Tunney Exposes His Elitist, Extreme Positions on Tax Policy, Workers, Gun Violence Prevention & More – Demonstrates His Millionaire Inheritance Is Out of Touch With Mid-Michigan Families’ Reality
March 24, 2026 SAGINAW, Mich. – The Democratic and Republican nominees for Michigan State Senate District 35 met tonight for a candidate forum at Saginaw Valley State University.
During the event, Marine veteran and Saginaw Fire Captain Chedrick Greene made clear why he is the right candidate for mid-Michiganders, citing his working-class experiences, leadership, and ability to connect and work with people across the political spectrum. Republican Jason Tunney offered no daylight between himself and MAGA policies hurting Senate District 35 families.
While Greene consistently anchored his responses in his priorities of making life more affordable, safe, and free for hardworking men and women, Tunney’s statements exposed his preference for a tax code that advantages wealthy elites like himself, his unwillingness to invest in public education, his dangerous positions on gun safety policies, and his reluctance to acknowledge the real pain Michiganders are experiencing from Republicans’ tariffs, health care cuts, and surging gas prices.
The contrast between Marine veteran Greene and millionnaire heir Tunney was clear, including:
Work Experiences & Economy: Greene, a decorated, 30-year Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 31-year dues-paying union member, and 27-year firefighter talked of his parents raising him “to value service, to know and to do hard work, and that there’s dignity in all jobs. Many hardworking families like the one I grew up in are really struggling. Many hardworking people are struggling to get by, let alone ahead. As I’ve done my entire life, I will fight to make sure that everyone I’m sworn to serve has things to make life more affordable, safe, and free.”
Tunney mentioned his family business but failed to disclose that he and his family took an $8.9 million bailout from American taxpayers, and then sold their company to a foreign corporation which laid off hundreds of workers including many here in Michigan. His closing statement punctuated his lack of desire to deliver relief to families struggling to afford the basics, saying he wouldn’t be able to do anything about the price of gas or groceries as State Senator.
Education: Greene said he would vote to make free school meals permanent, increase teacher pay, and add more mental health services in schools. He also cited his time mentoring students in Saginaw’s R.E.A.D. program and observing difficult environmental conditions in the homes he’d visit when responding to fire service calls.
Tunney described making sure no kid goes hungry at school as “a waste of taxpayer monies” and mentioned chronic absenteeism. In a recent interview with Art Lewis, Tunney blamed Michigan’s high Absentee Rate on things like students and parents leaving to get their hair and nails done, or for extra baseball practice.
Gun Violence Prevention: Greene cited his 30 years of firearm safety practice and instruction, and advocated for common sense gun laws and safe gun storage “so that young kids don’t commit suicide. So that young people don’t get these guns and go out and have another Oxford.”
Tunney came out against Michigan’s safe storage and red flag laws. His comments reflect a total disconnect from the reality that gun violence is the number one cause of death for young people in this district and across Michigan. His statements also revealed a complete misunderstanding of red flag laws — that judges issue temporary extreme risk protection orders, not Lansing politicians.
The forum, hosted by Saginaw Valley State University, was moderated by the Detroit News’ Chad Livengood and Michigan Public’s Zoe Clark and open to the public. It was also livestreamed on YouTube.
Retired Sergeant Major Chedrick Greene won the Democratic nomination for this pivotal, mid-Michigan swing district with over 60 percent of the vote in a six-way primary in early February — more than double the second-place vote total. He boasts a diverse coalition of endorsers coming together to elect a pro-worker, pro-education, pro-freedom working-class leader.
Jason Tunney, the Republican nominee, is largely self-funding his bid for a seat in Lansing. According to the most recently filed reports, Tunney loaned his campaign $112,500 and raised only $4,520 in the last campaign reporting period. Other than the $212,500 Jason Tunney personally loaned to his committee in the last two reporting periods, his campaign is $77,217 in the red.
Along with support from the 35th District’s most recent state Senator and current Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet and Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Greene’s endorsements include Giffords PAC, VoteVets, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and 18 Michigan labor organizations including the Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, and United Auto Workers Region 1-D. The diverse coalition of elected and community leaders, advocacy groups, and labor unions backing Greene may be found at: https://chedrickgreene.com/endorsements/.
The campaign to fill the seat previously held by McDonald Rivet is drawing statewide and national attention. With Michigan Democrats currently holding a 19-18 majority, the race will determine the balance of power in the state Senate for the rest of this year. A swing seat in a swing state, this special election outcome will also be an early bellwether of the political mood ahead of the November 2026 elections.
Born and raised in Saginaw, Sergeant Major (Ret.) Chedrick Greene is a decorated, 30-year Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 31-year union member, and currently serves as Fire Captain in his 27th year with the City of Saginaw Fire Department. He recently worked as District Assistant for the 35th Senate District office, representing then-state Senator McDonald Rivet and serving as a liaison with constituents. In March 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Greene to serve a two-year term on the Statewide Housing Partnership under the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
A lifelong resident with deep community roots and the leadership needed to help Lansing work better for working families, Chedrick Greene is running for State Senate District 35 to make life more affordable, safe, and free in mid-Michigan.
Michigan Senate District 35 includes portions of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties. The special election is May 5, 2026, with absentee voting beginning 40 days earlier.