State Senator District 12
August 4, 2026 · State Senate District 12; Michigan · State senate district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: High · 84 out of 100
Smaller districts give each vote more weight, and this district is small for its type. About 256,306 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(274,056 ÷ 256,306) ÷ ln(274,056 ÷ 253,220) = 84.68, comparing state senate districts in MI (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
High representation + unknown decisiveness → High vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Eileen Tesch
Republican · declared
Eileen Tesch is a Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate in District 12, running in the August 2026 primary.
John Goldwater
Republican · declared
John Goldwater is a Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate in District 12, running in the August 2026 primary.
Joseph A. Backus
Republican · declared
Joseph A. Backus is a Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate in District 12, running in the August 2026 primary.
Kevin Hertel
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Kevin Hertel is a Democratic member of the Michigan Senate representing District 12 (St. Clair Shores and parts of Macomb and Wayne counties) since 2023. He is seeking re-election.
Records: Environment and Public Health 3 for, Government Efficiency 1 for, Government Spending Reduction 1 for, Gun Control 3 for, Healthcare Affordability 4 for, Housing Affordability 2 for, Public Education Quality 1 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for, 1 against, Public Safety and Crime Control 4 for, Reduce Wealth Gap 2 for, Social Programs and Welfare 3 for, Women's Reproductive Rights 1 for
Patrick Shawn Biange
Republican · declared
Patrick Shawn Biange is a Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate in District 12, running in the August 2026 primary.
Shelley Wright
Republican · declared
Shelley Wright is a Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate in District 12, running in the August 2026 primary.
Election sources
Source: mi-boe.entellitrak.com