Democrats add Hertel to program that bolsters top recruits for Congress

Washington — The U.S. House Democrats' campaign arm is adding a mid-Michigan candidate to its battlefield program for top 2024 recruits.

The "Red to Blue" designation for former state Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reinforces that the vulnerable open seat ― currently held by Democratic Senate candidate and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin ― is a priority for Democrats to hold and that they're prepared to spend to defend it.

Candidates generally have to earn a spot on the DCCC's Red to Blue list by meeting benchmarks in areas like fundraising and campaign infrastructure. Inclusion in the program gives candidates access to fundraising, organizational and staffing help from the DCCC.

"Congress needs more people who put politics aside to find common-sense solutions. That is exactly what Curtis Hertel brings to the table," DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington said in a statement, calling Hertel a bipartisan "dealmaker."

"The DCCC is confident Curtis will draw a clear contrast against Tom Barrett, a self-serving extremist, and we will hold this seat as Democrats march to the majority next November."

Barrett, an Iraq veteran and former state senator from Charlotte, is expected to be Hertel's opponent in November. Barrett previously ran in the toss-up 7th District in 2022, losing to Slotkin by 5 percentage points in what was one of the most expensive U.S. House races nationwide.

"National Democrats failed to recruit a top-tier candidate so they settled on an underwhelming career politician with ethical baggage who will go out of his way to funnel money for himself from the hardworking taxpayers of Michigan," said Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said of Hertel.

More:Hertel, Barrett enter U.S. House race for mid-Michigan swing seat

The 7th District covers Ingham, Livingston, Clinton and Shiawassee counties along with parts of Eaton, Oakland and Genesee counties.

Based on the 2020 election results, President Joe Biden would have won the new 7th District by less than a percentage point. Former President Donald Trump would have won it by 1 point in 2016. The district took on new boundaries in the 2022 election.

The contest for the open seat in the 7th District could again prove to be costly. The Slotkin-Barrett contest was among the most expensive in the country in 2022, with the ad-tracking firm AdImpact finding the $36.6 million spent in advertising on the race was the most spent on any U.S. House race in the country that year.

Barrett that year was greatly outspent by Slotkin, though he's said he's not expecting the same funding differential from Hertel that he faced in Slotkin, an incumbent who flipped a GOP-held seat in 2018.

Hertel's campaign has said he raised over $550,000 during the last quarter and ended the year with over $1 million in cash reserves. Barrett hasn't reported his receipts for the quarter yet, with reports due to the Federal Election Commission by Thursday.

Barrett previously was part of the NRCC's program for top recruits. This year's class hasn't yet been rolled out, but NRCC Chair Richard Hudson of North Carolina has called Michigan's 7th District the committee's top open seat target nationally.

More:House Republicans to target 3 Michigan swing districts

"I feel good. You're aware of our fundraising numbers ― I feel good about those but, more importantly, we've been in every fair, festival, farmers market and parade in the district. We've been every corner," Hertel said in an interview.

"We're having great conversations with people about bringing jobs back home to America and to this district and protecting our freedoms. I think there are a lot of really important conversations happening and I'm excited about it."

In addition to visiting festivals and chambers of commerce, Hertel said the campaign is organizing house parties, where the host invites not just "like-minded" voters but folks who aren't necessarily political but want to have conversations about the country.

"I think those are really been some of the most constructive moments of this campaign ― the idea that people want someone that's going to look them in the eye, shake their hand and tell them what they think about," Hertel said.

Asked if he's worried about possible drag from the top of the ticket as Biden struggles with poor job-approval ratings in Michigan, Hertel brushed off the concern. A statewide Detroit News/WDIV (Channel 4) poll of likely Michigan general election voters this month found only 17% said Biden deserves another term leading the country.

"No offense to your pollster, but I think that polling has become incredibly hard in America, and I don't really concentrate on that stuff right now," Hertel told The News.

"My concentration is running on my own race, and focusing on on a message of working with both sides to get things done for people."

mburke@detroitnews.com