State Rep. Joe Tate Drops Out of U.S. Senate Race After Short-Lived Campaign

State Rep. Joe Tate

Nearly three months after announcing his candidacy, State Rep. Joe Tate is withdrawing from the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Michigan.

Isabella Volmert of the Associated Press reports:

State Rep. Joe Tate, who was the first Black speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he is suspending his campaign to move “in a different direction of service.” He struggled to compete with the fundraising numbers posted by the three other Democratic candidates: U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, and public health official Abdul El-Sayed.

The seat is being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who has chosen not to run for re-election. Democrat Elissa Slotkin won the other Michigan Senate seat in 2024.

On May 12, Tate announced on X:

"I'm running for U.S. Senate to lay a foundation for the next generation of Michiganders—one strong enough to protect the promise Michigan holds for every family. Let's get to work."