Matt Maasdam announces candidacy for Michigan's 7th Congressional District
Matt Maasdam of Brighton, a Democrat, for Michigan's 7th Congressional District in the 2026 election cycle.
Michigan's 7th Congressional District includes the Lansing area, along with parts of Eaton, Genessee and Oakland counties. The district is currently represented by Republican Tom Barrett, who is running for re-election.
"I've dedicated my life to service, and now I'm continuing my service by stepping up to represent our families here in Michigan," his campaign announcement said. "I'm running for Congress to bring a different kind of leadership – one rooted in hard work, courage, and integrity."
His campaign platform includes opposing cuts to Medicaid "that make healthcare more expensive for all of us"; along with opposing "the kinds of tariffs that make things more expensive and threaten our jobs."
Maasdam graduated from the University of Michigan and then joined the U.S. Navy. He became a Navy SEAL with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and the Pacific.
He then worked his way up to the White House, where he served as a military aide to President Barack Obama, in a role that included planning and executing the president's emergency response to crises.
He returned to Michigan after leaving active duty and took business leadership roles.
Massdam and his wife Lauran, who was a helicopter pilot in the Navy, have two sons.
