Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) said she is not considering a run for the Senate seat of Debbie Stabenow (D), who announced earlier this month that she would retire at the end of her term in 2024.
The retirement presents a challenge for Democrats, who have a difficult playing field in the next election cycle, with fewer seats up for election and several other retirements possible. Stabenow’s seat, in battleground state Michigan, will be competitive for Republicans.
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“After deep consideration, I have decided that I can best serve Michigan’s working families, manufacturers, students, and small businesses in my current role,” Stevens said in a Monday statement. “I will not be seeking election to the United States Senate at this time. To have received so much support from across the state has been incredibly humbling and I will always fight for you. Michigan has a deep bench of diverse, highly qualified candidates, and I am committed to working to elect the best Democrat for the job and keeping Michigan blue.”
Her statement also mentioned that her top priorities would be championing “the Michigan manufacturers and innovators who are building America’s future here in the heartland” and passing more legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act.
Stevens was elected to the House in 2018, where she is a member of the centrist New Democrat Coalition. In 2022, she defeated fellow Democratic Rep. Andy Levin in a member-on-member primary spurred by redistricting.
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Stabenow, in a statement announcing her retirement, attributed her decision to “pass the torch in the U.S. Senate” to the inspiration she found in “a new generation of leaders.”
Democrats will have to defend 23 Senate seats, compared to just 11 for Republicans in 2024.
