Bernadette Smith (Michigan)
Bernadette Smith (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Michigan. She declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on August 4, 2026.[source]
Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2026
See also: United States Senate election in Michigan, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on August 4, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for U.S. Senate Michigan
TJ Stephens (Unaffiliated), Lydia Christensen (Independent), and Craig Henley Johnson (Independent) are running in the general election for U.S. Senate Michigan on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | TJ Stephens (Unaffiliated)  | |
 | Lydia Christensen (Independent) | |
| Craig Henley Johnson (Independent) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Michigan
Abdul El-Sayed (D), Rachel Howard (D), Mallory McMorrow (D), Haley Stevens (D), and Travis Zollner (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Michigan on August 4, 2026.
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Gary Peters (D)
- Joseph Tate (D)
Republican primary
Republican primary for U.S. Senate Michigan
The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Michigan on August 4, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Kent Benham | ||
 | Frederick Heurtebise | |
 | Andrew Kamal | |
 | Mike Rogers | |
 | Genevieve Peters Scott | |
 | Bernadette Smith | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bernadette Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Smith's responses.
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- Accountability: I am running for U.S. Senate to restore accountability and integrity in government. Michigan families deserve principled leadership. I will work to ensure every federal agency, every budget, and every program serves the people. We must demand transparency in our spending, strengthen election integrity, and enforce real oversight in every federal agency. I will continue to prioritize all of humanity so we can rebuild trust and deliver results that strengthen families, communities and our future. My promise is simple: honest leadership, responsible stewardship, and a government that accountable to the people they serve.
- Balance: I will restore balance by bringing government back under the Constitution, making sure every tax dollar is spent responsibly, and protecting the freedoms that keep our families safe and strong. I will work to reduce the burdens placed on families and business owners and ensure Michigan’s values are represented in Washington. When we restore balance, we will rebuild trust, strengthen our economy, and create opportunities for every family. Michigan deserves a voice of reason in Washington. A voice that will support policies that protect parental rights and help small businesses thrive. Together we can bring common sense back to Washington.
- Constitution: The Constitution is the final safeguard of our freedom, and it must be upheld with conviction. I will stand against federal overreach, defend free speech and religious liberty, uphold the right to life and protect every law-abiding citizen’s right to defend their family. Our nation is strongest when we honor the principles set in motion by our founding fathers. I will champion policies rooted in constitutional authority, restore accountability to government, and restore balance to the federal government’s proper role.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
