Will Lawrence, a co-founder of the youth climate group Sunrise Movement, is projected to win Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in one of the most closely watched House races of the 2026 midterms.
Lawrence, a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America, received endorsements from progressive lawmakers including Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. During the final stretch of the campaign, though, he tried to put some distance between himself and the socialist label, taking a more moderate tone.
His apparent win comes as Democrats are widely expected to perform well across the country. Polls in the weeks before the Nov. 3 election suggested the party had a strong chance of retaking the House after four years of Republican control.
Barrett was seeking a second term and had been viewed as a major Democratic target. Before entering politics, he served in the U.S. Army for about 20 years, including deployments to Kuwait and Iraq.
The district, centered on Lansing, was considered a toss-up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Lawrence was among a broader group of candidates with ties to democratic socialism who scored primary upsets. He won the Democratic nomination over former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam.
Lawrence was arrested and charged with a felony after a 2013 protest against a proposed fossil-fuel pipeline between Wisconsin and Ontario. He and other activists chained themselves to construction equipment during the demonstration.
