Curtis Hertel conceded to U.S. Army veteran Tom Barrett in a 3 a.m. statement.
The GOP gained a U.S. House of Representatives seat representing Michigan, after winning a race that was open due to the retirement of Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.).
U.S. Army veteran Tom Barrett secured the victory over Curtis Hertel, a former aide to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in the contest for Michiganās 7th Congressional District, according to projections from The Associated Press.
Hertel conceded to Barrett in a statement at 3 a.m. He wished the Republican well and thanked his own supporters.
āTo every single volunteer, supporter, and member of Team Hertel who helped our campaignāfrom building yard signs, to donating a few bucks, to knocking doors and making callsāI will forever be grateful, and I am sorry this election did not turn out differently,ā the statement said.
Barrett is a former state representative and senator. He previously ran for the same seat in the 2022 midterms but lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, who vacated the seat to run for U.S. Senate.
Michiganās 7th Congressional District has about 781,000 people. It is in central Michigan and includes the state capital of Lansing.
When Slotkin took office in early 2023, it moved the seat from 12 years of Republican control. The district was redrawn ahead of the 2022 election.
Incumbents easily won Michiganās other congressional races. They include Republicans Jack Bergman, John Moolenaar, Bill Huizenga, Tim Walberg, and Lisa McClain; and Democrats Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens, Rashida Tlaib, and Shri Thanedar.
Incumbents have largely been projected to win in other states as well, although Democrats flipped two seats in New York.
Democrat Josh Riley beat Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.), a freshman incumbent in New Yorkās 19th Congressional District, which stretches from the Massachusetts border to the Finger Lakes region.
In central New York, Democratic state Sen. John Mannion defeated Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.). Williams, who represents New Yorkās 22nd Congressional District, was considered one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents this year because state Democrat leaders redrew his district.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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