LANSING, Mich. — Democrat William Lawrence, a Lansing community organizer, flipped Michigan’s 7th Congressional District on Nov. 3, and Republican Rep. Tom Barrett conceded after the unofficial tally was complete.
With every precinct counted by midday Wednesday, the Michigan Secretary of State’s unofficial returns showed Lawrence ahead 202,657 to 189,482 across the seven-county district. Lawrence is 36.
Lawrence gathered supporters beside his Michigan Avenue headquarters in Lansing on Wednesday and said the district flip came without corporate PAC money. He credited more than 1,000 volunteers with a door-knocking push he put at about 250,000 doors before Election Day.
Barrett said in a Nov. 4 post that he called Lawrence after 2 a.m. to concede and congratulate him. He said he was disappointed but proud of his staff and of running closer than other competitive districts in a rough year for Republicans.
Lawrence said Barrett was gracious on that call and thanked him for military and congressional service. He listed town halls, a pause on new data centers, and cutting overseas war spending among early priorities.
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