Greene, local leaders make case for his candidacy, emphasizing his pro-working class, tough on crime, strong on freedoms positions
Saginaw, MI: Wednesday evening, in front of 100+ supporters from Saginaw, Midland, and Bay counties, Chedrick Greene officially kicked off his campaign for State Senate District 35.
Squarely-focused on mid-Michiganders’ financial struggles, safety, and rights, Greene shared why he is driven to run for this office, and why his working-class and leadership experiences meet the moment.
“As a firefighter, I’ve been inside lots of our neighbors’ homes, helping them at some of their most vulnerable moments. I’ve seen how really hard-working families still really struggle, and people are scared. Our seniors, kids, and everyone in between— scared. We’re doing everything right, and it’s still too hard. And it shouldn’t be that way. And it does not have to be that way.
“It is long past time to admit the status quo is not working for working-class families. It’s keeping too many good people down… down in our cities, down in our suburbs, down in our rural areas. It is long past time to unstack the deck, so that everyone who works hard has a fair shot to make a good life for themselves and their families.”
“If we want leaders who respect working families, we need to elect more leaders from the working class. If we want someone who will challenge the establishment and status quo, we need a political outsider with courage and character.
“In three decades of national and public service, I put citizens before self, risking my life for neighbors and people I’ve never met. I stepped up for my country as a Marine. I stepped up for my community as a firefighter. And now, I’m stepping up for my home district as a candidate for the Michigan State Senate.”
“Keeping our families safe starts with the right staffing. Republicans just proposed a budget that literally defunds the police — eliminating 300 full-time positions from the Michigan State Police.
“As a fellow first responder, I stand with law enforcement and concerned residents on being tough on crime. I will fight to ensure essential services are effective and accessible to all.”
“On protecting our freedoms– I risked my life to defend the freedoms of every American. Every American. Freedom of speech; freedom to be who you are; freedom to love who you want to love. Voting, abortion, disability rights and more— I will always fight for everyone’s Constitutional and civil rights. When we stood, and we said the Pledge of Allegiance, and we said — “liberty and justice for all,” I mean ALL, everybody.”
Other event speakers featured Bay County Treasurer, Weston Prince; two-time State House candidate, Sarah Schulz of Midland; and Diane Keenan, Executive Director of Saginaw’s East Side Soup Kitchen. Pastor Kareem Bowen delivered the Invocation.
Weston Prince remarks, video excerpt
“Winning an ultra-competitive district, that is this 35th district, starts with finding the right candidate. We have that right candidate, right here, with Chedrick Greene. When more folks learn about his background, his priorities, there is no doubt they will be voting for the Marine named Greene.
“We are a blue collar community built on blue collar principles. As a 30-year Marine veteran, 31-year union member, and maybe most importantly, parent— Chedrick is that working-class, blue collar leader this community deserves and needs.”
Sarah Schulz remarks, video excerpt
“In this wild time, I think we need people like Chedrick who have experience being cool. Right? And leading under great amounts of pressure. Leaders who put fires out, literally and figuratively. And don’t fan the flames of political drama.
“And the fighter that we pick now has to give us our very, very best shot to win in the general election, not just the primary. You can clap for that part. And I think that the fighter that we need is Mr. Chedrick Greene, and you can clap for that part too.”
Chedrick Greene is a decorated, 30-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and Fire Captain in his 26th year with the City of Saginaw Fire Department. He is a proud 31-year union member with the leadership and experiences needed to help Lansing work better for families in our Great Lakes Bay region and across Michigan. A lifelong resident of Saginaw, Greene also worked as District Assistant for the 35th Senate District office through most of 2024.
SD35 is the open seat in the Great Lakes Bay region which has been vacant since U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) resigned as state Senator to begin her first term in Congress. Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently issued this letter calling for the 35th District of the Michigan Senate special election.
