An important state senate race for Michigan’s 35th Senate District was decided Tuesday, and it could have huge implications for the November midterm elections. This week on WDET’s weekly series, MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss what how the race was decided. They are joined by Alvin “AJ” Jones from WCMU Public Radio to break it all down.

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In this episode

• What were the campaign strategies for Democrat Chedrick Greene and Republican Jason Tunney?
• Why did it take so long to call this special election?
• What could this race signal for the 2026 midterm elections?

Jones also pointed to the focus on the race being a reason why Greene won this special election. “The two candidates had very different strategies. Tunny’s campaign really hammered in local issues—talking about reading levels and tax cuts. Greene’s focused on national issues of affordability.” 

Both Greene and Tunney will face off again in the 2026 November midterm elections. 

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Abbas Alawieh is running for state senator in District 2. The newly drawn district includes Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and parts of Allen Park and Detroit. 

“I think in this really difficult moment, this divisive moment in our politics, I want to run to represent every single person in District 2 like they’re my own family,” he says.

Experience

Alawieh previously worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Representatives Andy Levin and Rashida Tlaib. He also served as chief of staff to Congresswoman Cori Bush. 

He co-founded the Uncommitted National Movement, which aimed to pressure then presidential candidate Kamala Harris to address U.S. policy on the war in Gaza. 

“My specific experience is at the intersection of being on the inside of government and knowing how it works, and then mobilizing people, voters, reaching folks who our party, our system has lost touch with,” he shares. 

Prioritizing local needs

Alawieh says the Democratic party focusing on war takes away from local issues.

“What that actually does is it deprioritizes the needs of working families here at home,” he says.

He’s focused on caring for people like family.

“My priority is going to be representing every single person like they’re family to me. And so I have to enter this next period of my service really listening and learning,” he explains.

Alawieh says he grew up in a family that values service. 

“Service of community is something that is deeply entrenched in my own family’s experience,” he says.

He hopes to bring in as many resources as possible to District 2. 

“I want to become a state senator that wields the power of a movement of people that will come together around this campaign to say, ‘hey, District 2 is here to play. ’ We’re going to show up with our values, with our leverage, with our people power.” 

The election for State Senator takes place on November 3.