Ex-state Rep. Love joins U.S. Senate race in Michigan

Two more candidates declared campaigns for the open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan on Monday, including former state Rep. Leslie Love, a Detroit Democrat, and Republican businessman Michael Hoover.

Love, 51, is the fourth to join the growing Democratic primary field including the early frontrunner for the party's nomination, three-term U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Lansing, as well as Dearborn businessman Nasser Beydoun and attorney Zack Burns of Ann Arbor.

The actor Hill Harper and Michigan State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh of Saginaw have also signaled they plan to get into the race.

“This election is about more than who raises the most money. This campaign is about giving people a choice. It’s about representation. Michiganders deserve a proven progressive leader with a track record of delivering results," Love said in a statement.

"We want to demonstrate to people that government can work when we elect a leader from the people, by the people, who puts the people first.”

Love represented the 10th House District from 2015 until 2020 and is now assistant deputy director for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Metro-Region. In 2021, she became the first African American to serve on the state Natural Resources Commission, appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Last week, Love quit her post on the commission to run for the Senate.

Love's campaign said her work in the state House included ending "driver responsibility fees," which the state imposed on drivers who committed multiple infractions; boosting funding for voter access; and passing a bill aimed at increasing opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.

Prior to running for the state House, she was an adjunct professor and director of theatre operations for 13 years at Marygrove College and an adjunct instructor for Wayne County Community College District, according to her campaign.

Love in her launch announcement suggested her campaign will focus in part on providing for those who live and work in nursing homes, saying she was inspired to run by her mother, who requires long-term skilled nursing care.

“My mother’s dignity is important,” Love said in a statement. “We’ll keep MAGA Republicans from slashing Social Security and Medicare, and we will work to make a system that respects being able to afford to grow old."

Michael Hoover, a first-time candidate from Laingsburg, is an entrepreneur who had a career at Dow Chemical Co. and has operated multiple businesses in Michigan. The Republican said in a statement he will represent the principles and values of his party while also pursuing voters not affiliated with a political party and working across the aisle.

Hoover's campaign said he will prioritize job creation, economic growth, energy security and reducing inflation and the country's dependence on China.

“I am honored to be running as the Republican candidate for Senate and am confident that my experience and commitment to the hard-working people of Michigan make me the clear choice for this important role,” Hoover said in a statement.

“I am dedicated to working endlessly to address the needs and concerns of all Michiganders and am excited to connect with voters across the state in the coming months to share my vision for a brighter and better future.”

State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder of Dexter has also filed for the GOP primary for Senate. Other Republicans, including Milford native John Tuttle, vice chair of the New York Stock Exchange; former Detroit Police Chief James Craig; former gubernatorial candidate Kevin Rinke; and former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids Township, also are considering bids for the Senate seat.

The contest for retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow's seat could be key in deciding which party controls the chamber in 2025. Democrats hold a 51-49 edge now.

mburke@detroitnews.com