“Thank you, we did it.”
That was U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens’ (D-Waterford Township), 39, message to her supporters Tuesday night as she declared victory in her Democratic primary matchup against U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Township), 61, in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, a race that garnered national attention.
With all precincts reporting, Stevens received 60% of the vote with 70,478 total votes while Levin had received 40% of the vote with 47,117 total votes in the rare incumbent-vs.-incumbent primary.
The Associated Press called the race in Stevens’ favor at 10:47 p.m.
BREAKING: Haley Stevens wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Michigan's 11th Congressional District. #APRaceCall at 10:46 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/2nlgpji7ac
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) August 3, 2022
Stevens delivered a victory speech around 9 p.m. alongside supporters at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham while Levin and his supporters watched the results role in from The Crofoot in Pontiac.
Stevens thanked her longtime supporters for putting their trust in her and choosing her to continue to be their voice in Washington.
“My friends, it’s not a mystery why we beat the odds,” she said. “We stayed in Congress because we listened. I listened. I heard your stories and I learned who you are. Let’s continue to do the work of the people, for Oakland County. Let’s show this country how we do it. Let’s continue to lead on education and say let’s continue to make a difference.
“I’m a Democrat and it’s really simple who we are,” Stevens added. “We are the party of the people. My friends, November 8 is approaching and the Democratic message is on the ballot. Democrats are going to hold the House. Democrats are delivering for this country. I’m proud of all your hard work. Join me in getting out the vote this November, especially for Democratic women.”
Stevens received the majority of votes in nearly all of the district’s 211 voting precincts including in Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Oak Park, Pontiac, and Waterford. Levin received the majority of his votes in Berkley, Hazel Park, Ferndale, and Royal Oak.
Of the 5,252 total votes cast in the City of Pontiac, where both campaigned heavily, Stevens received 3,484 votes or 66.3% of the total. She also received nearly 52% of the votes cast in Bloomfield Township, where Levin resides.
Levin conceded by phone shortly before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and congratulated Stevens for running a “strong campaign,” saying she won “what looked like a solid victory” and urging his supporters to back her in the November general election. He objected when someone in the crowd booed.
“I will support her and work with her and others to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in Oakland County and across Michigan and the United States on November 8,” he said. “I’m so proud of the campaign we have run, which truly has been people-powered. Words cannot express how grateful I am to everyone who worked so hard for the last several months.”
After the state’s congressional districts were redrawn and finalized last year, Stevens and Levin both decided to run in the new 11th district, which is located within Oakland County and where both call home. Stevens currently represents the 11th district while Levin represents the 9th district.
Stevens will face off against Republican Mark Ambrose, of Bloomfield Township, in the November general election as she seeks her third, two-year term in office.
Ambrose had received 70% of the vote with 42,275 total votes while Matthew DenOtter of Highland had received 29% of the vote with 17,701 total votes. Ambrose received the majority of votes in 297 of the 299 voting precincts.
The new 11th district with over 775,000 residents is more diverse by class, race and political affiliation than the current 11th district. If re-elected, Stevens will be serving hundreds of thousands of constituents for the first time, including in Farmington Hills, Hazel Park, Oak Park, Pontiac, Royal Oak, and West Bloomfield, among other communities.
According to data collected by The Washington Post, the new 11th district is where President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by 20 percentage points compared to 5 percentage points in the old 11th, showing just how the redrawn district leans even more toward Democrats.
Stevens faced heavy criticism from Levin and others for accepting millions in campaign contributions from The United Democracy Project, with ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a political organization that advocates for pro-Israel policies.
AIPAC has endorsed and funded dozens of congressional Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but has also endorsed and funded many other Michigan Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing) in the 7th district, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey who ran the 12th district, and State Rep. Adam Hollier who ran in the 13th district.
Stevens has said that she is proud of her “unequivocal” support of Israel and proud of her AIPAC support, which she said is based on her belief in a strong U.S.- Israel relationship.
After conceding, Levin said that he will continue to “speak out against the corrosive influence of dark money on our democracy.”
“I am humbled by neighbors throughout Oakland County and friends new and old across the country who stepped up to help me fight back until the very last minute,” he said.
Congratulations to Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who ran a strong campaign and will be the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s new 11th District.
— Andy Levin (@Andy_Levin) August 3, 2022
Levin’s loss means the next term in Congress will be the first without a member of the Levin family of Michigan serving since 1979, when his late uncle Carl Levin was sworn into the Senate. Levin succeeded his father, Rep. Sander Levin, who retired in 2015.
“I’m going to continue to honor my colleague and his family and the legacy that they come from,” said Stevens. “And I’m also going to continue to stand up for everyday working people of Oakland County, who require a congresswoman wants to do good things for them.”
