A Guide to Southeast Michigan’s Open State House Races: Macomb and Oakland Counties

With the 2026 election cycle underway and candidates positioning themselves for key legislative roles, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Public Policy and Business Advocacy team presents an overview of candidates running for the open Michigan House seats in Southeast Michigan. These open seats, reshaped by redistricting and term limits, will determine the direction of the state’s policymaking over the next two years.

The following overview is the second part of our State House Candidates Series. To read about the open House seats in Wayne County, click here.

The Chamber’s overview of the open State Senate Seats in the Detroit Region can be read here and here.

The Chamber Political Action Committee (PAC) has not yet issued endorsements in these races. It will evaluate all candidates closer to election day to determine who best aligns with the region’s economic priorities. All partisan leans are determined by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Note: If a campaign website is available, a link is provided to learn more about each candidate.

Communities include parts of Royal Oak, Berkley, Birmingham, and Huntington Woods, and feature a 63.7% Democratic base. The current representative, Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley), is running for an open state Senate seat. 

Filed Candidates:  

• Charlie Gandy-Thompson (D): Chief operating officer and owner of TEAM X GEN5, a consulting firm focused on engineering leadership. 

• David Lauer (D): Director of donor relations for Youth Impact Program in Ann Arbor and owner of Lauer Paints.  

• Melanie Macey (D): Policy and government affairs coordinator for Promote the Vote and a previous candidate. 

• Mike Steger (R): Co-founder of Promethean Action and previously ran a political intelligence and outreach company. 

Covering parts of Macomb and Wayne County, including the City of Warren and Eastpointe, this district has an 87.5% Democratic base. This district is currently represented by Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit), who is challenging U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar for his 13th District House seat. 

Filed Candidates:  

• Cranstana Brown Anderson (D): Chief executive officer at Seehope Real Estate Investments and a previous candidate for Detroit City Council. 

• Kimberly Fisher (D): Chief executive officer for Cultivate Detroit and an executive community liaison for the city of Detroit.  

• Michael Howard (D): Currently a Macomb County Commissioner, elected in 2024. 

• Eddie Kabacinski (R): Former Warren city councilmember and Military Housing Commission board member while serving in the U.S. Army.  

• Matthew Stafford (R): Chief executive officer and founder of RumBai Apparel and RumBai Home Innovations. 

• Dale Walker (R): A longtime employee of the city of Warren, before retiring, he served as superintendent of the Department of Public Works. 

Located within Oakland County, covering Southfield, the City of Farmington Hills, Farmington, and Lathrup Village, this district holds a 79.5% Democrat base. Current Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield) is leaving his seat to run for the state Senate.   

Filed Candidates:  

• Ryan Foster (R): Previous candidate and former police officer for the city of Detroit and the Michigan Department of Corrections. 

• Kelly Garrett (D): the current mayor of Lathrup Village and former mayor pro tempore. Previous director of government relations for Baker College. 

• Ronald Ulmer-Paul (R): A Farmington Hills Republican, has worked with El Rodeo Limousine & Charter Services.  

This district, encompassing parts of the City of Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Oakland Township, and Orion Township, features a 53.7% Republican base. With such close margins in previous elections, this seat will be a competitive race to watch come November. The incumbent, Rep. Donnie Steele (R-Orion), is leaving her House seat to run for the state Senate.  

Filed Candidates:  

• Roman Gaskey (R): A business intelligence analyst for an AI startup company. 

• Jeffrey Omtvedt (R): A former elected Oxford Township trustee, current Chief Executive Officer of Detroit Taco Company. 

• Sarah Pounds (D): Has spent her career in construction litigation and community development, currently serves on several Oakland County boards, and is a chair for a nonprofit, YIMBY Oakland County.  

Covering parts of Macomb County, including Macomb Township and Shelby Township, this district holds a 62.3% Republican base. The current representative, Rep. Doug Wozniak (R-Shelby Township), is running for the state Senate.  

Filed Candidates:  

• Sylvia Grot (R): Current Macomb County Commissioner and former precinct delegate for the Macomb County Republican Party. 

• Matt Grub (R): An Orchard Lake village police officer. 

• Jason Robbins (D): Executive producer for Live Productions.  

• Jean Zott (R): Previous candidate and retired from working as a Certified Personal Accountant and as a corporate controller for Joe Randazzo’s Fruit & Vegetable, Inc., Michigan’s largest retail produce company. 

Looking Ahead

With new district boundaries, an influx of first-time candidates, and shifting partisan landscapes, these Southeast Michigan races will shape the balance of power in Lansing. Ensuring the state remains a premier destination for business investment requires an active and engaged electorate. The Detroit Regional Chamber will continue to engage with all candidates and elected officials to clearly represent the interests of the state’s employers.