LANSING (WWJ) -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is calling for a special election to fill a vacant Michigan Senate seat.
This is for the 35th District — encompassing parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties.
The governor called for a special primary to be held on February 3, 2026, and a general election to fill the seat on May 5, 2026.
The seat has been empty since January, when former Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet was sworn in as a U.S. Representative following her win in the November election.
Whitmer said, in a statement Friday: "We have a lot of good work to get done before the end of next year. Michiganders want us to create jobs and grow the economy, invest in schools and boost literacy rates, and, of course, fix those damn roads. I look forward to working with the next state senator from this district to tackle these issues and more."
But for some critics, this is too little, too late.
Earlier this month, the governor was hit with a lawsuit in Saginaw County, alleging that Whitmer held off on calling for an election for more than 200 days in a bid to hold onto a slim Democratic majority in the state senate.
Among those reacting to the news Friday was Sen. Roger Hauck, R-Mt. Pleasant, who said, in a statement:
“Let’s be clear: You’re no hero, governor. You didn’t save the day — you simply did a job you should have done months ago — and did so only after your lack of action received national headlines and criticism from within your own party.
“The average time it has taken the governor to call a special election in Michigan is 17 days. It has taken over seven months for Gov. Whitmer to call this election. In that time, thousands of residents across the Great Lakes Bay Region were left without a voice in the state Senate. There has been no urgency. No explanation. Just silence."
"That’s not leadership. That’s a political calculation."
Democrats, meanwhile, spoke out in support of Whitmer," Hauck said.
Said Senator Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton): “We welcome this special election. It’s an opportunity to show our Republican colleagues, from Donald Trump down to Lansing, that their agenda is out of step with Michigan families. Republicans have voted to cut funding to schools and healthcare all while continuously siding with special interests over working people. This election will be a chance to hold them accountable and keep Michigan moving forward.”