The head of the Michigan Democratic Party will not seek reelection to her post next year.
Chair Lavora Barnes has led the party since 2019.
In that time, she saw Democrat Joe Biden win Michigan and the presidency during the 2020 election, and Democrats sweep nearly every statewide office in 2022.
That year, Michigan Democrats won their first trifecta of the governor’s office and both chambers of the state Legislature since the 1980s.
But the success was short lived with Republicans striking back this year in President-elect Donald Trump winning the state for the second time, and the Michigan House swinging back to GOP control.
In a statement posted to the party’s website, Barnes said it “was a difficult year” but added a message of optimism.
“This was a difficult year, but I know that while this party may bend under the weight of the pain of loss, it will never break. At the end of the day, this country, and this state, were built to move forward — there is much more work to be done and the Michigan Democratic Party stands ready to do it,” Barnes said.
Democrats are already showing their support and gratitude for Barnes’ time in charge.
In a written statement provided by her office, Governor Gretchen Whitmer called Barnes “an incredible leader.”
“She took over after the 2016 election and built back our infrastructure to deliver transformational wins in 2018, 2020, and 2022, including the election and reelection of three statewide Democratic candidates and the first Democratic trifecta in 40 years,” the statement said.
Whoever takes over the Democratic party will have to prepare it for the upcoming gubernatorial election in 2026. Whitmer won't be running; she's term-limited.
State Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor), a party vice chair, said he’s not sure who should take over the party but he sees it as a new chance for Democrats. And he said he’s focused on serving his constituents after winning reelection.
“I think this is a really exciting opportunity for the party to spend the next couple of months thinking through what we want the future of the party to look like, how we want to work on reconnecting with folks who did not vote Democratic this last time around, but who I believe fundamentally believe in Democratic values,” Morgan said.
