KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Democrat Sean McCann has defeated long-time Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga in a closely watched race for a southwest Michigan congressional seat, 50% to 48.6%, according to unofficial returns.

The race was called Wednesday afternoon by the Associated Press and NBC News.

Acknowledging the long odds he faced, McCann, a state senator from Kalamazoo, said he was honored and humbled to win. He said his campaign overcame the challenge by building a broad coalition of every political party in every corner of the district.

“We were told over and over that this race wasn’t winnable,” McCann said. “I will be forever grateful for your support because you are the heart and soul of this campaign.”

McCann thanked the voters and his volunteers, and said he appreciated Huizenga for his years of service in Congress over eight terms.

Huizenga congratulated McCann and said it was an honor to serve southwest Michigan.

"While this election did not turn out the way we had hoped, I'm incredibly proud of the campaign we ran and want to congratulate Sean McCann on his victory," Huizenga said in a statement Wednesday. "God has blessed me with the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of Southwest Michigan in Congress.“To my amazing family, our volunteers, our campaign team, and everyone who knocked on doors, made phone calls, put up a yard sign, or supported our campaign, I couldn't be more grateful. I've worked hard to make a difference for our communities, and I'll always be proud of what we've accomplished together. I know God will keep calling me to serve, and I look forward to what comes next.”

The GOP lawmaker last won reelection by nearly 12 percentage points in 2024, but Democrats set their sights on Huizenga's 4th District seat amid hopes of a major national turnaround.

McCann's win marks the first time a Democrat has won a congressional race in that corner of west Michigan since the Great Depression.

The district stretches from southern Ottawa County to northern Berrien County, covering all of Allegan and Van Buren counties, part of Kalamazoo County and Battle Creek in Calhoun County. Political handicappers rated the contest as a toss-up in the final weeks of the campaign, a shift from previous ratings that favored Huizenga.

For years, Democrats have contended that the 4th District is getting "bluer" since Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won the district in 2022 by a percentage point and its residents voted that year in support of Proposal 3 to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.

Huizenga, 57, is the co-owner of Huizenga Gravel Company and was first elected to Congress in 2011. He is a reliable vote among House Republicans, favoring tax cuts and relaxed regulations. He currently serves on the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees.

McCann, 55, served four years in the Michigan House and eight years in the state Senate in Lansing. If elected, he said he would immediately focus on ending the war in Iran, easing tariffs and shoring up Medicare, Social Security and Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Elevated prices on gas, diesel and other goods related to the war and Trump's tariffs are having an outsized impact on the 4th District, which relies on agriculture and tourism as pillars of its economy.

Voters, McCann said at a recent campaign event with Whitmer and Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, need to break the "rubber stamp" for Trump's agenda.

Both candidates and their outside backers spent over $15 million on the contest since Aug. 4, though Huizenga holds a slight fundraising edge.

Jocelyn Bell of Holland bought gas before voting Tuesday, so her anger was fresh.

She said gas prices were too high and one person she blamed was U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, who was facing a tough re-election.

“I’m paying more and for what? Some stupid war nobody cares about,” Bell said about President Donald Trump's U.S. military foray into Iran.

Huizenga voted against war powers resolutions six times that sought to remove U.S. forces from the region. The fighting slowed the shipping of oil through the region, which drove up the price of both gas and diesel.

Bell, a Democrat who voted at the Holland Township Fire Station, said she was already leading toward Huizenga’s challenger, state Sen. Sean McCann, because of her general unhappiness with Trump’s actions during his second term.

“He cares about one person, himself,” she said about the president. “He’s getting richer and Republicans don’t care.”

Michelle Carney of Holland doesn’t agree with Republican candidates on every issue but said they’re far superior to their Democratic opponents.

The self-described conservative Republican said the Democratic Party has been overtaken by its progressive wing.

“The guy running for Senate is proud of his socialist views,” Carney said about Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan.

El-Sayed does not identify as a democratic socialist, but several prominent members of the Democratic Socialists of America have backed him, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

In her congressional district, the 4th, Carney said McCann wasn’t a socialist but would support higher taxes.

Carney, who voted at the Holland Township Fire Station, said her political views aligned with the incumbent, Huizenga.

“Democrats have lost contact with people,” Carney said. “They’re way out there, trying to please the left.”

—Staff Writer Melissa Nann Burke contributed.

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