Democrat unseats Barrett in battleground Michigan House contest

Democrats are projected to score a big win in Michigan, with William Lawrence, a liberal climate activist, picking off GOP Rep. Tom Barrett in the state’s 7th District, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Heading into the polls, the race was a true toss-up, with both sides spending enormously to make it one of the most expensive contests of the 2026 cycle. Lawrence garnered about 51 percent of the vote while the incumbent notched about 48 percent, with more than 95 percent of the vote tallied Wednesday morning.

Republicans were confident that Barrett, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, would hold the seat that includes the state’s capital of Lansing, especially given Lawrence’s prior affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). GOP operatives sought to highlight that history, arguing that Lawrence — who had defeated two centrist Democrats in the primary in........

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