U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, conceded Michigan’s 7th Congressional District to U.S. Rep.-elect William Lawrence, D-Lansing, during an overnight phone call amid a string of Democratic victories in battlegrounds throughout the country.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon in Lansing, Lawrence said he thanked Barrett for his service and expressed his readiness to work together on the transition of power.
Lawrence called Barrett “a worthy opponent in this hard-fought campaign” and said he was “gracious in defeat.”
“He’s overperformed in many cycles, and he certainly did not make this an easy race in a tough environment on his side of the aisle,” Lawrence said.
The Associated Press called the race Wednesday afternoon. Barrett led through much of the night Tuesday, with Lawrence taking the lead for the first time around 2 a.m. after Ingham County began reporting results.
Barrett said in a statement Wednesday morning that he’s disappointed in the outcome but proud of the campaign he ran.
“In the worst year for Republicans in decades, and after the most spending against me of any Republican member of Congress in the nation, we came closer than any competitive district in the country,” Barrett said.
While Barrett didn’t deliver remarks during his election night watch party in Lansing, he did individually thank the handful of supporters who waited until nearly 3 a.m.
Several supporters urged Barrett to run for office again, whether in a rematch with Lawrence in 2028 or seeking a statewide office in 2030.
Barrett called the loss “a tough setback,” but added, “I refuse to give up on America.”
Lawrence said his top priorities will be setting up an in-district office for constituent services and holding quarterly town hall meetings.
“Whether you voted or didn’t vote, whether you voted for Tom Barrett or Shane Dedrick or myself, I’m here to represent and serve you,” Lawrence said. “I look forward to getting out there and continuing to widen the circle of the movement we built and the service that we’re able to deliver as we develop it.
“Throughout this campaign, I’ve always said that it’s not about what I can do for you, or what you can do for me; it’s about what we can do together.”
He said his next priorities will be policy goals like restraining the country’s defense budget and regulating data center development.
“There’s something wrong when we’re expending trillions on wars around the world that are not making us any safer, while our neighbors can’t afford the basics here in Michigan,” Lawrence said.
In a statement declaring victory overnight, Lawrence’s campaign pointed to the district as a bellwether for presidential candidates.
While the congressman-elect said it’s too early for him to think about the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, he said his victory sends a message to any presidential hopefuls waiting in the wings.
“It’s clear that there’s an appetite for candidates who are rejecting corporate PAC money, holding big tech accountable, saying no to war and investing in quality of life and lower prices for people here in Michigan,” Lawrence said.
