Swartz Drops Out Of Michigan's 4th Congressional District Race, McCann Vows To Defeat Huizenga

Michigan Advance

December 22, 2025

Democratic congressional candidate Jessica Swartz announced she is ending her campaign for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District and will instead run for a state House seat.

Swartz made the announcement in a statement posted to Facebook Saturday, saying she will seek election to Michigan’s 41st state House District, currently held by Rep. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), who declared her intent in July to seek the 19th Michigan Senate District seat in 2026.

Swartz pointed to rising costs for families and criticized Republicans in Lansing, accusing them of prioritizing the “extreme wing of their party” over working people.

“No matter what seat I’m running for, I’ll always fight to make sure Michiganders choose their politicians — not the other way around,” Swartz wrote.

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) speaks at the Mackinac Policy Conference, June 1, 2022/Laina G. Stebbins/Michigan Advance

She thanked volunteers, donors and supporters who backed her congressional bid over the past three years and said she will continue serving southwest Michigan despite no longer running for federal office.

Following Swartz’s announcement, state Sen. Sean McCann, a Democrat from Kalamazoo who is running for the 4th District seat, released a statement praising her campaign and commitment to public service.

“I’m deeply grateful to Jessica for stepping up to run and her desire to serve our community,” McCann said. “I greatly admire her dedication to fighting to protect our health care, support our veterans, and look out for Southwest Michigan families.”

McCann said he looks forward to working with Swartz in the coming year as Democrats seek to flip the seat, currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Holland Township). McCann said he remains committed to earning voters’ support and bringing change to the district.

The race for the 4th Congressional District has drawn attention from state Democrats, who see the seat as a potential pickup in their bid to regain a majority in Congress.

State Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), March 14, 2023/Laina G. Stebbins/Michigan Advance

Other Democrats seeking the nomination include cybersecurity professional Richard Aaron and former Congressional staffer Diop Harris in the Democratic primary. However, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer previously endorsed McCann, effectively giving him front-runner status in the contest.

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