Former Michigan House Speaker launches Senate bid

Michigan state Rep. Joe Tate (D) launched his campaign for U.S. Senate on Sunday, becoming the latest Democrat to jump into the crowded primary. 

In an interview with The Hill, Tate accused the Trump administration of seeking to cut Social Security and sow chaos at government agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

“Frankly, what we’re seeing from the Trump administration has just been something that’s distractions and chaos,” Tate said. “That hasn’t been helpful just in terms of supporting people’s lives.”

In a launch video released Monday, Tate highlighted his background as a former NFL player, a Marine Corps member in Afghanistan and then the first Black Speaker of the Michigan State House. 

Tate goes on to hit President Trump and Republicans, accusing them of “cutting taxes for the wealthy, betraying senior citizens, our children and my fellow veterans.” The video shows footage of Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Elon Musk. 

“On the battlefield and on the football field, I never backed down from a fight,” Tate says. 

Tate joins Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D) and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary to replace outgoing Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.). Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) has been floated as another possible Democratic contender. 

Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), who narrowly lost his Senate race last year to Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), is the only Republican to jump into the race. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) and former gubernatorial Tudor Dixon are also considering runs. 

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a “toss-up.”