Camilleri Elected Michigan Senate Majority Leader
Democrats chose Darrin Camilleri as majority leader and Kevin Hertel as floor leader during a closed caucus meeting.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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Michigan Senate Democrats elected Darrin Camilleri as Majority Leader, replacing Winnie Brinks, who was elected Lieutenant Governor. Kevin Hertel was elected Majority Floor Leader for the 104th Legislature, which begins Jan. 1.
Why it matters
The leadership change sets the Democratic agenda for the incoming Michigan Senate session. Camilleri will be the first majority leader from Wayne County in over 40 years.
Hertel won his 12th District race with 51.4% of the vote against John Goldwater's 48.15%. Camilleri was re-elected to the 4th District after serving three House terms and one Senate term.
The players
Darrin Camilleri
Camilleri is a Michigan Democrat who represents the 4th District in downriver Wayne County and previously served three terms in the state House before his election to the Senate four years ago.
Kevin Hertel
Hertel is a Michigan Democrat from St. Clair Shores who served in the Michigan House from 2016 to 2022 and now represents the 12th District covering eastern Macomb and St. Clair counties.
Winnie Brinks
Brinks is a Michigan Democrat who previously served as Senate Majority Leader and was elected Lieutenant Governor in the 2026 general election.
The details
Camilleri and Hertel were chosen during a closed caucus meeting, with Hertel elected Floor Leader by his Democratic colleagues. Hertel and Camilleri plan to set an agenda focused on lowered costs and expanded opportunity.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Election day; Hertel and Camilleri won re-election and Winnie Brinks was elected Lieutenant Governor.
Nov. 5, 2026: Camilleri and Hertel were elected to leadership posts in caucus.
Jan. 1, 2027: Hertel's Floor Leader role and the 104th Legislature begin.
Political Context
Camilleri's election is the first time in more than 40 years that a Wayne County senator has led the Senate majority caucus, shifting regional representation at the top of Michigan's upper chamber. The transition moves leadership from Brinks, who now takes the Lieutenant Governor post, to a new majority leader for the 104th Legislature.
The new leadership will shape which bills reach the Senate floor starting Jan. 1, 2027, affecting cost-of-living and opportunity measures Michigan residents may see. Residents in Macomb, St. Clair, and downriver Wayne counties now have legislators in top Senate posts.
The takeaway
Michigan's Senate Democratic leadership shift moves a Wayne County voice into the majority leader role for the first time in decades, signaling how the new session's priorities will be set.
Further reading
For more on how state races shape legislative control, see Elections coverage across Michigan.
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