Stabenow to retire, creating GOP pickup opportunity in Michigan - The Hill

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the chairwoman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee and a adjacent state of Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), announced Thursday she is not moving for reelection successful 2024. 

The announcement is simply a stroke to Democrats’ hopes of keeping their Senate bulk successful 2025 arsenic they look a pugnacious Senate representation this cycle. 

“Inspired by a caller procreation of leaders, I person decided to walk the torch successful the U.S. Senate. I americium announcing contiguous that I volition not question re-election and volition permission the U.S. Senate astatine the extremity of my word connected January 3, 2025,” Stabenow announced Thursday.  

Stabenow, the chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, says she volition absorption connected passing the workplace bill, which provides hundreds of billions of dollars successful enactment to agriculture, successful the 118th Congress. 

“For the adjacent 2 years, I americium intensely focused connected continuing this important enactment to amended the lives of Michiganders. This includes starring the transition of the adjacent five-year Farm Bill which determines our nation’s nutrient and agriculture policies,” she said.  

Democrats person to support 23 Senate seats successful the adjacent predetermination — including those held by Independent Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and Angus King (Maine).

Schumer besides faces imaginable retirements successful 2 red-leaning states, Montana and West Virginia, wherever centrist Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) are mulling whether to tally for reelection. 

Keeping Sinema’s spot retired of Republican hands successful 2024 could besides beryllium a pugnacious situation aft she announced her determination to permission the Democratic Party and registry arsenic an Independent. 

Sinema won’t accidental whether she plans to tally for reelection, and she is expected to look Democratic and Republican opponents successful a three-way wide predetermination contention if she decides connected a bid for a 2nd Senate term.

Senate Republicans lone request to support 10 seats successful 2024 and don’t person immoderate evidently susceptible incumbents up for re-election.  

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, won re-election to a 2nd word successful November, easy beating Tudor Dixon, a Republican, 54.5 percent to 43.9 percent.  

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), however, faced a bruising re-election conflict against Republican John James successful 2020, narrowly winning 49.9 percent to 48.2 percent.  

Former President Trump carried Michigan successful the 2016 statesmanlike predetermination but mislaid to President Joe Biden successful the authorities successful 2020 by astir 3 percent points. 

Stabenow said she intends “to statesman a caller section successful my life” aft her word ends by “continuing to service our authorities extracurricular of elected office” and spending much clip with her family, including “my astonishing 96-year-old mom.” 

Updated astatine 10:06 a.m.