EXCLUSIVE — The race to replace Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) in the House is expected to be one of the most competitive elections of the 2024 cycle, and it could come down to which party has the most money to spare. 

Republican candidate Tom Barrett leads Democrat Curtis Hertel by 7 percentage points, garnering 44% of the vote compared to Hertel’s 37%, according to internal polling commissioned by the Barrett campaign and obtained by the Washington Examiner. The polling memo shows Barrett holds an advantage over Hertel thanks to stronger name recognition in the district, which he likely accumulated after running against Slotkin in the 2022 midterm elections.