Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com / Associated Press


Livingston County’s Congresswoman is taking steps toward seeking the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Democrat Debbie Stabenow.

Following the surprise announcement in early January that the 72-year-old Stabenow would not seek re-election for a fifth term in 2024, Democratic U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin is now considered to be among the top Democrats mentioned as Senate prospects.

Slotkin was first elected in 2018 by narrowly beating two-term incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Bishop in a longtime Republican-leaning district that included Livingston County. She was elected to serve a third term in Congress last November after defeating Republican challenger and State Senator Tom Barrett of Charlotte.

The race in the newly drawn 7th District had long been dubbed a tossup and was among the key races for Republicans in their bid to regain control of the House. It was nation's third most-expensive U.S. House race and one of the top ten most competitive that Slotkin said took a lot of hard work and support.

In what is quickly emerging as one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2024 campaign, Slotkin is said to be aggressively acting on Stabenow's call for “the next generation of leadership.”

In an interview with the Associated Press, Slotkin said “She knows what it takes to win and she is not going to let her seat flip when she leaves. She feels, I think, very connected to making sure her legacy is upheld by passing the torch to someone who can win it”. Slotkin said Stabenow took her under her wing on the campaign trail and their relationship has stayed strong since. A link to the full AP article is provided.

While the 46-year-old former CIA intelligence officer is taking steps to prepare for a Senate run, she said she was putting her “ducks in a row" before any announcement.

AP Photo.