State Sen. Mallory McMorrow — a rising Democratic star known for her viral rebuttal of right-wing attacks and sharp criticism of President Donald Trump — is running for U.S. Senate in 2026, hoping to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
In a two-and-a-half-minute campaign announcement video released Wednesday, McMorrow cast herself as part of a new generation of Democrats ready to push back against the influence of Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, while criticizing the Democratic establishment for failing to meet the urgency of the moment.
“There’s a lot of fear and anger and uncertainty right now about people in power who, frankly, have no business being there,” McMorrow said in the video. “So you know what won’t fix it? The same old crap out of Washington.”
McMorrow, 38 represents a district that includes parts of Detroit and the suburbs. She gained national attention in 2022 after delivering a fiery Senate floor speech denouncing a Republican colleague’s false accusation that she supported the “grooming” of children. In her rebuttal, McMorrow described herself as a “straight, white Christian, married, suburban mom” who wants “every kid to feel seen, heard, and supported – not marginalized and targeted because they are not straight, white, and Christian.”
Now in her second term in Lansing, McMorrow is positioning herself as a no-nonsense voice willing to challenge both Republicans and her own party. In her announcement, she pointed to what she called the Democratic Party leadership’s failure to offer voters a clear, compelling alternative to Trumpism.
“We need new leaders,” she said. “Because the same people in D.C. who got us into this mess are not going to be the ones to get us out of it.”
McMorrow is the first prominent Democrat to enter the race. U.S. Reps. Haley Stevens and Kristen McDonald Rivet are among those still weighing a run. Republicans see Michigan as a top Senate pickup opportunity after Trump carried the state again in 2024. Former Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP’s 2024 Senate nominee, is expected to run.
While some Democratic hopefuls have distanced themselves from divisive national issues, McMorrow has leaned in. Her launch video includes footage of her appearance at the 2024 Democratic Convention, where she held up a giant mock book labeled “Project 2025,” a reference to the right-wing blueprint for reshaping the federal government. The plan, which has gained traction in Trump’s circle, calls for dismantling major federal agencies and replacing career officials with political loyalists.
“If Donald Trump gets back into the White House, he’s going to fire civil servants, like intelligence officers, engineers, and even federal prosecutors if he decides that they don’t serve his personal agenda,” McMorrow said during the convention speech. “They’re talking about replacing the entire federal government with an army of loyalists who answer only to Donald Trump.”
McMorrow’s campaign comes on the heels of her new book, Hate Won’t Win, a political memoir and organizing guide that blends personal stories, policy views, and campaign lessons. In it, she calls on Democrats to reclaim the language of faith and community, and to stop letting Republicans define the political narrative.
“Republicans are really good at story,” McMorrow told Metro Times columnist Joe Lapointe last week. “We’ve got to get better at story-telling and telling an aspirational story of the new American dream that people want to see themselves in.”
She added, “We’re letting Republicans define Democrats in ways that are untrue . . . Instead of fixing the issues, Republicans will tell you it is somebody else’s fault to make you angry and fearful of somebody else.”
McMorrow has built a national fundraising base since her 2022 speech, drawing donations from every state. She has also made clear she won’t fall in line with Senate leadership if elected, saying she would not support Chuck Schumer to lead the caucus in 2027.
McMorrow said time is running out.
“We don’t have a minute to wait. Are you with me?” she asked.
