Elissa Slotkin Takes the Lead in Michigan’s Nail-Biting U.S. Senate Race, Narrowly Edging Out Mike Rogers

Democrat Elissa Slotkin surged ahead overnight in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, closing the gap and pulling ahead of Republican Mike Rogers by a narrow margin. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, with 98% of votes counted, Slotkin holds 48.6% of the vote to Rogers’ 48.4%, a lead of just over 12,000 votes. The race, hard-fought and deeply divided, has been one of the most intense and closely watched contests in the country. Earlier in the morning, Rogers had a lead with 51% to Slotkin’s 46%, but with final ballots trickling in, Slotkin erased that deficit. Green Party candidate Douglas Marsh took 0.9% of the vote, while Libertarian Joseph Solis-Mullen captured around 1%. Both Slotkin and Rogers bring national security credentials, making this a high-stakes race for the seat vacated by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Slotkin addressed supporters early Wednesday at MotorCity Casino in Detroit, emphasizing the hard work yet to come. “We always knew that this was going to be a tight race, and that is exactly what we are seeing unfold in front of us,” Slotkin told a crowd energized but aware of the night’s challenges. She added, “I’ve had three tough elections, and we’ll be here till the wee...