More candidates for state House and Senate are rejecting Big Utility money
Trend shows taking contributions from DTE and Consumers Energy is now a political liability
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today announced that more than 126 state lawmakers and candidates currently running for office following the Primary have pledged to not take political donations from monopoly utility companies DTE and Consumers Energy as part of Michigan LCV’s “No Utility Money Challenge.” During the 2026 election cycle, 195 candidates in total took the challenge.
The list includes recent additions of lawmakers in leadership positions, including House Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), House Democratic Chair Stephanie Young (D-Detroit), House Democratic Caucus Whip Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor) and Assistant Majority Floor Leader Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton).
On the campaign trail, utility money is increasingly becoming a defining issue in the most competitive state legislative races. Capitol publication Gongwer recently published its list of state House and Senate seats most likely to flip, and the vast majority of those races feature a “No Utility Money Challenge” candidate.
State House candidates include Sarah Pounds (HD 54), Jim Haadsma (HD 44), Anna Aho Rink (HD 109), Joseph McClusky (HD 86), Matt Schlinker (HD 68), Sherry Berecz (HD 28), Alex Hawkins (HD 55), Shannon Dare Wayne (HD 31), Denise Mentzer (HD 61), Tom Turner (HD 57), and Katrina Manetta (HD 58). Likewise, on the state Senate side, Dr. Theresa Brooks (SD 9), Sean Carlson (SD 13), and Rebecca Amidon (SD 32) have taken the challenge.
“Lawmakers and candidates from across the political spectrum are increasingly saying enough is enough and rejecting utility money in order to stand with Michigan families who are being squeezed by a constant, never-ending stream of increases in their bills,” said Bob Allison, deputy director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “For too long, our broken system has allowed monopoly utilities to use their political spending to protect the status quo while families are left paying the bill. Taking utility money isn’t a partisan issue — it is about standing with Michiganders and demanding accountability from the companies they have no choice but to buy their power from.”
Taking the “No Utility Money Challenge” means that Michigan lawmakers and their campaigns have adopted a policy to not knowingly accept more than $200 total of contributions from monopoly utilities, PACs, and their lobbyists, executives, employee PACs, associated PACs direct and independent, issue committees, independent expenditure committees, associations, institutions, corporations, or other entities like utility-funded 527s or 501(c)(4)s. Initially, just under two dozen lawmakers signed onto the challenge. That number has exploded this year, in the lead-up to the election.
For years, DTE and Consumers Energy, which operate under a regulated monopoly, have donated to the very lawmakers that pass laws setting the rules and regulations they must follow.
Both DTE and Consumers Energy are two of the biggest political donors in Michigan. In 2022, a nonprofit linked to DTE spent close to $5 million, including on lobbying, advertising, and contributions to funds associated with elected officials. A Consumers-funded nonprofit reported spending more than $4.5 million that same year on similar activities.
The surge in support for rejecting utility money comes as the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics ballot initiative approaches a November vote. The initiative, which would ban monopoly utilities and other companies with large contracts with the state from making political donations, has seen a groundswell of support as more Michiganders are becoming concerned with corporate influence in politics.
The current Senators and candidates for State Senate (in district order) who have accepted the challenge to-date are:
Justin Onwenu (D- SD-1), Abbas Alawieh (D- SD-2), Senator Stephanie Chang (D- SD-3), John Conyers III (D- SD-3), Senator Darrin Camilleri (D- SD-4), Rep. Matt Koleszar (D- SD-5) Senator Dayna Polehanki (D- SD-8), Theresa Brooks (D- SD-9), Philippe Cicchini (I- SD-9), Rep. Natalie Price (D- SD-10), Senator Rosemary Bayer (D- SD-13), Sean Carlson (D- SD-13), Senator Sue Shink (D- SD-14), Felicia Brabec (D- SD-15), DeAndre Barnes (D- SD-16), Ashleigh Baker (D- SD-17), Anthony Pennock (D- SD-18), Shaun Young (R- SD-19), Dale Murney (D- SD-20), Robert Hower (D- SD-22), Greg Hill (D- SD-23), Edlira Sako (D- SD-24), April Osentoski (D- SD-25), Brendan Johnson (D- SD-26), Rashida Harrison (D- SD-28), Julie DeRose (R- SD-28), Abbie Groff-Blaszak (D- SD-29), Chris Kleinjans (D- SD-31), Rebecca Amidon (D- SD-32), Stan Opal (D- SD-33), Tyler Landgraf (D- SD-34), Kate Gallup (D- SD-37), and Kelli van Ginhoven (D- SD-38).
