National GOP targets Lansing-area congressional seat

LANSING — Michigan's 7th congressional seat is being targeted as an "offensive pick-up" opportunity by national Republicans who have their eyes on the 2024 political season.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, or NRCC, included the Lansing-area seat in a group of what it sees as 37 flippable districts. Current U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Lansing Democrat, will be leaving the seat open as she runs for U.S. Senate.

"Republicans are in the majority and on offense," NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement. "We will grow our House majority by building strong campaigns around talented recruits in these districts who can communicate the dangers of Democrats' extreme agenda."

"These House Democrats should be shaking in their boots," he added.

The district has been rated a “tossup” by several political analysis organizations, including the Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

Slotkin, at her Senate campaign kickoff event on March 6, praised the field of prospective candidates for her current seat and warned the party not to let the seat slip.

“We have a great crop of folks who are looking at the seat,” she said. “We know in this district which is very purple — right, very swingy — the minute you sleep on this district, it will go back to being Republican. We're not going to let that happen.”

The Republican party currently holds 222 seats in the House while Democrats hold 213. The 7th District is one of three Michigan seats being targeted by Republicans, the other two are Hillary Scholten's 3rd District and Dan Kildee's 8th.

In 2022, more than $26 million in outside funding was spent in the 7th District, the most for any House race in the country.

The 7th District includes Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Shiawassee and Livingston counties and portions of Oakland and Genesee counties.

Several candidates have expressed varying levels of intention to run for the open seat, but none has yet announced officially.

Former Republican State Sen. Tom Barrett of Charlotte said he plans to run for the seat again. He ran against Slotkin in 2022, losing by 5 points.

Democratic Lansing Mayor Andy Schor has announced the formation of an exploratory committee to study a possible run but has yet to take any further steps publicly.

Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, State Sen. Sarah Anthony and State Rep. Julie Brixie — all Democrats — have expressed their interest, while State Sen. Democrat Sam Singh has declined to run for the seat. Democrat Curtis Hertel, a former Lansing state senator and current legislative director for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, has yet to publicly share his intentions.

Slotkin said she’s talked to most potential candidates and they're “focusing on keeping this district in Democratic hands”

"You got to be ready to work, because you cannot take this district for granted," she said.

Contact Sheldon Krause at skrause@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter@sheldonjkrause.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Republicans target Lansing-area Congressional seat held by Democrats for 2024 politics