Tuesday’s midterm elections by the numbers

Last Tuesday’s midterm elections had no shortage of headlines. Nationally, Democrats flipped both chambers of Congress, taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term. 

Here in Michigan, the trends were no different. Democrats won the governor’s office, a U.S. Senate seat and nine of the state’s 13 seats in the House, flipping three congressional districts – 4th, 7th, and 10th – previously held by Republicans. Democrats also regained control of the Michigan House of Representatives and expanded their majority in the state Senate. 

However, in St. Joseph County Republican candidates remained the top vote-getters in most major races, while voters in Three Rivers delivered a different set of results. 

Below is Watershed Voice staff writer Maxwell Knauer’s story of the 2026 midterm elections, as told by the numbers.

Senate shock

Back in 2024, President Donald Trump won St. Joseph County by over 30 points, receiving 19,403 (66%) votes to then Vice-President Kamala Harris’ 9,452 (32%) votes. That margin was closer in Three Rivers, where Trump received 1,702 votes to Harris’ 1,451. 

Similarly, in 2024, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin lost by over 30 points to Republican Mike Rogers. Slotkin garnered 9,195 (32%) votes to Rogers 18,545 (64%). In Three Rivers the margins were again closer with Slotkin receiving 1,428 (45%) of the votes while Rogers earned 1,556 (49%). 

In those first two races, the turnout numbers are higher as presidential elections bring more voters out. 

In 2026, for El-Sayed, St. Joseph County was more of the same. He received 8,609 (37%) of the votes while Rogers earned 14,326 (61%). Locally in Three Rivers, however, El-Sayed broke the trend, beating Rogers by earning 1,318 (54%) to his 1,060 (43%), respectively.

Goodbye, Gretchen

For the Governor’s office, Republican John James lost his third statewide election in a row. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020. This year, James was defeated by current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson 

Benson will be the state’s third female governor, following Gretchen Whitmer, who was term-limited and could not seek reelection, and Jennifer Granholm who served as Michigan’s first female governor from 2003 to 2011. This contest had similar numbers to the Senate race with Benson losing the county but winning Three Rivers. 

Countywide, Benson garnered 8,929 (38%) of the votes to James’ 14,074 (60%). In Three Rivers, Benson received 1,342 (55%) while James earned 1,042 (42%) votes. 

In 2022, Whitmer’s last election, she received 8,402 (38%) of the votes across St. Joseph County while Republican challenger Tudor Dixon earned 13,059 (60%). In Three Rivers, Whitmer earned 1,161 (54%) votes to Dixon’s 929 (43%).

House happenings (Lansing and DC)

Nationally, Democrats flipped over 40 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and won control of the chamber. Locally, Republican 5th Congressional District Rep. Tim Walberg prevailed, holding his seat. In St. Joseph County, Walberg earned 14,457 (62%) to Democratic challenger Christian Vukasovich’s 8,272 (35%). Again, however, Three Rivers was a Democratic stronghold with Vukasovich earning 1,275 (52%) votes to Walberg’s 1,075 (44%). 

In 2024, Walberg also won St. Joseph County by a wide margin, earning 19,538 (69%) votes to Democratic challenger Libbi Urban’s 8,327 (29%). In Three Rivers, Walberg received 1,683 (54%) votes compared to Urban’s 1,331 (43%). 

Compare that to 2022 — Walberg’s last midterms — and St. Joseph County remains the same with a strong Republican turnout. Walberg earned 14,502 (65%) to his challenger Bart Goldberg’s 6,775 (31%) votes. Locally, in Three Rivers, where Democrats performed well last Tuesday, Walberg narrowly won, earning 1,003 votes (48%) to Goldberg’s 990 (47%). 

As for Michigan House State Rep. Steve Carra, it was business as usual on Tuesday. In St. Joseph County, Carra garnered 14,331 votes (62%) to challenger Cole Slaski’s 8,631 (37%). In Three Rivers though, Slaski earned 1,322 (54%) of the vote compared to Carra’s 1,085 (45%). 

Carra’s 2026 performance in Three Rivers was his weakest of the three elections examined, earning approximately 45% of the vote. In 2024, Carra more than doubled Democratic challenger Erin Schultes vote total countywide earning 19,205 (68%) and 9,054 (32%), respectively. In Three Rivers, Carra won, earning 1,654 (53%) compared to Schultes 1,432 (46%). In 2022, Carra performed similarly well countywide, earning 14,005 (66%) of the votes compared to his Democratic challenger Roger Williams, who earned 7,304 (34%) votes. In Three Rivers, Carra was narrowly defeated with Williams garnering 1,059 (51%) compared to Carra’s 1,023 (49%). 

Elsewhere in southwest Michigan, Democrat Sean McCann unseated longtime Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District. McCann won approximately 50% of the vote to Huizenga’s 48%, flipping a congressional seat that includes Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, and portions of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

State Senate

In Michigan’s 17th State Senate District, incumbent Republican Jonathan Lindsey won reelection, defeating Democratic challenger Ashleigh Baker. In St. Joseph County, Lindsey earned 14,430 (62%) votes compared to Baker’s 8,711 (38%). However, Baker carried Three Rivers with 1,356 (56%) votes to Lindsey’s 1,064 (44%). 

Compare that to 2022, when Lindsey earned 14,382 (67%) votes countywide compared to Democratic challenger Scott Rex Starr’s 7,003 (33%). In Three Rivers, Lindsey narrowly prevailed, earning 1,051 (50%) votes to Starr’s 1,031 (49%).

Local shakeups

Locally, Three Rivers saw two incumbent commissioners unseated by a pair of Josh’s. In the second district, Incumbent Commissioner Steven Haigh lost to challenger Josh Hoeppner earning 783 (42%) and 1,036 (56%), respectively. 

For the At-Large position, incumbent Lucas Allen lost, earning just 733 (38%) votes compared to challenger Josh Williams 1,134 (59%). Allen’s last election, in 2022, saw no challenger listed on the ballot, although he faced write-in opposition. Allen received 1,128 (58%) votes, while a write-in challenger earned 403 (21%). 

Just down the road, incumbent commissioner and active Mayor Frank Perez faced a similar defeat at the hands of a challenger. Perez, however, was in the spotlight of a months-long controversy within the Sturgis City Commission. Perez handedly lost Sturgis’ Fourth District seat to challenger Stoney Summey earning 192 (27%) and 498 (71%), respectively. 

Perez’s last election — in 2022 — was unchallenged. That year, Perez earned 527 (98%) votes while write-ins earned 10 (2%).

County turnout

To some, the most jarring number is the countywide turnout. St. Joseph County ranked second worst in the state in terms of turnout with just 47.7% (23,719) of registered voters participating. The only county worse off was Cass County, which saw just 47.1% (22,005) of registered voters cast their ballots. 

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.