2026 Michigan Special General

2026 Michigan Special Primary

Democrat

Republican

Andrew Wendt is a graduate of Michigan State University. He lives in Saginaw, Michigan.

Andrew is an educator and public servant. He has worked as an urban school teacher. He also held roles as the ethnic vice chair for the Michigan Republican Party and a member of UAW Local 699.

Andrew Wendt - Ballotpedia

Andrew previously served as a Saginaw City Councilman for eight years.

As of December 5, 2025, Andrew Carlos Wendt’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Economy

Supports stronger policing, mental health support, and expanding addiction treatment to improve public safety.

- Supports stronger policing, mental health support, and expanding addiction treatment to improve public safety.

Public Safety

Healthcare

Opposes "grooming or indoctrination in schools" and wants to make classrooms "safe places to learn, not political battlegrounds."

- Opposes "grooming or indoctrination in schools" and wants to make classrooms "safe places to learn, not political battlegrounds."

Education

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

Voting & Elections

Andrew Carlos Wendt

Andrew is an educator and public servant. He has worked as an urban school teacher and served as a Saginaw City Councilman for eight years. He also held roles as the ethnic vice chair for the Michigan Republican Party and a member of UAW Local 699.

As of December 5, 2025, Andrew Carlos Wendt did not have a website or any information online.

Rafael Perez

Buket Urgen

Chadwick Twillman is running for 35th senate seat as Republican

Chadwick Twillman is from Amarillo, Texas, and was raised in Mesa, Arizona. He has lived in mid-Michigan for over 20 years. He attended the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and is a father of five. He lives with his wife in the Saginaw area.

LinkedIn

Chadwick is the chief operations officer for the Mountain Movers firm, the co-founder and operational advisor for Brexy Management Inc., and an operational specialist for Clover.

35th District Senate candidate's past includes 2007 stabbing ...

Chadwick's campaign for Michigan State Senator, District 35 is his first time running for public office.

Supports market growth by funding farmers  markets and co-ops for corn, soybeans, and dairy, and creating a   35th District Grown  label.

Supports funding for farmers'  markets and co-ops, and creating a   "35th District Grown " label.

Supports 500 H-2A visas yearly; funds Delta College ag training (FFA, 4-H).

Supports 500 H-2A visas yearly to fill in agricultural labor gaps and funding for Delta College's agricultural training.

Supports treating major tech platforms as public utilities and giving individuals legal ownership of their personal data, including opt-out rights and optional data royalties.

- Supports funding for farmers'  markets and co-ops, and creating a   "35th District Grown " label.
- Supports 500 H-2A visas yearly to fill in agricultural labor gaps and funding for Delta College's agricultural training.
- Supports treating major tech platforms as public utilities and giving individuals legal ownership of their personal data, including opt-out rights and optional data royalties.

Supports investing in after-school and mentorship programs, as well as community policing initiatives, to build trust and reduce youth crime.

Supports investing in after-school and mentorship programs, as well as community policing initiatives, to reduce youth crime.

Plans to allocate $15 million for hiring and equipping 50 new officers, and for mandatory body cameras and training for police officers.

Supports hiring and equipping 50 new officers in District 35, and mandatory body cameras and training for police officers.

Opposes gun control policies, including restricting guns in public spaces, and supports allowing any law-abiding citizen over 18 to carry firearms and recognizing out-of-state permits.

Supports repealing all permit, registration, and training requirements for lawful firearm carry.

Support regulating "emerging technologies with dangerous potential, including those threatening mental autonomy and mind control."

- Supports investing in after-school and mentorship programs, as well as community policing initiatives, to reduce youth crime.
- Supports hiring and equipping 50 new officers in District 35, and mandatory body cameras and training for police officers.
- Opposes gun control policies, including restricting guns in public spaces, and supports allowing any law-abiding citizen over 18 to carry firearms and recognizing out-of-state permits.
- Supports repealing all permit, registration, and training requirements for lawful firearm carry.
- Support regulating "emerging technologies with dangerous potential, including those threatening mental autonomy and mind control."

Supports "Bible access in public schools."

- Supports "Bible access in public schools."

Supports $100 million in funding over five years to rebuild infrastructure.

Supports rebuilding Liberty and Independence Bridges.

Supports repaving M-25 and Saginaw's worst streets.

- Supports $100 million in funding over five years to rebuild infrastructure.
- Supports rebuilding Liberty and Independence Bridges.
- Supports repaving M-25 and Saginaw's worst streets.

Supports deregulation to expand offshore oil, natural gas, commercial fishing, and shipbuilding.

- Supports deregulation to expand offshore oil, natural gas, commercial fishing, and shipbuilding.

Supports term limits for Congress members.

- Supports term limits for Congress members.

Facebook

Twitter

Chadwick Twillman

Chadwick's campaign for Michigan State Senator, District 35 is his first entry into politics. 

As of December 5, 2025, Chadwick Twillman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports hiring more police officers and implementing mandatory body cameras for accountability.

Christian (Chris) Velasquez is from Kansas. He has an engineering degree from Kansas State. Chris and his wife, Jenée, have been married for 36 years. 

