LANSING, Michigan (AP) — Hill Harper, an actor best known for his roles in “CSI: NY” and “The Good Doctor,” announced Monday that he is running for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat and is challenging Rep. American Elissa Slotkin for the Democratic nomination.
Harper is the sixth Democratic candidate to enter the race for incumbent Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow’s seat. Stabenow announced in January that she would not seek a fifth term in 2024 in the battleground state.
Born in Iowa, Harper owns a home in Detroit and bought a cafe, Roasting Plant Coffee, in the city in 2017. He attended Brown University and Harvard Law School before becoming an actor. He starred on the CBS show “CSI: NY” for nine seasons and currently appears on ABC’s “The Good Doctor.”
Harper was named to President Barack Obama’s cancer panel in 2012 as a survivor of the disease himself.
In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of his announcement, Harper described himself as a small business owner, union member and activist. He said not being a “career politician” would be an advantage in Congress and that he planned to run a campaign “driven by the people, for the people.”
“It’s not about partying. These are people who feel represented,” Harper said. “And being an independent voice in the US Senate is something that I believe Michiganders want right now.”
Harper faces a tough test to catch Slotkin in both fundraising and campaigning. Slotkin has raised $5.8 million in just over four months, according to his campaign, and $3.6 million remains unused. She was endorsed by fellow U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat who represents parts of suburban Detroit.
Many prominent Democratic candidates who were planning to run for the Senate opposed before Slotkin’s announcement in February, apparently paving the way for the third-term representative who rose to prominence by regularly winning one of the seats in the most competitive Chamber in the country.
But the field of Democratic candidates has widened in recent months. State Board of Education member Pamela Pugh, former Detroit state Rep. Leslie Love, businessman Nasser Beydoun and attorney Zack Burns have all announced campaigns.
Michigan remains a must-win state for Democrats if they hope to retain control of the Senate, with tough races expected in Ohio, West Virginia, Montana, Nevada and Pennsylvania. In 2020, Republican John James, now a U.S. Representative, narrowly lost to incumbent Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
While two GOP candidates have announced, including state Board of Education member Nikki Snyder, Republicans have yet to find a top contender to contest the seat. Several potential candidates, including former U.S. Representative Peter Meijer, are considering offers.
Republicans have won just one of Michigan’s last 15 Senate races, winning an open seat in 1994.
Also on Monday, former state senator Curtis Hertel Jr., a Democrat, will announce his candidacy for Slotkin’s seat in the 7th congressional district, one of the most competitive districts in the nation. Former state senator Tom Barrett, a Republican, launched his second race for the seat on Sunday.