SAUGATUCK, MICH. — State Sen. Sean McCann is the Democratic nominee for Michigan's 4th Congressional District, running to unseat seven-term Congressman Bill Huizenga.

McCann has served as a state senator since 2019, representing a district that includes Kalamazoo, Holland, and Saugatuck. He is a tribal citizen of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and serves as chairman of the Senate's Energy and Environment Committee.

The campaign features prominent support from national and regional Democrats. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) attended a town hall to support Sean McCann's campaign. Scholten represents Michigan's 3rd Congressional District, which includes Grand Rapids and Muskegon, and is serving her second term in Congress. She also serves on the Water Resources Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Raskin offered a partisan framing of the election during the event. "If you want to go forward, you put your car in D, and if you want to go in reverse, you put it in R. In politics, if you want to go forward, you vote D for Democrat, but if you want to go backward, you vote R for Republican," Raskin said.

Scholten criticized federal intervention in energy markets, linking it to the race. "I cannot wait to have another voice in Congress to advocate for us to shut this down. You know, Donald Trump said himself he hates communism, and yet he is actually taking over private businesses and telling them how to run. It’s unprecedented," Scholten said.

A central issue in the race involves the J.H. Campbell coal plant, which is located in Port Sheldon in northern Ottawa County and is owned and operated by Consumers Energy. McCann stated that the Trump Department of Energy issued an emergency order to keep the J.H. Campbell plant operating at the request of Rep. Huizenga. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has issued a series of 90-day emergency orders to keep the J.H. Campbell plant and other fossil fuel operations open.

McCann pointed to the financial impact of these orders on ratepayers. He stated that the J.H. Campbell plant costs $600,000 per day to operate. McCann stated that the J.H. Campbell plant has cost $290 million since it was ordered to remain operating. He also stated that the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell plant had driven up costs for Consumers Energy customers by more than $200 million.

Beyond energy costs, McCann pointed to broader economic pressures facing constituents. He stated that residents in the 4th Congressional District have reported health insurance premium increases of 200 to 300 percent.

The candidates also differ on infrastructure safety and environmental regulation. McCann opposes the continued operation of Enbridge Line 5 on the bed of the Straits of Mackinac. The pipeline has been struck by anchors, and Enbridge previously spilled oil in the Kalamazoo River.

McCann pledged a stricter regulatory approach if elected. "In my role in Congress, I think [my position] is going to be much less favorable to Enbridge and its operations than you might see from the president of the United States or his allies in Congress," McCann said.

The incumbent’s public engagement record has drawn scrutiny. Bill Huizenga has not held an in-person town hall since 2018. He held two virtual town halls on March 7 and 8, 2025.

Why It Matters

The race determines representation for a district spanning western Michigan communities including Kalamazoo and Holland. The outcome will influence federal oversight of energy infrastructure, specifically the operation of the J.H. Campbell plant and Enbridge Line 5. McCann’s position as chairman of the Senate's Energy and Environment Committee informs his legislative focus on these issues.

Federal emergency orders keeping the coal plant open represent a shift in energy policy that McCann argues burdens consumers. The dispute shows tensions between state-level regulatory preferences and federal directives. Voters will weigh these policy differences against the incumbent’s seven-term tenure and recent virtual engagement efforts.

Timeline

Bill Huizenga held two virtual town halls on March 7 and 8, 2025.

What's New

Sean McCann is chairman of the Senate's Energy and Environment Committee.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the total cost figures cited by Sean McCann regarding the J.H. Campbell plant. Nativenewsonline.net reports that Sean McCann stated that the J.H. Campbell plant has cost $290 million since it was ordered to remain operating. Newsdata reports that Sean McCann stated that the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell plant had driven up costs for Consumers Energy customers by more than $200 million.

There is also a discrepancy in the detail provided about daily operational costs. Nativenewsonline.net reports that Sean McCann stated that the J.H. Campbell plant costs $600,000 per day to operate. Newsdata does not include this specific daily figure, focusing instead on the statement that the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell plant had driven up costs for Consumers Energy customers by more than $200 million.

Sources differ on the attribution of the emergency order. The primary source states that Sean McCann stated that the Trump Department of Energy issued an emergency order to keep the J.H. Campbell plant operating at the request of Rep. Huizenga. Newsdata does not mention Huizenga’s request, reporting only that Sean McCann stated that the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell plant had driven up costs for Consumers Energy customers by more than $200 million.