Hertel and Barrett headline another hard-fought MI-7 showdown

By KYLE MELINN

Like it or not, the Lansing region is once again the home of one of the most competitive and expensive congressional elections in the country.

It explains all the TV commercials.

Tom Barrett in a helicopter. Tom Barrett is 100 percent pro-life and reportedly promises to put abortion seekers in prison.

Curtis Hertel Jr. chats around with people. “Liberal lobbyist” Curtis Hertel is said to have negotiated a secret deal in Lansing that gave him a “six-figure contract.”

If you haven't seen them yet, you will.

According to AdImpact, as of September 20, more than $30 million had been spent or set aside on political advertising for the 7th Congressional District race. It would have been more if Hertel or Barrett had primary challenges. The number is nearly double that of any other congressional race in Michigan.

It is an expensive race, also because the polls show that it will be close.

Barrett, the Republican, was running in 2022, so his name started high. Initial internal surveys showed that it was up to 8 percentage points.

However, in recent weeks, Hertel, the Democrat, has used paid ads to clamp down on Barrett's pro-life/no exceptions position on abortion, throwing the race into a tailspin. (Proposition 3, which added abortion rights to the state constitution, was approved by 16 points in MI-7 in 2022.)

“Tom wanted to start this race at the front. His name should be better known than Curtis’,” said Adrian Hemond, CEO of Grassroots Midwest.

When Hertel's camp brought up abortion, Hemond wasn't surprised. “He’s a Democrat, so he has to do it. It makes sense. The topic is well supported in his district.”

The 7th Congress is also expensive because it spans two media markets.

About 70% of MI-7 members receive Lansing television stations. The other 30% live in the parts of Livingston County where expensive Detroit TV is available, where rates are five times higher.

A third candidate is also on the ballot. Libertarian Leah Rachel Dailey, 42, of South Lyon, serves on at least one city commission and recently received the Defender of Freedom award from the Libertarian Party of Michigan. In the last election, the Libertarian candidate consistently received just under 2% of the vote.

Barrett and Hertel's campaigns know the costs, but both are confident they will win.

Barrett, 43, of Charlotte, sees the numbers to his advantage. While he lost to U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin 51% to 46%, he and his allies were outnumbered 4-1. Additionally, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won re-election in the district in 2022 by 10 points.

Even if Donald Trump doesn't win in MI-7 — consisting of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston and Shiawassee counties — most expect him to stay close and help Republicans get out the vote.

Barrett also has a positive-sounding resume. Prior to his eight-year stint in the state legislature, the U.S. Army veteran served 22 years in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Kuwait and the Korean DMZ and flew state-of-the-art helicopters, hence the helicopters on his campaign signs.

Barrett also likes his chances against his opponent.

Unlike Slotkin in 2022, Barrett's opponent is not a former CIA analyst and former Defense Department official under two former presidents.

Hertel, 46, of East Lansing, was Whitmer's legislative liaison after serving two terms in the state Senate. He served on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners from 2001 to 2008 and then managed the county's registry of deeds.

His wife is director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, his late father was speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, his brother is a state senator and his uncle was a public servant in Congress, among other relatives.

At another time, this lineage would be positive. In the face of widespread voter skepticism, Hertel leads the way with the title “Relentless Advocate for Mid-Michigan.” His first introductory television commercial never mentions that he even served in the state Senate.

One card he is playing is his desire to work across the aisle, something he has done well in the state Senate, as has Slotkin, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

“Progress comes from finding the spaces between people. “The residents of MI-7 want sensible people in office,” Hertel said, bringing up his work to cut taxes, lower prescription drug costs and bring manufacturing jobs back to Michigan.

“People are tired of talking loudly and doing little. Washington could learn a thing or two from Michigan, and I’m running for Congress to build on the bipartisan progress we’ve made in our state.”

Barrett's record in the legislature is undoubtedly conservative. In 2021, he had the Senate's most conservative voting record, according to MIRS News. He was No. 2 in 2022. He was against mandatory vaccinations before COVID existed. He is demonstrably considered a life partner without exception.

However, Barrett renounces his tough pro-life stance. In his view, the US Supreme Court has left the matter to the states to decide. Michigan voters added abortion to their constitution. Passing a nationwide abortion ban with a divided Congress is not realistic. Why talk about it?

Rather, he refers to the working class, talking about the security of the southern borders, the $34 trillion national debt and opposition to taxpayer money going to companies headquartered in China, which he says is sending spy balloons over the country.

“I am putting everything I have into winning this race and representing my community and this district,” Barrett said.

Both candidates see themselves on the path to victory. They will meet for a debate on WLNS on Wednesday (October 2) with senior Capitol correspondent Tim Skubick.

According to Hemond, it depends on who is voting.

“The question is, 'Are whites outside of Lansing, East Lansing and Delta Township going to vote?' If they do it in large numbers, Curtis is in trouble,” Hemond said.

“Curtis needs women to vote, the younger the better and the more pro-choice the better.

“Tom is to the right of the mainstream in this district, but if these Trump voters show up outside of these cities of Lansing and East Lansing, he could have a good night.”

– KYLE MELINN