FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2026
September 14, 2026
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 11 Michigan Candidates for U.S. House
Categories:
Congress, Election 2026, House
AFGE says endorsed candidates will fight for working people in Congress
WASHINGTON –– The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of 11 Michigan candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 election.
Four of the endorsed candidates are incumbents seeing reelection: Reps. Hillary Scholten (CD-3), Debbie Dingell (CD-6), Kristen McDonald Rivet (CD-8), and Rashida Tlaib (CD-12). The remaining seven are newcomers: Callie Barr (CD-1), Benjamin Ambrose (CD-2), Sean McCann (CD-4), Christian Vukasovich (CD-5), William Lawrence (CD-7), Christina Hines (CD-10), and Jeremy Moss (CD-11).
All of the candidates advanced in the statewide primary Aug. 4. The general election is Nov. 3.
“Michigan’s working families deserve leaders who will fight for good union jobs, fair wages, and strong public services – not corporate interests. That’s why AFGE is proud to endorse so many pro-labor candidates who will stand with working people and fight for the future we deserve,” said AFGE District 7 National Vice President Jason Anderson.
All four incumbents have cosponsored the Protect America’s Workforce Act (HR 2550), which would rescind President Trump’s March 2025 executive order banning collective bargaining for most of the federal workforce.
The other endorsed candidates bring direct experience to their campaigns, either as former federal workers, as labor advocates, or through prior elected service.
Benjamin Ambrose, a 20-year military veteran and former federal employee, is challenging incumbent Rep. John Moolenaar in the 2nd District. Christian Vukasovich, a longtime teacher and union organizer with the American Association of University Professors, is running in the 5th District against incumbent Rep. Tim Walberg. William Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, won a hard-fought primary in the open 7th District, while Sean McCann, Christina Hines, and Jeremy Moss bring years of public-sector experience in the Michigan state legislature to their campaigns. Callie Barr is a former teacher and veterans’ advocate who is challenging incumbent Rep. Jack Bergman in the 1st District.
AFGE previously endorsed Abdul El-Sayed for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
More than 54,300 federal employees live in Michigan – caring for veterans, supporting the military, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents nearly 43,000 federal employees in District 7, which includes Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
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