The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission released finalized district maps in December, which are scheduled to take effect for the next election cycle.
Here’s what you need to know about how the districts will change. Plus, who’s said they’re running as of early February.
The new MI-1: Michigan’s old first district has been represented by U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R) who was elected in 2016. After recent redistricting, parts of Wexford County and all of Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco and Arenac counties will be added, while half of Mason County and all of Manistee County will be removed. The district is, and is likely to remain, a Republican stronghold.
Bergman has not announced a candidacy, but is expected to run in the new MI-1. No other Republican candidates have declared. Democrat Bob Lorinser, a doctor and former State department official from Marquette, is running.
The new MI-2: The updated MI-2 will gain Ionia County and include communities such as Ludington, Big Rapids and Mount Pleasant, staying solidly Republican. The old MI-2 has been represented by U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R) after his election in 2010. Huizenga will now be running in the MI-4. U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R) has represented the MI-4, and will now be running in the new MI-2. Another Republican, Tom Norton, is also running. Norton previously ran in 2020 in Michigan’s third district.
The new MI-3: Michigan’s new third district will stretch west to include Muskegon, Grand Haven, Grand River and lakeshore communities. The addition of Muskegon, in particular, could help Democrats swing this district for the first time in 45 years.
U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer currently represents the MI-3 after hiselection in 2020. A few other Republicans have also decided to run, including John Gibbs, endorsed by former president Donald Trump, Audra Johnson and attorney Gabriella Manolache. Democrat Hillary Scholten, who lost to Meijer in 2020, also declared her candidacy.
The new MI-4: U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R), who currently represents the MI-2, will be running in Michigan’s updated fourth district, which will now reach from St. Joseph Township to Port Sheldon Township. U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R), who currently serves St. Joseph in the 6th district, and has since 1993, may run here, though he has not yet declared. State Rep. Steve Carra (R) is also running and was endorsed by former president Donald Trump. The district will likely stay Republican-controlled, but with a slimmer margin.
The new MI-5: Changes in Michigan’s fifth district include removing Eaton County, parts of Washtenaw County and Flint, while adding some southwestern communities. Republicans will likely have a much stronger hold here in the coming elections, though no one has yet declared candidacy.
The new MI-6: The new MI-6 will become an Ann Arbor-centered district, grouped with communities in western Wayne county like Novi, Northville and Plymouth. Dearborn and Ann Arbor were previously located in the same district, a significant change with the new maps.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) will run in the new MI-6. Dingell previously represented both Ann Arbor and Dearborn in the old MI-12. The current Michigan sixth district is held by U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R), who has yet to announce reelection plans.
The new MI-7: Michigan’s seventh district will be changing to create a Lansing-centered district, removing parts of Eaton and Washtenaw counties and adding other southwestern communities.
The district has been represented by U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R) for over a decade. Walberg announced in November he would be seeking reelection in the same district before the new maps were released, though after redistricting he will reside in the MI-5. U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D) and state Sen. Tom Barrett (R) have both declared candidacy here, with Republicans being slightly favored under the new maps.
The new MI-8: Republican’s strength in Michigan’s eighth district will likely fade under the new maps, after the MI-8 becomes a Flint-centered district. The area is currently held by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who won in a close 2018 race; she is now running in the MI-7. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D) currently represents Flint in the MI-5, and will move to run in the MI-7. Former Trump administration official Paul Junge (R) previously ran and lost to Slotkin in 2020 and will be running again.
The new MI-9: A district previously held by Democrats, specifically U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D), the MI-9 will shift to house most of “Michigan’s Thumb” and combine portions of northern Oakland and Macomb counties. Republicans will likely do well here. U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain (R) announced candidacy here after previously representing the old MI-10. Levin will run in the new MI-11.
The new MI-10: No incumbent has declared candidacy for the new MI-10, which will include parts of Macomb and Oakland counties and group communities that were previously split among districts. John James (R) previously ran and lost in two statewide elections, but has declared his candidacy here. Another Republican, attorney Eric Esshaki, initially planned to run but has since dropped out of the race. Esshaki previously lost to U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens. On the Democratic side, Warren city council member Angela Rogensues and attorney and activist Huwaida Arraf are both running. The district is expected to be lean Republican, though less so than has before recent redistricting.
The new MI-11: This district will switch to favor Democrats, after previously having a slight Republican advantage. U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D) currently represents the district and is running for reelection. Because parts of the old MI-9 are being added, such as southeast Oakland county and communities near Pontiac, U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D), who represents the MI-9, is also running here. Two Republicans, Matthew DenOtter and Samukh Kallur, have declared they are running, as well.
The new MI-12: In what will be one of the safest Democratic districts, parts of Detroit are combined with neighboring communities like Dearborn to form Michigan's new twelfth district. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) currently represents Dearborn in the MI-12, but will be moving to the Ann Arbor-centered district to run in the new MI-6. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) is now running here, after being elected to serve the old MI-13 in 2018.
The new MI-13: Including most of downtown Detroit and Midtown, while also extending to Downriver and Grosse Pointe, the new MI-13 seat is open. U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D) is currently the incumbent for the MI-14, but has announced she will not seek office here in 2022. Among Democrats, state Sen. Adam Hollier, former state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo and state Rep. Shri Thanedar have announced.
What happened to the old MI-14? After the 2020 census, Michigan lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives based on having a lower proportion of the U.S. population than in 2010. Now, the state is only divided into 13 districts, instead.
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