Michigan — 7th District

A co-founder of a climate advocacy organization is vying to unseat an incumbent Republican U.S. representative in what experts say is a toss-up race.

William Lawrence and U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, will face off Nov. 3 for the 7th Congressional District seat. Shane Dedrick, a Green Party candidate, is also running.

The district includes all of Clinton, Ingham, Livingston and Shiawassee counties, along with portions of Eaton, Genesee and Oakland counties. The race is rated a “toss-up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, meaning neither party has a clear advantage.

Lawrence is a community organizer who co-founded the Sunrise Movement, which advocates for political action on climate change.

His campaign lists him as a founder of the Michigan Rent Is Too Damn High Coalition and the Mid-Michigan Tenant Resource Center.

Barrett is a U.S. Army and National Guard veteran who served two terms in the state House and one term in the state Senate. He is now seeking his second term in the U.S. House.

Barrett won the seat in 2024 over former Democratic state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., taking 50.28% of the vote to Hertel’s 46.56%. Barrett first ran for the seat in 2022, losing to then-U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, by more than 5 percentage points.

Campaign information for Dedrick could not be found online. His private Instagram page, first reported by WLNS 6, describes him as the founder of a workout supplements company, a certified personal trainer and a “crypto masterclass grad.”

MLive has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund to provide the Vote411.org voter guide. Candidates for every local and statewide race were asked to outline their stances on a variety of issues, listed below.

All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters or MLive, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected.

Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should not be considered an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties.

Here is how the candidates in the 7th Congressional District race responded to the questionnaire. Dedrick did not complete the questionnaire.

HEALTHCARE: What specific steps will you take in Congress to address healthcare affordability, access and quality for the people you represent?

Tom Barrett:

Healthcare should be more affordable, accessible, and focused on patients rather than bureaucracy. I support expanding access to telehealth, increasing price transparency, lowering prescription drug costs through competition, and strengthening rural healthcare providers so families in mid-Michigan can get quality care close to home. I also believe we need to hold health insurance companies accountable for rising prices and decisions about care should remain between patients and doctors, not dictated by Washington.

William Lawrence:

I will co-sponsor the Medicare for All Act to ensure that every American has quality healthcare coverage for life through a single-payer system. If Medicare for All lacks majority support in a given Congress, I will support more gradual steps towards universal coverage, such as lowering the age of entry to Medicare to 55, or creating a public insurance option by allowing anybody to buy into Medicare or Medicaid. I will also work to lower healthcare costs by reducing administrative bloat and capping prescription drug prices. I will work to make long-term care covered under Medicare to reduce the cost burden for seniors and their families.

ECONOMY: What policy initiatives do you support for residents to earn a living wage and address the overall question of affordability across Michigan?

William Lawrence:

Families’ biggest expenses are healthcare, housing, transit, and childcare. We’ve already addressed healthcare. On housing, I will push to build 10 million new or rehabilitated homes nationwide, with diverse housing types and prices to provide quality housing for every income bracket and stage of life. On transit and overall inflation, I will get the cost of gas down by stopping the war in Iran. On childcare, I will work for universal childcare and family leave, following the lead of states around the country. I support raising the minimum wage, and passing the PRO Act so workers can form unions without retaliation.

Tom Barrett:

Michigan families are being squeezed by rising costs, and we need policies that help people keep more of what they earn while creating good-paying jobs. I support lowering taxes, strengthening domestic manufacturing, supporting skilled trades and workforce development, and reducing unnecessary regulations that make it harder for small businesses to grow and hire. The best way to improve affordability is through a strong economy that creates opportunity and raises wages organically.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY: How would you approach ensuring energy reliability, consumer affordability and environmental protection in Michigan?

Tom Barrett:

Michigan needs an energy strategy that keeps power reliable and affordable while responsibly protecting our natural resources. I support an approach that includes domestic oil and gas, nuclear energy, renewables, and investments in modern infrastructure and grid reliability. We can protect the Great Lakes and environment without sacrificing jobs, energy independence, or affordability for working families.

William Lawrence:

Michigan’s water is our greatest natural inheritance. I will seek investments to restore wetlands and rivers, expand fishing and game lands, and clean up PFAS pollution. I support a 12-month moratorium on new AI data centers, and regulation to ensure that Michigan’s environment and energy ratepayers are not harmed by data centers. Because the fastest and cheapest path to energy security is solar power owned by residents and communities, I will work for “net metering” and community solar so we can all own our energy without depending on utility monopolies like DTE or Consumers.

IMMIGRATION: What is your position on due process, First Amendment, and Fourth Amendment rights for all Michigan residents, including noncitizens, and what changes, if any, would you support?

William Lawrence:

All people in the United States, citizens and noncitizens, are entitled to due process and protection under the Bill of Rights. ICE has disregarded our constitutional right to due process, and repeatedly violated the First and Fourth Amendments. ICE agents, Trump, and his cabinet must be held accountable. I support hiring more immigration judges to reduce the backlog of cases, and expanding paths to naturalization for undocumented immigrants. Immigrants who commit crimes should be held accountable with due process, just like anybody. I am a proud American who takes seriously the words written on our national symbol, the Statue of Liberty.

Tom Barrett:

The United States is a nation of laws, and protecting constitutional rights and due process is important for everyone within our legal system. At the same time, we need secure borders, faster immigration court processing, and stronger enforcement against criminal activity, trafficking, and illegal entry. I support reforms that improve efficiency and fairness while ensuring our immigration system works in the best interests of American citizens and public safety.