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Michigan Senate District 35 2026 Voter Guide

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. Primary Election: August 4, 2026.

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Article last updated May 6, 2026

Table of Contents

About Michigan Senate District 35

August 4, 2026 Primary Election Candidates

More Details


About Michigan Senate District 35

Introduction

Michigan's 35th Senate District — covering Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties — has been through an unusual electoral stretch. The seat was held by Kristen McDonald Rivet (D), who won election to the U.S. House in November 2024 and left her state senate seat vacant at the end of that year.

To fill the remaining year of her term, Michigan held a special election. On May 5, 2026, Chedrick Greene (D) won that race with 58.9% of the vote, defeating Republican Jason Tunney (39.4%) and Libertarian Ali K. Sledz (1.7%). Greene will now serve in the seat through the end of 2026.

But that's only half the story. The full four-year term — January 2027 through January 2031 — is decided by the November 2026 general election, with an August 4th primary first. Greene is running again and is currently unopposed on the Democratic side.

The Republican primary is a rematch of sorts: Jason Tunney faces Chadwick Twillman, who also ran in the special election cycle. Whoever wins in November will start fresh with a full term. It's possible — though not guaranteed — that the special election winner and the general election winner are the same person. Greene would need to win both August and November to go from filling a vacancy to holding the seat outright.

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Current District 35 State Senator

Chedrick Greene (D)

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Greene won the May 5, 2026, special election to serve out the final months of the current term, which ends January 1, 2027. He is seeking re-election for the next 2-year term.

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When is the election?

  • Primary election: August 4, 2026.
  • General election: November 3, 2026.

On November 3, 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. Bookmark this page for reference throughout the campaign and follow the candidates on social media.

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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.

Here are two easy ways to find out what Michigan Senate District you are in:

  1. https://senate.michigan.gov/

  2. https://www.vote411.org/

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You Can Vote Early!

Each county has one early voting site. They are open on the weekend, too!

Make a plan to vote.

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Not Sure Who to Vote For?

Consider What It Takes to Be an Effective Legislator

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Special Election Results

Special Election General Election Results

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Special Election Primary Election Results

Results: State Senate 35th District primary battle polls closed (MLive) 2026-02-03

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Total Democrat Votes: 26,025

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Total Republican Votes: 18,229

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August 4, 2026 Primary Election Candidates

Chedrick Greene (D)

View the March 24th Candidate Forum Recap, too.


(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.

Sources and Further Reading

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Jason Tunney (R)

View the March 24th Candidate Forum Recap, too.


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, largely consisting 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.

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.

Sources and Further Reading

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2026-05 Special Election Candidates (Historical)

The following candidates ran for the May 5, 2026 special election.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sources and Further Reading

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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.

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.

Sources and Further Reading

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Ali Sledz (Libertarian)


Background and Experience

Mom and Army spouse pursuing a master’s degree in counseling at CMU.

Media coverage of Sledz is limited, largely consisting 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, Sledz's candidacy emphasizes:

  • Reducing taxes
  • Protecting individual liberty
  • End corporate welfare
  • Limit government overreach
Sources and Further Reading

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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.