LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Two more Republicans have entered the Michigan Senate race recently in a bid to fill the seat of retiring Michigan Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow. The new candidates include attorney Alexandria Taylor, whose claim to fame is challenging the validity of thousands of Detroit absentee ballots ahead of last fall’s election – and Ezra Scott, a small business owner and former vice-chair of the Berrien County Commissioners who previously ran for the U.S. House to represent the 5th District on the U.S. Taxpayers ticket.

Republican Alexandria Taylor of Romulus told the Detroit News that the upcoming Senate race is “pivotal” and that she’d bring “strong conservative/family values” to the race with her focus on energy independence, securing the border, education, the shortage of law enforcement officers and issues of national security. Taylor is a former Democrat who left the party in 2019. No longer identifying with their values or how they treat Black voters, she said, “I just felt like the direction the party was going in was not in alignment with my belief system. What I mean by that is specifically, I don’t believe in like the transgender for kids, like them being able to make those decisions. Just as the direction of the party seem to go more progressive, I split off.”

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Republican Ezra Scott recently entered the race for the Michigan Senate seat as well and his website lists his priorities as balancing the budget, energy independence, taking care of veterans, tax relief for social security recipients, fighting the weaponization of the federal government, fighting for farmers, saving our Great Lakes, and supporting the right to life. He outlines a “Michigan and America First” campaign and says, “We don’t have King George, but we do have an oppressive government that has become tyrannical and is stripping our God-given rights under our precious Constitution and Bill of Rights.”

The other two Republicans who have declared their candidacy to run in the GOP senate primary in Michigan include Nikki Snyder, a nurse and State Board of Education member from Dexter, and Michael Hoover of Laingsburg who is formerly of Dow Chemical Co.

Republican Nikki Snyder lists her strengths on her campaign website as being an “advocate for parents and children in Michigan, supporter of local control in education and freedom-loving parent.” Her plan for Michigan is to restore parental control in education and pass the Parent’s Bill of Rights, reduce living costs on all Michigan families, fight Bidenflation, secure our border to keep families safe from fentanyl, terrorists and human trafficking, increase American energy independence and promote government accountability and reducing spending.

Republican Michael Hoover says he is running for the U.S. Senate to “serve the people of Michigan and bring Michigan’s values to Washington.” His priorities include putting families first, reforming Washington, fighting for the working class, confronting China, protecting our civil liberties, energy security, advancing education, promoting local agriculture, improving public healthcare, reforming immigration, clarifying foreign policy and defense, crushing inflation and growing the economy.

On the Democrat side, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing) is seen as the frontrunner but much to the surprise of the Democrats who expected an easy run for her, she has some competitors. The Democrats, who hoped to head off much of a contest, now have five candidates running to compete in their primary for Michigan’s senate seat. Back at the end of February when Slotkin announced her candidacy, the Democrats thought they had cleared for field for her. In fact, Stabenow said, “If we have lots of talented people and they’re all running for different positions, then we get the benefit. So that’s what I’ve been saying: ‘Think about how to best keep this great talent going in the state.’ And you don’t do it by everybody running for the same seat.”

Other Democrats who have declared their candidacy to be the next Michigan senator include businessman Nasser Baydoun, Attorney Zack Burns, Former Michigan House Rep. (Detroit) Leslie Love and Michigan State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh.

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Before entering into politics, Democrat Elissa Slotkin served as a CIA analyst and Department of Defense official. Slotkin lists her priorities on her campaign website as protecting rights and democracy, keeping communities and kids safe, making things in America, and defending and expanding Michigan’s middle class. As a U.S. Representative, she is on the House Armed Services Committee (subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations as well as Cybersecurity, Innovative Technologies and Information). She is also on the House Agriculture Committee (subcommittee on Conservation, Research and Biotechnology). She has been described as a “moderate” Democrat although the website “FiveThirtyEight” lists her as voting in line with President Biden’s positions 100% of the time.

Democrat Leslie Love is a hunter and angler and was the first Black woman, appointed by Gov. Whitmer, to serve on the Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission. Her priorities include environmental protection, education, infrastructure, and the cost of living. Love had voiced opposition to Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s nursing home policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “To return seniors into an environment, seniors with the virus still recovering from the virus, into an environment with, well, seniors, just didn’t seem – it’s not a good idea.”

Democrat Nasser Baydoun is a longtime civil rights advocate and business leader and describes himself as having a “proven record of building cultural and economic bridges that bring people together to create a stronger community.” On his campaign website, he says that he is tired of a federal government that is failing people and says voters should choose him because he’s a civil rights advocate, a union-made entrepreneur with small business roots, an immigration reform activist, a community builder, a criminal justice reform advocate and supporter of stronger public education.

Democrat Zack Burns calls himself an “advocate, a lawyer, a scientist, and a fighter” who was raised in Genesee County as the son of an electrician and teacher and grandson of an Air Force veteran. He says he is running for the Michigan Senate “Because Washington must prioritize the needs of Michigan’s hard-working families and communities.” His issues include a robust working class economy; advancing the American dream; liberty and justice for all; protecting our outdoor heritage; safer communities; and defending our military and veterans.

Democrat Pamela Pugh calls herself a “scientist, community leader and statewide education advocate” and someone who has dedicated her life to improving the lives and livelihoods of everyday Michiganders. She says that she is someone who “brings 25 years of invaluable experience as a public health expert and a dedicated advocate for environmental justice.” Her campaign website says that during her fourteen-year tenure at the Saginaw County Health Department, she “distinguished herself by forging effective partnerships with community organizations, faith-based groups, academia, policymakers, and local and state government. Through these collaborations, she secured millions in funding to tackle critical environmental health and health equity issues.”

Michigan’s 2024 U.S. Senate primary is August 2024 and the candidate list above includes a diverse group of senate hopefuls in this election cycle, five of whom are woman, three are Black, and one is an Arab American.