It’s a two-person race in MI-7 … for second place
Matt Maasdam’s congressional campaign boldly issued a State of the Race memo this weekend that the Democratic 7th Congressional primary is down to two: Himself and …
Bridget Brink, the former U.S ambassador to Ukraine who has devoured Maasdam’s attention for more than a year?
No. Will Lawrence.
For seemingly the first time in this year-long quest to be the Democrats’ nominee against U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, one of the two D.C. put-ups in this race has quit obsessing about the other. Their biggest threat isn’t who they thought.
Incredibly, it’s the lightly funded local yokel, who – right under their noses – has built the most impressive grassroots operations that a Lansing-based congressional effort has built in the 30 years I can speak to.
Team Maasdam is claiming Brink’s support is slipping. It’s time for Democrats to unite behind the U.S. Navy SEAL. The not-so-subtle undertone here is Brink needs to drop out a la Mallory McMorrow. Make it a one-on-one battle with Lawrence.
If 7th Congressional Democrats don’t, they risk losing their opportunity to snatch the seat from freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett.
Lawrence, apparently, has a pile of negatives Barrett’s going to use to beat Lawrence over the head with, according to the memo. Republicans are going to frame Lawrence as a wild, wide-eyed socialist! Some out-of-touch crackpot! Democrats can’t have that!
The Maasdam team has woken up. The alarm clock is blaring. It’s 7 a.m. The meeting started at 6:45 a.m.
Maybe if their Ann Arbor guy had dropped into Lansing a little more, he’d have seen the true State of the Race.
My read of the race: Lawrence is winning the Aug. 4 primary. And it’s not because he’s got a resume straight out of central casting. It’s not because he’s personally wealthy or had financial commitments from the Democratic Party’s high rollers. He’s not blanketing the airwaves with professional-looking TV spots.
Lawrence isn’t appealing to the sensibilities of a populace hard-wired into politics. He’s not speaking to the MSU grad student or GM line worker who looks in the mirror in the morning asking, “Who gives Democrats the best chance to defeat Tom Barrett?”
No. This regular ol’ bearded East Lansing graduate, who looks like my nephew, has touched the hearts of Lansingites in a way money can’t buy and reached places where TV commercials can’t penetrate. This local organizer is using his local connections, incredible work ethic and his own ears to build a movement that wasn’t in the D.C. consultants’ script.
It’s because this simply doesn’t happen.
Their strategy has been: Present as a sensible person who cares. Raise as much money as humanly possible. Snag as many endorsements from local officials, unions and influential people as possible. Tarnish the other person’s resume. Show momentum. Charm folks at a few community meetings.
Presto! That’s how Elissa Slotkin won. Look at her now.
Voters didn’t hold her light connection to the congressional district against her in 2018.
They just knew they didn’t want a Donald Trump apologist representing them in Congress. Slotkin presented as the perfect alternative. That worked then.
Smarter-than-us consultants running an off-the-shelf D.C. race didn’t work for Curtis Hertel in 2024 either because they didn’t have their finger on the pulse of the district. What worked eight years ago in this district isn’t what voters are looking for today.
You don’t need to see the Lawrence signs peppered around town, the latest Kalshi market prediction or the positive social media postings to feel it.
Lawrence has built a home-spun, underdog race Hollywood makes movies about. He’s connecting with regular, scared, cash-strapped people because he is one.
Health care costs are through the roof. Groceries are expensive. Good, affordable housing is scarce.
“Some big-tech corporation wants to build a loud, toxic data center in my community? That’ll jack up my electric bill, won’t it? That’s all I need.”
“Who’s that guy who keeps showing up to stuff? The guy who held a food drive outside of Barrett’s office in November? Shook my hand at Silver Bells? Had some guy knock on my door the other week?”
Yup. That was Will Lawrence. It’s the candidate Democrats should no longer fear. It’s the candidate that Tom Barrett and Republicans should fear.
Before it’s too late for them, too.
