christina Hines for Michigan’s 10th Congressional District and Michigan Supreme Court Justices Megan Cavanagh and Noah Hood. The Small Business Association of Michigan’s Small Biz PAC announced its third round of candidate endorsements for the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives in the 2026 election. Endorsed House candidates include: District #4: Regina Ross (D), District #31: Laura Perry (R), District #59: Commissioner Sylvia Grot (R), District #71: Rep. Brian BeGole (R), District #78: Brandon Strong (R), District #84: Khristian Silvis (D), District #101: Jaxon Deur (R) and District #110: Rep. Greg Markkanen (R). Endorsed Senate candidates include: District #12: Sen. Kevin Hertel (D), District #25: Andrew Beeler (R), District #31: John Wetzel (R), District #32: Sheriff Kim Cole (R), District #33: Rep. Gina Johnsen (R) and District #38: Rep. Dave Prestin (R). Former State Rep. Nate Shannon, who previously held 58th Michigan House seat, has endorsed Democratic 58th State House Democratic nominee Katrina Manetta. Also of interest A CNN article published today is calling attention to a trove of deleted social media posts by Democratic 7th District Congressional candidate Will Lawrence. They include posts calling for police and prison abolition and open migration as well as screeds against the nuclear family and critiques of moderate Democrats like Elissa Sotkin and Joe Manchin, who Lawrence specifically encouraged to “hurry up and die.”