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Michigan Senate District 35 2026 Candidates

Michigan Senate District 35 will be on a political roller coaster in 2026, with back-to-back elections. Get to know the candidates who will be the next representative! Click a candidate below to learn about their background, vision, and policies. New interviews added as we get them!

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Introduction

On May 5, 2026, voters in Michigan’s 35th State Senate District will elect a senator to fill the current vacancy, with the winner serving through the end of the term on December 31, 2026. Then, on November 4, 2026, voters in District 35 will head to the polls again—this time to elect a senator for the full four-year term beginning in January 2027.

The Michigan Senate is made up of 38 members, each representing approximately 247,000 to 273,000 residents. State senators serve four-year terms and are elected in the same cycle as the Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General.

This article summarizes the current state of the election for District 35 and what’s publicly known so far about the candidates, based on official filings, news reports, and candidate communications. B>ookmark this page for reference throughout the campaign and follow the candidates on social media.

About This Article

Last updated January 18, 2026. Michigan Women created this nonpartisan candidate overview to help voters quickly find reliable information about everyone running for Michigan Senate District 35. Profiles are based on publicly available reporting, candidate communications, and publicly hosted events Michigan Women attended, along with Michigan Women interviews when available. We aim for accuracy and timely updates; readers should also review official candidate and election sources directly.


Table of Contents and Candidates

1. Are you in Senate District 35?

2. About the Elections

3. District 35 Candidate Overview Articles

4. Democratic Candidates

  1. Pamela Pugh, President, Michigan State Board of Education
  2. Chedrick Greene, Captain, Saginaw Fire Department
  3. Brandell Adams, Chair, Saginaw County Democratic Party
  4. Serenity Hope Salak, Substitute Teacher, Jessie Loomis Elementary
  5. Martin Blank, Surgeon
  6. William Morrone, Chief Medical Officer, Arenac, Bay, Iosco, Midland, and Tuscola Counties

5. Republican Candidates

  1. Andrew Carlos Wendt, unknown
  2. Christian Velasquez, Founder and Chief Strategist, Point North Group
  3. Jason Tunney, Lawyer, Tunney Law
  4. Chadwick Twillman, Executive Director, The Mountain Movers Firm

6. Not sure who to vote for?

7. More Sources


1. Are you in Michigan Senate District 35?

  • Bay County: City: Bay City; Townships: Auburn, Bangor, Beaver, Frankenlust, Fraser, Garfield, Hampton, Kawkawlin, Merritt, Monitor, Portsmouth, Williams.
  • Midland County: City: Midland; Townships: Edenville, Hope, Homer, Ingersoll, Jerome, Larkin, Lee, Mills, Mount Haley.
  • Saginaw County: City: Saginaw and Zilwaukee, Townships: Buena Vista, Carrolton, Kochville, Saginaw, Tittabawassee
  • See the Map.

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2. About the Elections

Michigan Senate District 35 will be on a political roller coaster in 2026, with back-to-back elections.

Here's the Breakdown of the Upcoming MI Senate Elections

Election 1: Special Election
  • Senate District 35 Term (4 years): January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2027
    • Senator Elected: Kristin McDonald Rivet (D)
    • Vacated: December 31, 2024 (Kristin McDonald elected to represent Michigan's 8th District in the U.S. House)
      • Vacancy Period (1 year, 4 Months): January 1, 2025, to May 5, 2026
      • Special Primary Election: February 3, 2026
      • Special Election: May 5, 2026
    • Specially Elected Senator to fill vacancy: TBD

Election 2: General Election

  • Senate District 35 Term (4 years): January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2031
    • Primary Election: August 4, 2026
    • General Election: November 3, 2026
    • As of now, all serious contenders for the 2026 general election appear to be running in the special election.
    • Senator Elected: TBD

Transitioning from the Special to the General Election

To remain in office beyond December 31, 2026, the specially elected Senator must file for the 2026 general election, win the primary election in August, and then the general election in November. Anyone hoping to serve in Michigan's 35th Senate District is up for a grueling two-election cycle, just months apart.

Even if a candidate loses the special election, they can immediately run again in the regular 2026 cycle—or choose not to. And the person who wins the special election may not be the same person who wins the general election.