Christian is a business consultant at PointsNorth Consulting. He previously worked at Dow Corning, including positions on the factory floor, in research labs, finance, supply chain, and global business leadership. After leaving Dow Corning, he started two small businesses, which he later sold.

Christian Velasquez - Ballotpedia

Christian previously ran for Michigan State Senate District 35 in 2022 but did not win.

Supports lowering taxes, reducing bureaucratic "red tape," and making it easier for local businesses to hire and expand.

- Supports lowering taxes, reducing bureaucratic "red tape," and making it easier for local businesses to hire and expand.

As of December 5, 2025, Christian Velasquez’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and hands-on learning.

- Supports STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and hands-on learning.

Believes energy decisions should be made locally and one-size-fits-all solutions don't work.

Wants to protect Michigan's energy independence.

- Believes energy decisions should be made locally and one-size-fits-all solutions don't work.
- Wants to protect Michigan's energy independence.

Instagram

Christian Velasquez

Chris’s roots are humble — he grew up on a farm in Kansas, working his way through an engineering degree at Kansas State (Go Wildcats!) with a series of “dirty jobs” that taught him the value of hard work and the importance of blue-collar trades.

Chris and his wife, Jenée, have been married for 36 years. She serves as Executive Director of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, and their daughter Isabel, a Clemson University graduate and former rowing team captain, shares their commitment to faith, hard work, and service to others.

Christian is a business consultant at PointsNorth Consulting, where he helps Michigan employers grow and adapt to changing economic conditions. He previously worked at Dow Corning, where he held roles across the organization, including positions on the factory floor, in research labs, finance, supply chain, and global business leadership. After leaving Dow Corning, he built two small businesses, each with around 100 employees, which he later sold to American companies.

As of December 5, 2025, Christian Velasquez did not have a website or any information online.

Jason Tunney was born and raised in Saginaw. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. He and his wife, Pamela, have three sons. They are members of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Saginaw.

Jason is an attorney at Tunney Law, PLLC.

Jason Tunney - Ballotpedia

Jason's campaign for Michigan State Senator, District 35 is his first run for public office.

Supports cutting taxes and reducing government spending.

Supports returning Michigan to a Right-to-Work State and ensuring fair union election processes.

Supports returning Michigan to a Right-to-Work State, which prohibits requiring workers to join a union in order to work, and "ensuring fair union election processes."

Believes lower taxes will attract businesses, create jobs, and retain families in Michigan.

Supports reducing the income tax rate from 4.25% to 4%.

- Supports cutting taxes and reducing government spending.
- Supports returning Michigan to a Right-to-Work State, which prohibits requiring workers to join a union in order to work, and "ensuring fair union election processes."
- Believes lower taxes will attract businesses, create jobs, and retain families in Michigan.
- Supports reducing the income tax rate from 4.25% to 4%.

Supports law enforcement and community safety initiatives.

Advocates for policies "law enforcement and community safety initiatives."

- Advocates for policies "law enforcement and community safety initiatives."

As of December 5, 2025, Jason Tunney’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports expanding School of Choice options, which allow parents to choose schools beyond their local options.

Supports expanding School of Choice options, which allow parents to choose schools beyond their local options using public money.

- Supports expanding School of Choice options, which allow parents to choose schools beyond their local options using public money.

Supports the construction of the Line 5 Tunnel and opposes litigation that delays the project.

- Supports the construction of the Line 5 Tunnel and opposes litigation that delays the project.

Opposes closing coal, nuclear, and natural gas facilities.

Supports repealing Michigan's energy mandate laws.

- Opposes closing coal, nuclear, and natural gas facilities.
- Supports repealing Michigan's energy mandate laws.

Opposes joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Opposes joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and supports the electoral voting system. 

Supports limiting the governor's emergency powers.

- Opposes joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and supports the electoral voting system. 
- Supports limiting the governor's emergency powers.

Jason Tunney

Jason was born and raised in Saginaw. He attended Saginaw's Heritage High School where he played varsity football and was a member of the debate team. He graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1994, followed by a law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1997. He and his wife Pamela were married in Saginaw in 2001, and together they have three sons. Jason and his wife Pamela are members of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Saginaw.

Jason's campaign for Michigan State Senator, District 35 is his first entry into politics. 

As of December 5, 2025, Jason Tunney did not have a website or any information online.

Supports reducing Michigan's income tax rate to compete with neighboring states like Indiana.

Supports right-to-work laws, which allow employees to work for unionized companies without having to join the union.

Supports lowering taxes to attract businesses, create jobs, and retain families in Michigan.

Supports policies that back law enforcement and aim to improve community safety.

Supports expanding School of Choice options, which allows qualifying families to use public money for alternative schooling options, including private schools.

Supports the construction of the Line 5 Tunnel.

- Your state representative represents the interests of your district in the Michigan State Senate.
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process.
- The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up your state's lawmaking body: the Michigan Legislature.
- There are 38 Michigan senators, each representing a single district.
- State Senators are elected to four-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $71,685 and a yearly per diem of $10,800.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Michigan State Senate.

Michigan State Senator, District 35, Republican Primary

Election results

Candidates (4)

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