The current Representatives and candidates for State House (in district order) who have accepted the challenge to-date are:
Joanna Whaley (D- HD-2), Rep. Alabas Farhat (D- HD-3), Regina Ross (D- HD-4), Candace Calloway (D- HD-5), Melanie Macey (D- HD-6), Rep. Tonya Myers-Phillips (D- HD-7), Chris Gilmer-Hill (D- HD-8), Rep. Veronica Paiz (D- HD-10), Rep. Donavan McKinney (D- HD-11), Kimberly Fisher (D- HD-11), Matthew Stafford (R- HD-11), Rep. Kimberly Edwards (D- HD-12), Rep. Mike McFall (D- HD-14), Jeff Sparling (G- HD-14), Rep. Erin Byrnes (D- HD-15), Hassan Nehme (R- HD-15), Rep. Stephanie Young (D- HD-16), Kelly Garrett (D- HD-18), Ryan Foster (R- HD-18), Rep. Noah Arbit (D- HD-20), S David Sullivan (R- HD-20), Lisa McIntyre (D- HD-22), Rep. Jason Morgan (D- HD-23), Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D- HD-24), Rep. Dylan Wegela (D- HD-26), Chris Dobis (R- HD-26), Sherry Berecz (D- HD-28), Darian Counts (D- HD-29), Rep. Jim DeSana (R- HD-29), Omar Ferdin (D- HD-30), Rep. Reggie Miller (D- HD-31), Shannon Dare Wayne (D- HD-31), Rep. Jimmie Wilson Jr. (D- HD-32), Rep. Morgan Foreman (D- HD-33), Jeff Cooley (D- HD-35), Jared Polonowski (G- HD-39), Rep. Matt Longjohn (D- HD-40), Jen Strebs (D- HD-41), Nick Rowe (D- HD-42), Jim Haadsma (D- HD-44), Randy Davis (D- HD-45), Rep. Carrie Rheingans (D- HD-47), Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D- HD-48), Dan Pelchat (D- HD-49), Cassie Canedo (D- HD-50), Stacey McDuffie (D- HD-51), Brendan Leddy (D- HD-52), Sarah Pounds (D- HD-54), Alex Hawkins (D- HD-55), Rep. Sharon MacDonell (D- HD-56), Tom Turner (D- HD-57), Katrina Manetta (D- HD-58), Jason Robbins (D- HD-59), Rep. Denise Mentzer (D- HD-61), Matthew Smith (D- HD-62), Ned Zimmer (D- HD-66), Matt Schlinker (D- HD-68), Rep. Jasper Martus (D- HD-69), Stephen Schlaack (D- HD-71), Thomas Ryan (D- HD-72), Rep. Kara Hope (D- HD-74), Harold Pope (D- HD-74), Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou (D- HD-75), Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D- HD-77), Rachel Gross (D- HD-78), Zachary Abbott (D- HD-79), Lily Cheng-Schulting (D- HD-80), Rep. Stephen Wooden (D- HD-81), Rep. Kristian Grant (D- HD-82), Joseph McClusky (D- HD-86), Kiel Reid (D- HD-88), Rachel Crowther (D- HD-90), Frank LaFata (D- HD-91), Serenity Salak (D- HD-93), AnnMarie Horseman (D- HD-95), Chris Girard (D- HD-96), Jack Bader (D- HD-97), Keith Brusseau (D- HD-98), David Forgione (D- HD-99), Tracy Ruell (D- HD-100), Angel Coon (D- HD-102), Rep. Betsy Coffia (D- HD-103), Mitchell Distin (D- HD-104), Rachel Longendyke-Teeter (D- HD-105), Melissa Perron (D- HD-107), Rachel Keys (D- HD-108), Anna Aho Rink (D- HD-109), and Brian Irizarry (D- HD-110).
Michigan LCV’s “No Utility Money Challenge” launched in the spring of 2025 by enhancing its Digital Scorecard, which has always tracked and scored legislators on their environmental and democracy voting records, to now track openly reported and publicly available money from utilities.
The “Corporate Utility Accountability” portion of Michigan LCV’s Digital Scorecard tracks campaign finance contributions from DTE Energy Company Political Action Committee and CMS Energy Corp Employees for Better Government, PACs for Michigan’s two largest monopoly utility companies. It tracks contributions for all sitting lawmakers since taking office and provides breakdowns by year as well.
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