Impact of the Special Election

Bills typically require a majority vote to pass the Michigan Senate. With 38 seats, 20 votes are needed to reach a full majority when all seats are filled. With Kristen McDonald in office, the Democrats had exactly 20 votes. So even if all Republicans voted no, the Democrats could still pass their legislation.

When Senator McDonald Rivet left office, Democrats held 20 Senate seats. After her resignation, the chamber shifted to 19 Democrats and 18 Republicans, leaving one seat vacant until the special election. Here’s how that affects voting power:

  • Vacancy: With 19 seats, Democrats still have a working majority for most votes (19 is a majority of 37), but the margin is tight, and absences or cross-party votes could change outcomes.
  • If a Democrat wins the special election: Democrats return to 20 seats, restoring a clear majority when all senators are present.
  • If a Republican wins the special election: The chamber becomes evenly split at 19–19. In that case, the Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate and can cast a tie-breaking vote.

Impact of the General Election

All Michigan State Senate seats are up for reelection in the 2026 general election. That vote will determine the composition of the Senate for the 2027–2031 term and set the balance of power among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

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3. District 35 Candidate Overview Articles 

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4. Democratic Candidates

Pamela Pugh (D)


(View the video timestamps to see the talking points.)

Background and Experience

Pamela Pugh is a public health professional and education leader who currently serves as President of the Michigan State Board of Education, a statewide elected position. Her career has focused on public health, environmental justice, and education policy, including work related to the Flint water crisis and statewide education governance.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Across campaign materials, interviews, and public remarks, Pugh emphasizes:

  • Education funding, governance, and student outcomes
  • Public health and environmental justice
  • Economic opportunity and workforce development
  • Equity-focused policy approaches

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Pugh underscored education equity, civil rights, economic dignity, and her experience navigating statewide governance and crisis response.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

1. IRS Tax Liens (Personal Financial History)

News outlets reported that Pamela Pugh previously faced IRS tax liens totaling approximately $86,000.

Key points:

  • The liens predate her current State Senate campaign.
  • Tax liens are civil matters, not criminal charges.
  • Reporting framed this as a financial management and transparency issue, not an allegation of illegal campaign activity.

Why it matters politically:

  • Some opponents and critics argue it raises questions about fiscal judgment.
  • Supporters argue it reflects real-world financial hardship and lived experience.

2. Use of Campaign or PAC Funds

Separate reporting (notably from MLive and The Detroit News) examined questions related to campaign or PAC fund usage, including:

  • How campaign or affiliated political funds were spent
  • Whether leftover or affiliated funds were used for consulting or professional services involving Pugh herself

Important clarification:

  • The reporting does not allege criminal charges or formal findings of illegality.
  • The issue is framed around ethics, optics, and campaign finance compliance norms, not proven violations.

This type of scrutiny is common in campaign finance reporting, particularly for candidates with long-standing involvement in politics, nonprofits, or PACs.

3. Complaints and Allegations Involving Third Parties

One thread of reporting involved a campaign finance complaint filed against another candidate (Chedrick Greene), raising questions about:

  • Whether Pugh or her campaign had any role in prompting or coordinating the complaint
  • Whether an outside organization was involved

This is the area where Pugh has been most explicit in responding.

4. What Pamela Pugh Has Said Publicly

On the IRS tax liens

In interviews and quoted reporting, Pugh has stated that:

  • She acknowledges the financial hardships
  • She views them as part of her lived experience
  • She does not believe they disqualify her from public service
  • She frames the issue as reflective of broader economic pressures faced by working families

On campaign finance complaints or coordination

Pugh has explicitly denied:

  • Coordinating with outside groups
  • Having prior knowledge of complaints filed against opponents
  • Instructing or encouraging third-party organizations to act on her behalf

Reporting from the Huron Daily Tribune states that her campaign said it did not know in advance about the filing and that Pugh rejected claims of behind-the-scenes coordination.

5. What Has Not Been Reported

Equally important for context:

  • No reporting indicates criminal charges related to these issues.
  • No reporting shows a ruling by the Michigan Bureau of Elections against Pugh.
  • No reporting shows fines or enforcement actions to date.
  • No outlet has reported that Pugh is under formal investigation.

Based on available reporting, this remains a political and ethical scrutiny issue, not a resolved legal case.

Sources and Further Reading

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Chedrick Greene (D)


(View the video timestamps to see the talking points.)

