Sunrise Movement co-founder William Lawrence will win the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, in another victory for the party’s rising progressive wing.
Despite party leaders’ concerns that Lawrence, a democratic socialist, could endanger the must-win seat held by swing-district Republican Rep. Tom Barrett, he surged in the final stretch of the primary. Lawrence, who helped start a youth-led climate activist group in 2017, has the backing of independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and the Working Families Party.
Lawrence focused his platform on issues including making housing more affordable, Medicare for All and protecting Social Security.
But his campaign came under fire from members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, after the Huffington Post published 2024 remarks in which he said Black political leaders “defang the White left.”
In an interview with CNN last month, Lawrence apologized for the comments, saying that he “spoke poorly.”
Lawrence defeated two more party establishment-friendly candidates, former US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and Navy SEAL veteran Matt Maasdam.
The Lansing-anchored seat, which Barrett flipped in 2024 after Democrat Elissa Slotkin vacated the seat to run for Senate, will be key for Democrats to win if they want to take back control of the House.