The short answer is yes. Elissa Slotkin won the 2024 Michigan U.S. Senate race. But man, it was a nail-biter that basically kept half the state awake for 48 hours.
Honestly, if you were looking at the early returns on election night, you might’ve thought she was toast. Republican Mike Rogers was holding a lead for a long time. It wasn't until the sun came up and the deep-blue precincts in places like Wayne County—think Detroit and the surrounding suburbs—started reporting their tallies that the needle finally shifted.
She won by a razor-thin margin of about 0.3%. To put that in perspective, out of over 5.4 million votes cast, she was only ahead by roughly 19,000 votes. That is basically the size of a small college football stadium.
The Numbers: Did Elissa Slotkin Win by a Landslide?
Not even close. This was a "hold your breath" kind of victory. Slotkin finished with 48.6% of the vote, while Rogers pulled in 48.3%. In the world of high-stakes politics, that is what we call a "squeaker."
One of the weirdest things about this race? Donald Trump actually won Michigan on the same night. Usually, voters stick to one party all the way down the ballot, but tens of thousands of Michiganders split their ticket. They voted for Trump for President and Slotkin for Senate. This hasn't happened in Michigan since 1988, when the state went for George H.W. Bush but kept Democrat Don Riegle in the Senate.
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Slotkin basically had to outperform the top of her ticket to pull this off. She did.
Why the Michigan Senate Race Mattered So Much
This wasn't just another seat. This was the seat held by Debbie Stabenow, a titan of Michigan politics who had been there since 2001. When she announced she was retiring, every political strategist in D.C. started sweating.
The GOP saw this as their best chance in 30 years to flip a Michigan Senate seat. They brought in Mike Rogers, a former FBI agent and Congressman who had a ton of name recognition. Slotkin, on the other hand, came in with a CIA background and a reputation for being a moderate who could talk to people in "purple" districts.
Money and Airwaves
If you live in Michigan, you probably couldn't turn on your TV without seeing their faces. Slotkin was a fundraising powerhouse. By April 2024, she had already raised nearly $16 million. Rogers struggled to keep up with that pace, though he had plenty of outside super PAC money backing him up.
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- Slotkin's focus: Protecting abortion rights and lowering prescription drug costs.
- Rogers' focus: Attacking EV mandates and focusing on the economy and border security.
The "swatting" incident also cast a dark shadow over the race. Both candidates were targeted by fake emergency calls to their homes shortly after the primary, which just goes to show how tense the atmosphere really was.
What’s Happening Now with Senator Slotkin?
Since taking office in early 2025, it hasn't exactly been a honeymoon phase for her. As of early 2026, things have gotten pretty intense.
Slotkin has positioned herself as a leading voice in the Democratic response to the Trump administration. In fact, she gave the official Democratic response to the 2025 State of the Union address. She didn't hold back, calling out economic policies she labeled as reckless and warning about the national debt.
But the real drama started more recently. In late 2025, she was part of a group of lawmakers who appeared in a video telling members of the military they could refuse "illegal orders." This caused a massive firestorm. The administration called it sedition; Slotkin called it a reminder of the constitutional oath. Now, as we sit here in January 2026, she is actually under federal investigation because of that video.
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The Takeaway for Michigan Voters
So, did Elissa Slotkin win? Yes. Is she still winning? That’s up for debate depending on who you ask in Grand Rapids or Macomb County.
She’s currently serving on high-profile committees like Armed Services and Homeland Security. She’s also the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Basically, she’s doing exactly what she promised—leaning into her national security roots.
If you’re trying to keep up with what’s next, keep an eye on the investigation into that "illegal orders" video. It’s likely going to define her first couple of years in the Senate. Also, watch her "economic war plan" that she’s been pitching, which argues that the decline of the middle class is actually a national security threat.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
Check the official Senate voting records to see how Slotkin is balancing her "moderate" label with the current polarized climate. You can also follow the Michigan Secretary of State's website for the final, certified precinct-by-precinct breakdowns if you really want to nerd out on how she won those specific swing counties like Kent or Saginaw.