  • Website: https://chedrickgreene.com/
  • Current Job: City of Saginaw Fire Department | U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
  • Job Title: Captain | Sergeant Major E-9, Retired (30 years of service)
  • Age: 50
  • Date of Birth: 11/1975
  • City: Saginaw
  • County: Saginaw County
Background and Experience

Chedrick Greene is a Saginaw Fire Department captain and U.S. Marine veteran. His background includes military service and emergency response work in the Great Lakes Bay Region. He is running as a Democrat for Michigan Senate District 35.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Across campaign materials, interviews, and public remarks, Greene emphasizes:

  • Public safety and community investment
  • Support for working families and organized labor
  • Job creation and economic development
  • Veterans’ issues and service-based leadership

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Greene focused on public education funding, economic fairness, public safety, and the importance of working-class leadership rooted in service and community experience.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

1. Campaign finance complaint and state review

News coverage reports that a campaign finance complaint was filed regarding Greene’s campaign activity, and the Michigan Department of State confirmed it opened an investigation based on the complaint. Filing a complaint is not a finding of wrongdoing.

  • The reporting frames this as a campaign finance compliance issue, not a criminal case.
  • The coverage focuses on whether a campaign ad improperly used a public fire station and/or public-uniform imagery, which Michigan law prohibits. An investigation is not a finding.

2. Allegations related to campaign conduct

Some reporting has examined allegations related to campaign activity involving a fire station setting and Greene appearing in uniform. Coverage describes these points as allegations and documents Greene’s campaign response.

  • These claims are presented in reporting as allegations, not findings.
  • No reporting referenced here describes criminal charges or a final determination.

3. Role of third-party organizations

Coverage indicates that at least one complaint was filed by an outside political organization, and subsequent reporting has focused on who filed it and the political context surrounding the filing. Reporting does not establish conclusions about the merits of the complaint itself.

4. What Chedrick Greene has said publicly

In quoted reporting, Greene’s campaign says it consulted city officials, followed city policy, and removed identifying markings. Coverage also reports Greene’s position that the complaint is politically motivated and that his campaign is cooperating with any review process.

5. What has not been reported

Equally important for context:

  • No reporting referenced here indicates criminal charges against Greene related to these issues.
  • No reporting referenced here describes a final ruling, fines, or enforcement actions by the Michigan Bureau of Elections.
  • No reporting referenced here describes a final determination on the complaint.

Based on the reporting cited below, this remains an unresolved campaign finance compliance matter, not a concluded legal case.

Sources and Further Reading

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Brandell Adams (D)

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  • Website: https://brandelladams.com/
  • Current Job: Saginaw County Democratic Party | Michigan Board of Psychology
  • Job Title: Chair | Board Member (General Public)
  • Age: 35
  • Date of Birth: 02/04/1990
  • City: -
  • County: Saginaw
Background and Experience

Brandell Adams is the chair of the Saginaw County Democratic Party and a former Bridgeport Township trustee. His background includes local party leadership, municipal governance, and grassroots political organizing in Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Adams entered the race following the prolonged vacancy of Michigan Senate District 35 and has emphasized the importance of restoring consistent representation for the district.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Across campaign announcements, interviews, and public remarks, Adams emphasizes:

  • Strengthening Democratic representation in Lansing
  • Support for organized labor and working families
  • Economic development and small business support
  • Ensuring District 35 has an active voice in state government

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Adams emphasized protecting good-paying jobs, lowering the cost of living, and ensuring working-class communities have consistent, effective representation in Lansing.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving Brandell Adams.

Sources and Further Reading

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Serenity Hope Salak (D)


(View the video timestamps to see the talking points.)

  • Website: https://www.serenityhope4senate.com/
  • Current job: Jessi Loomis Elementary
  • Job Title: Substitute Teacher
  • Age: 40
  • Date of Birth: 1985
  • City: Saginaw Township
  • County: Saginaw
Background and Experience

Serenity Hope Salak is a substitute teacher at Jessi Loomis Elementary School and a resident of Saginaw Township. She is running for Michigan Senate District 35 and has described her candidacy as rooted in education, community involvement, and civic reform.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Based on available interviews and campaign statements, Salak has emphasized:

  • Education and support for students and families
  • Government accountability and institutional reform
  • Support for congressional term limits

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Salak highlighted education access, economic supports for families, and policies aimed at reducing poverty and expanding opportunity for working households.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

Available media coverage to date has not identified campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving Serenity Hope Salak.

