Kristen McDonald Rivet

Democrat Chedrick Greene is projected to be the winner of the special election for Michigan Senate's 35th District on Tuesday.

The race was called just before 11 p.m., with over 60% of the votes counted. As of 11:30 p.m. (93% votes counted), unofficial results showed Greene leading with 36,374 votes, followed by Republican Jason Tunney with 24,337 and Libertarian Ali Sledz with 1,054.

The seat, which represents parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties, became vacant after former Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet was elected to the U.S. House in 2024.

In August 2025, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for a special election, and the primary election was held on Feb. 3, 2026.

The 35th District seat will be up for election again in November, with both Greene and Tunney running for the full four-year term. While Greene's Democratic opponent, Brandell Adams, has withdrawn from the race, Tunney will face Republican challenger Chadwick Twillman in the primary.

In a statement on social media, Greene said, "OORAH! WE WON! We delivered this decisive victory by listening and speaking to the things keeping everyday people up at night — worries about affordability, safety, and freedom. I am honored to have earned the trust of so many voters across #SD35.

"And I am excited to go to Lansing to fight for every policy and dollar that helps hardworking men and women build better lives here in Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties and sets our kids up for brighter futures."

Tunney conceded Tuesday night, saying, "Tonight, we fell short in the special election, but I'm incredibly proud of what this campaign accomplished together. We worked hard every single day to run the best campaign."

According to Greene's campaign website, the Saginaw native is a Marine veteran and fire captain of the Saginaw Fire Department. He previously worked as a district assistant under McDonald Rivet. In 2023, he was appointed by Whitmer to the Statewide Housing Partnership.