Who's In the Race

Voters in Michigan's 6th U.S. House District can register online or by mail through Monday, Oct. 19, or register in person through Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, with same-day registration available. The race pits Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who has held the seat since 2015, against Republican challenger Heather Smiley, a retired Ford Motor Co. executive, along with four minor-party candidates. ​

Before Congress, Dingell was an executive at General Motors and president of the GM Foundation, and she served as chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors. She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on Aug. 4.

Smiley retired from Ford after more than 32 years in product development, strategy and planning, and related roles; she earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Central Michigan University and was the first in her family to attend college. Smiley also ran unopposed in the Republican primary, drawing 47,265 votes.

Also on the ballot are Clyde Shabazz (Green Party), Tim Teagan (Libertarian), Michael Mickevicius (U.S. Taxpayers Party) and Linda Rayburn (Working Class Party).

What They Stand For

Dingell's campaign website says families face an affordability crisis and that taxpayer dollars should be used to lower living costs and improve healthcare affordability. She has supported expanding coverage, lowering prescription-drug costs and protecting pre-existing-condition protections, saying, "If you live in America, you have the right to quality healthcare." She has backed domestic manufacturing and Southeast Michigan's auto industry, stronger unions and workers' collective-bargaining rights. She has supported reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement rules, including requiring body cameras and judicial warrants, alongside comprehensive immigration reform. She has also supported protecting the Great Lakes, addressing PFAS contamination and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions while developing clean energy.

Smiley's campaign website calls for eliminating wasteful spending, increasing budget transparency and balancing the federal budget. She has advocated restoring energy independence, expanding infrastructure and protecting air, water, land and wildlife. She has called for closing the borders, addressing illegal immigration and preserving guest-worker provisions. She has supported limiting voting to U.S. citizens and enforcing ballot and voter integrity. She has also called for in-sourcing manufacturing, protecting domestic jobs and pursuing reciprocal trade practices.

Shabazz has voiced concern about climate change, telling The Eastern Echo, "Global warming has gone beyond human control." Teagan, who chairs the Libertarian Party of Michigan, said in a statement quoted by the Michigan Libertarian Party, "I consider myself a neutral Libertarian who only wishes to put the party and its principles first."

The Money Behind the Race

Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show Dingell raised about $1.2 million through July 15 and had about $415,000 in cash on hand. Smiley's FEC receipts were not available in the filings reviewed.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Democratic" as of Sept. 25; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Sept. 29; and Inside Elections rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 2. Kalshi traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Dingell, a 95.42 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 8, while Republicans, whose nominee is Smiley, stood at 4.58 percent.

Dingell carried the district with about 66 percent of the vote in 2022 and about 62 percent in 2024. Statewide, Democrats won seven of Michigan's 13 U.S. House seats in 2022 and Republicans won seven in 2024. President Donald Trump carried Michigan in the 2024 presidential election with about 50 percent of the vote.

Mail-ballot applications must be submitted online by Friday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. Early in-person voting runs Saturday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 1, with polls open at least eight hours per day; specific hours are set locally by each jurisdiction. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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