Race to Watch: Curtis Hertel Jr. vs. Tom Barrett for US House

Michiganders have some big decisions to make in the November election—including a choice between former state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. or former state Sen. Tom Barrett.

MICHIGAN—Former state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., a Democrat who also served as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s legislative director, will face off in November against former state Sen. Tom Barrett, a Republican, for one of 13 seats representing Michigan in the US House of Representatives.

They’re each running to represent Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, which is home to about 775,000 Michiganders living in Ingham, Livingston, and Shiawassee counties, as well as parts of Oakland and Genesee counties—including East Lansing, Howell, Lansing and Owosso. The winner will serve a two-year term in Congress. And this election is critical because it could determine which party controls the US House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority.

Ahead of Election Day, analysts have repeatedly painted this particular congressional race as one of the most competitive (and likely most expensive) political matchups in the country.

The outcome of the election could also go on to shape the future of federal policy on key issues that affect the day-to-day lives of millions of Michiganders—like access to affordable healthcare, job creation, reproductive rights, clean energy investments, and environmental protections.

Here’s a quick primer on the race, along with links to some other relevant news:

Curtis Hertel Jr. 

Hertel, 46, served as a state senator representing Lansing and East Lansing from from 2015 to 2022, before he was term-limited from office. He also briefly served as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s legislative affairs director before stepping down from the role last summer to run for Congress.

His father, a brother, and two uncles served in the Legislature, and a third uncle was in the US House. His wife, Elizabeth, is director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In an interview with the Associated Press, Hertel defined his family’s legacy as a “strong belief in Democratic ideals but also a willingness to work across the aisle to make things better.”

As Whitmer’s legislative affairs director when she signed the repeal of Michigan’s 1931 abortion ban, Hertel said he played a key role in drumming up the votes to get the bill over the finish line—including by convincing a few conservative Republicans to support the legislation, too.

While in the Senate, Hertel also sponsored legislation to repeal a law that forced Michigan women to pay extra costs to have abortion care covered by their health insurance plans. That legislation was reintroduced and signed into law during his time as legislative affairs director.

And as Hertel runs for a seat representing Michigan in the US House this year, his desire to work across the aisle with Republicans lawmakers to pass bipartisan legislation has emerged as a central focus of his congressional campaign—and one of Hertel’s top personal priorities. 

In a recent interview with The ‘Gander, Hertel reiterated his people-focused take on politics. But when it comes to access to reproductive healthcare in Michigan, he simply refuses to budge.

“I believe we need to be able to compromise and work on things—but not when they’re part of the core values of who we are,” Hertel said. “Sometimes there are things that don’t change, and I don’t think that abortion rights are something that we can compromise on. … There are some things that are part of your soul that you believe in and that are core values.”

Hertel’s campaign has attracted some unusually broad support this year—namely from a group of Republican and independent elected officials who are crossing the party line to vote for him.

Tom Barrett 

Barrett, 42, has served one term in both the state Senate and House and previously served as a liaison between the state Department of Treasury and former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. He also lost his Congressional race to US Rep. Elissa Slotkin by about 5 percentage points in 2022.

When it comes to reproductive rights, Barrett has developed a reputation for his staunch anti-abortion beliefs—including once labeling himself “100% PRO-LIFE—NO EXCEPTIONS,” and by defending the state-level abortion ban that Hertel helped repeal last year.

Barrett also has a history of supporting tax increases and trying to block new manufacturing investments in his own community—including by opposing legislation to create a new, $1 billion state fund designed to help develop land for future, job-creating manufacturing facilities.

While serving in the state House, Barrett voted in support of a bill that raised Michigan’s gas tax from 19 to 26.3 cents per gallon. He also joined Republicans in unsuccessful efforts to repeal Michigan’s earned income tax credit, as well as to keep Michigan as the only state in the US to shield pharmaceutical companies from liability when they sell dangerous or defective drugs. 

Barrett has also repeatedly been caught trying to break federal laws to bolster his political campaigns and to keep Michiganders in the dark about his personal finances—possibly because his prior campaigns have been heavily funded by the billionaire DeVos family.

Barrett has also been a vocal critic of the Inflation Reduction Act, which has since raised taxes on big corporations and lowered prescription drug costs for thousands of Michiganders. 

More Coverage from The ‘Gander

7 things to know about Tom Barrett and his latest bid for Congress 

Meet the Michigan Republicans supporting Curtis Hertel for Congress 

This Michigan lawmaker built his career on compromise. But he isn’t budging on this issue.

Explainer: One of the country’s most competitive Congressional races is coming to Michigan

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