Michigan adopts congressional map that pits two incumbent Democrats against each other

The redistricting commission for Michigan adopted new congressional districts on Tuesday, a move that will have a significant impact on next year’s midterm elections.

Democratic Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens will both run in the same newly redrawn district. Other incumbents could also face one another, but some, including Rep. Debbie Dingell (D), plan to move districts to avoid such a battle. Dingell would otherwise potentially face Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D), The Detroit Free Press reported.

Members of Congress do not have to live in the district that they represent, though most do reside in their districts to avoid an opponent’s criticism in elections.

Michigan currently has seven Democratic and seven Republican representatives in its congressional delegation.

Eight of 13 randomly selected voters supported the new map, which places eight incumbents in the same districts and eliminates two majority-Black districts, the Free Press added.  

The commission is the result of Michigan voters’ actions in 2018 when they adopted a constitutional amendment taking redistricting duties from the hands of state lawmakers. 

“This shows that Michiganders can come together across party lines to defend democracy – an important lesson for our nation and a reason to celebrate,” Nancy Wang, executive director of Voters Not Politicians, the group that pushed for the amendment, told the Free Press in a statement.