Sources and Further Reading

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Martin Blank (D)

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  • Website: https://www.blankformichigan.com/
  • Current Job: Covenant Healthcare | Saginaw Police Department | U.S. Army
  • Job Title: Surgeon | Police Officer | Lawyer | Colonel (Retired)
  • Age: 64
  • Date of Birth: 1961
  • City: Saginaw Township
  • County: Saginaw
Background and Experience

Martin Blank, M.D., is a trauma surgeon, police officer, and retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel with decades of experience in medicine, public safety, and military service. He practices medicine at Covenant Healthcare and has served as a law enforcement officer with the Saginaw Police Department. His background includes multiple prior runs for public office and long-standing involvement in public service roles across health, safety, and emergency response.

In 2025, Blank announced his candidacy for Michigan Senate District 35 as a Democrat after previously running for office as a Republican. Multiple outlets reported on his decision to switch parties, which he attributed to political realignment and disagreements with the modern Republican Party.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Across interviews, public forums, and campaign statements, Blank has emphasized:

  • Strengthening public education and workforce development
  • Protecting civil rights and voting access
  • Expanding access to healthcare and mental health services
  • Public safety, criminal justice reform, and community-based solutions
  • Economic stability for working families and the middle class

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Blank highlighted the need for equitable education funding, infrastructure investment, and policies that address affordability and long-term economic resilience for Mid-Michigan communities.

Party Affiliation Change – What Voters Should Know

Media coverage has focused on Blank’s decision to switch party affiliation ahead of the special election. Reporting characterizes this as a political realignment rather than a legal, ethics, or campaign finance issue. Blank has stated that his views now align more closely with Democratic priorities on democracy, civil rights, healthcare, and economic policy.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving Martin Blank.

Sources and Further Reading

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William Morrone (D)

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  • Website: -
  • Current Job: Arenac, Bay, Iosco, Midland & Tuscola Counties | MSU | Recovery Pathways
  • Job Title: Chief Medical Examiner | Faculty, College of Osteopathic Medicine | Medical Director & Principal
  • Age: 43
  • Date of Birth: 1982
  • City: -
  • County: -
Background and Experience

William Morrone, DO, is a physician and addiction medicine specialist who also serves as a Chief Medical Examiner in Mid-Michigan. Public reporting describes him as a medical examiner across multiple counties and as a co-owner/principal of Recovery Pathways, a mental health and addiction treatment organization.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Across interviews and candidate questionnaires, Morrone has emphasized:

  • Healthcare affordability and system reform, including addiction treatment and mental health access
  • Economic opportunity and cost-of-living pressures
  • Roads and infrastructure, with a focus on evidence-based approaches to road quality and spending
  • Housing availability and affordability
  • Education reform and parent involvement

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Morrone emphasized healthcare access, mental health services, public safety, and bipartisan problem-solving grounded in medical, military, and law enforcement experience.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving William Morrone.

Sources and Further Reading

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5. Republican Candidates

Andrew Carlos Wendt (R)


(View the video timestamps to see the talking points.)

Background and Experience

Andrew Carlos Wendt is a retired teacher and former local elected official who previously served on the Saginaw City Council. He is running as a Republican for Michigan Senate District 35. Public reporting describes Wendt as emphasizing local governance experience, education, and civic participation.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Based on available interviews, panel appearances, and campaign materials, Wendt has emphasized:

  • Election integrity and voting processes
  • Fiscal restraint and opposition to corporate subsidies
  • Local control in education and government decision-making
  • Reducing the role of the state government in daily life

His policy positions are most frequently documented through panel discussions and candidate forums rather than long-form policy platforms.

District 35 Candidate Forum Participation

During the December 2, 2025, Michigan Senate District 35 Candidate Forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Saginaw County and the NAACP Saginaw Branch at Delta College, Wendt did not participate.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving Andrew Carlos Wendt.

Sources and Further Reading

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Christian Velasquez (R)

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Background and Experience

Christian Velasquez is a Midland-based business professional and Republican candidate for Michigan Senate District 35. Public reporting and candidate materials describe him as having experience in business, strategy, and political consulting. He has been active in regional civic and political organizations as a precinct delegate and Midland County Republican Party Executive Committee Member. He sought elected office for the Michigan Senate District 35 seat in 2022, but did not advance to the general election.

