Strebs Wins House District 41 Seat in Michigan
Democrat Jen Strebs won the state House District 41 race, while Matt Longjohn secured a second term in District 40.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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The Associated Press called the House District 41 race for Jen Strebs at 12:55 a.m. with 35% of votes tallied, when she held 77.2% of the vote. Matt Longjohn was also called the winner of House District 40 at 1 a.m. with 71% of votes tallied, holding 65.4%.
Why it matters
Strebs will fill the seat vacated by Julie Rogers, and Longjohn, the only medical doctor currently serving in the state legislature, retains his post for a second term. The results determine who represents these Kalamazoo County-area districts in the Michigan House.
With 35% of District 41 votes tallied, Strebs led with 77.2% against Sabel's 20.2% and Wolf's 2.6%. Longjohn's District 40 call came at 71% reporting with 65.4% of the vote, and final certified totals were not yet available.
The players
Jen Strebs
Strebs is a Democrat and former Kalamazoo County Commission chairwoman who previously served nine years as an elected official.
Matt Longjohn
Longjohn is a physician and Democratic state representative who is the only medical doctor currently serving in the Michigan Legislature.
Julie Rogers
Rogers is the Michigan state representative whose vacated seat Strebs will fill, and she is currently leading the District 19 State Senate race.
Associated Press
The Associated Press is a global news cooperative that made the race calls in these House districts on election night.
The details
Strebs, a 49-year-old clinical quality specialist at Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health, has served as an elected official for the last nine years and became chairwoman of the Kalamazoo County Commission in 2025. Longjohn, 55, is the only medical doctor currently serving in the state legislature and represents Portage in District 40.
Timeline
The AP called the House District 40 race for Longjohn at 1 a.m. Eastern time on November 4, 2026.
The AP called the House District 41 race for Strebs at 12:55 a.m. Eastern time on November 4, 2026.
Political Context
These results form part of Michigan's 2026 state legislative contests, where Julie Rogers' seat is changing hands while she simultaneously runs for the District 19 State Senate seat against Shaun Young. The Kalamazoo County outcomes shape the composition of the state House during the next session.
Strebs and Longjohn will take their seats in the Michigan House, where legislation on state policy will be shaped by their votes. Residents of Kalamazoo County and Portage will be represented by these lawmakers in the next legislative session.
The takeaway
Election-night calls are based on partial returns, so readers should watch for certified results that finalize these House seats. Local voters can track how the new representatives vote on issues affecting their districts.
Further reading
For more on how these seats fit into the broader state picture, explore Michigan Elections.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mlive.
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