Michigan › Genesee County › Michigan Senate District 26
2 candidates are tracked for Michigan Senate District 26 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Brendan J. Johnson and Matthew Bierlein. Candidate information follows official Genesee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Incumbent Senator Kevin Daley (R) did not appear on the August 4, 2026 primary ballot for this seat. Brendan J. Johnson won the Democratic nomination with 56.98 percent over Martin L. Cousineau, and Matthew Bierlein won the Republican nomination with 42.99 percent over four other Republicans, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results (election 706).
Brendan J. Johnson grew up on his family's dairy farm in Fostoria and holds an associate degree in computer programming from Delta College, per his campaign site. He is running a grassroots campaign for the 26th Senate District with no paid staff or corporate PAC money, per his campaign site.
2026 priorities
- Helping constituents navigate state government and improving constituent services, per the campaign site
- Lowering car insurance and health care costs and protecting the Healthy Michigan Plan, per the campaign site
- Investing in roads and infrastructure, per the campaign site
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-04.
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Matthew Bierlein is a Michigan state representative for the 97th District who co-owns Renue Physical Therapy clinics with his wife, per his campaign site. He previously served as a Tuscola County Commissioner from 2013 to 2019 and holds a bachelor's degree in organizational management from Spring Arbor University, per his campaign site. Matthew Bierlein appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 26, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.
2026 priorities
- A 'Taxpayer Receipt Act' providing annual reports on tax allocation, per the campaign site
- A state-level Work Opportunity Tax Credit and reduced regulatory burdens, per the campaign site
- Regulating AI in campaigns, including deepfake legislation, per the campaign site
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-04.
Campaign site →
