The Michigan Way
What my parents taught me, and why I’m running for U.S. Senate.
You see that little girl in the picture? That’s me!
Long before Congress. Long before this Senate race. Long before any of this. I was probably 12 there, smiling for school picture day, rocking a beaded necklace that was verrrrrry cool.
But don’t let the polished school photo fool you. Even then, I was learning the value of grit and hard work and the Michigan way.
I grew up as the daughter of small-business owners here in Michigan. My mom and dad ran a landscaping business, which means I grew up around dirt, grime, trucks, machinery, and people proudly working hard with their hands for their neighbors and their community.
I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
That kind of upbringing shapes you. Hearing your dad leave at 3 a.m. to plow snow. Knowing that because of him, our neighbors would be able to get to the grocery store and that other kids across town would be able to make it to school even as the snow piled up.
Watching your parents – and your state – teach you again and again that your work matters.
It teaches you that when there is a job to do, you show up and do it.
It teaches you that if your neighbor needs you, you show up. You don’t ask how they voted – you just pitch in. You get the job done.
That’s the Michigan way.
My parents taught me the value of relentless hard work, not in some textbook way, but by living it every day. They built a business. They served their community.
That kind of grit stays with you.
And I really do think it’s one of the things that binds us together as Michiganders.
We are the state that put the world on wheels. We built the middle class. And we are a place where people still understand the pride of a hard day’s work and the dignity of making something real for other people.
One of my favorite memories from growing up was getting the keys to my first car: a used Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
It meant the world to me. Now, was it the flashiest thing on the road? No.
But that car meant pride. It meant possibility. It meant being able to go places and travel our beautiful state.
I love the people here. I love the grit here. I love the humor here. I love the way we talk. I even love our weather in the winter – and I don’t use it as an excuse to crap all over our state. And I love that we’re a state where people can be tough as nails and kind as heck at the exact same time.
And I love that I’ve had the chance to fight for this state – first as chief of staff for President Obama’s auto rescue and then in Congress.
But I have to be honest with you: The people I love – Michiganders, my people – are hurting.
As I’ve traveled Michigan lately, talking to people in every corner of the state, I’ve heard a lot of fear. A lot of uncertainty. A lot of frustration.
People in Sterling Heights are worried about gas prices that are out of control. People in Grand Rapids are seeing grocery bills that put a pit in their stomach at the checkout line. People in the U.P. are paying monthly health insurance premiums that cost as much as a mortgage.
Hardworking Michiganders are worried about the future. About jobs you can raise a family on. About buying a house. About retirement. About whether their kids are going to be able to build a life right here at home.
You can feel all of that out there when you talk to folks. This heavy sense that fear and stress have become the new normal.
But it doesn’t have to be.
I will never accept the idea that Michiganders should just get used to living in a country where costs keep rising, rights keep shrinking, and working families are expected to absorb all the pain while the people at the top keep cashing in.
That is not good enough for Michigan. We won’t be pushed around.
That’s why I’m running for the United States Senate.
I’m not running to be famous. I’m not running for a viral moment. I’m running because I’m a Michigander. And I love the people of this state. And I know they deserve somebody who will fight for them with everything she’s got.
Somebody who understands what it means to work hard.
Somebody who understands what it means to stretch a paycheck.
Somebody who understands that Michigan is not just another battleground on a cable-news map. It is home to millions of people who deserve leadership that actually gives a damn about what they’re going through.
That’s how I think about this race. That’s how I think about public service. That’s why I keep going.
Because at the end of the day, this campaign is not really about me.
It’s about the people who raised me. The people who built this state. The people busting their tails to hold their families together in a moment that feels way too chaotic, way too unfair, and way too cruel.
That’s who I’m fighting for. That’s who I’m going to win for.
Let’s go.
With grit and gratitude,
Haley
A personal note from Haley 👋
I’m a lifelong Michigander and the daughter of small-business owners. I’ve spent my career fighting for Michigan’s working families – and now I’m running for the U.S. Senate to keep standing up for the people I love.
But here’s the truth: Senate control could come down to Michigan. And Trump and his megadonors know it. That’s why they’re gearing up to spend tens of millions to defeat me and hand this seat to a MAGA Republican.
I need your help to fight back. This race will be one of the most competitive – and expensive – in the country, and I’m counting on grassroots support to win.
If you’re with me, will you chip in today?