Velasquez’s candidacy emphasizes a private-sector perspective and a stated focus on reducing the role of state government in economic and social policy.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Based on available interviews, debates, and candidate questionnaires, Velasquez has emphasized:

  • Fiscal restraint and opposition to corporate subsidies
  • Parental rights and local control in education
  • Artificial intelligence policy and emerging technology governance
  • Right-to-work policy and labor regulation
  • Reform of foster care and child welfare systems

His positions are most frequently documented through candidate debates, policy questionnaires, and public forums rather than detailed written policy platforms.

District 35 Candidate Forum Participation

Velasquez did not participate in the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Saginaw County and the NAACP Saginaw Branch at Delta College.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related enforcement actions involving Christian Velasquez.

Sources and Further Reading

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Jason Tunney (R)

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Background and Experience

Jason Tunney is a Republican candidate for Michigan Senate District 35. Public reporting describes him as a Mid-Michigan resident with a background in business and conservative political activism. Available coverage indicates that Tunney has not previously held elected office but has been involved in grassroots political efforts and issue-based advocacy.

Media coverage of Tunney is limited and largely consists of multi-candidate election roundups and brief candidate listings rather than in-depth profile reporting.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Based on campaign materials and public statements referenced in available reporting, Tunney’s candidacy emphasizes:

      • Reducing the size and scope of state government
      • Fiscal conservatism and opposition to tax increases
      • Individual liberty and limited regulation
      • Skepticism of state-level mandates and centralized authority

Tunney’s messaging frames his campaign as an alternative to career politicians and focuses on restoring what he describes as constitutional and taxpayer-centered governance.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving Jason Tunney.

Sources and Further Reading

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Chadwick Twillman (R)


(View the video timestamps to see the talking points.)

Background and Experience

Chadwick Twillman is a Republican candidate for Michigan Senate District 35. Public reporting and candidate materials describe him as a Bay City businessman and former truck driver who emphasizes his role as a political outsider and community advocate. Twillman identifies as a Christian patriot and family man and has lived in Mid-Michigan with his wife and five children.

Twillman has not previously held elected office. He promotes his lived experience, business leadership, and engagement in local activism as qualifications for legislative service. Reporting notes that he attended the January 6, 2021 protest in Washington, D.C., framing his presence as related to independent journalism and support for former President Donald Trump while asserting he did not participate in violence

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum, Twillman emphasized government accountability, voting access, public safety, and his perspective as an outsider candidate focused on institutional reform.

Policy Focus and Campaign Themes

Based on candidate questionnaires, campaign materials, and interviews, Twillman emphasizes:

  • Fixing roads, bridges, sidewalks, and flood-damaged infrastructure in Mid-Michigan
  • Increasing funding for schools, teacher recruitment, and vocational programs without new taxes
  • Holding state government accountable through transparency, audits, and term limits
  • Justice system reforms, including youth diversion programs and court oversight
  • Support for traditional education, parental control in schooling, and economic opportunity

Twillman has proposed a slate of single-issue bills focused on infrastructure, youth opportunity, justice reform, agricultural support, homelessness solutions, and taxpayer rights, all designed to be funded through surplus state revenues and federal grants rather than new taxes.

District 35 Candidate Forum Participation

During the December 2, 2025 District 35 Candidate Forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Saginaw County and the NAACP Saginaw Branch, Twillman emphasized government accountability, public safety, voting access, and his outsider perspective focused on reform, including suggesting blockchain-based mobile voting as a means to facilitate participation. He also noted support for traditional values and individual liberties.

Campaign Finance Coverage – What Voters Should Know

A review of available media coverage did not identify campaign finance complaints, investigations, or ethics-related scrutiny involving Chadwick Twillman.

Sources and Further Reading

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6. Not Sure Who to Vote For?

Consider What It Takes to Be an Effective Legislator

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7. More Sources

Other voter guides:

Other News Sources:

Content Disclaimer: Our team researches information from official websites, news outlets, and other public resources to make it easier for Michigan residents to stay informed. We strive to provide accurate, balanced, and up-to-date information, but we may occasionally miss updates or changes. Michigan Women is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and does not support or oppose any political candidate or party. This content is intended solely for civic education and public awareness.

Policy summaries reflect a combination of candidate interviews, public statements, and participation in publicly hosted forums. Not all candidates participated in every forum listed.