The Stakes for Pontiac Households
Energy costs are climbing across Michigan, and the candidates vying to represent the state in the U.S. Senate are drawing sharp lines over who is to blame and what comes next. For voters in Pontiac, part of Michigan's 11th Congressional District, the debate has direct implications for monthly utility bills and local economic development.
Gas prices hover well above $4 per gallon, and utility costs continue to rise. The Michigan Senate race features three Democratic contenders and one Republican, each offering a different vision for the state's energy future.
Democrats Blame Federal Policy Shifts
Haley Stevens, the incumbent U.S. representative from the 11th District, has linked rising energy costs to the Trump administration's rollback of Biden-era clean energy investments and tax credits.
"There is a moment now, an opportunity…to really reframe the argument on clean energy," Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic Senate candidate and state senator, said in an interview with Bridge Michigan. "This is a freedom issue, it's a cost issue. People are crying out for their bills to be lowered, and we are on the precipice of being able to do exactly that."
Abdul El-Sayed, the former Wayne County health director and another Democratic contender, has called for 100% renewable energy as a pathway to both reduce pollution and lower long-term costs.
"If we are serious about investing in the technologies that buy us out of this pollution, a lot of these things also over time can actually reduce our prices, too," El-Sayed said.
Republicans Defend Fossil Fuel Focus
Mike Rogers, the sole Republican in the Senate race, argues that insistence on renewables is a key contributor to Michigan's high energy costs. He has defended the Trump administration's energy policies, saying party leaders are working to "institutionally make sure that prices are going down" once the ongoing conflict in Iran subsides.
A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, Hunter Lovell, attacked El-Sayed's past support for the Green New Deal.
"Abdul El-Sayed's radical Green New Scam fantasy would destroy Michigan's auto industry, kill thousands of jobs, and drive costs even higher for hardworking families," Lovell said.
What Michigan Has Lost
According to a February 2026 analysis by national research firm Atlas Public Policy, Michigan lost out on $4.1 billion in planned clean manufacturing investments that would have created 11,700 anticipated jobs. Additionally, roughly $540 million in climate-related grants to Michigan were canceled or delayed in 2025.
Among the canceled federal grants was $156 million in funds that were slated to help low-income Michigan residents fund solar panel installations in their homes.
The Trump administration also ordered Consumers Energy to keep the JH Campbell coal plant in West Michigan open well past its planned retirement date. Attorney General Dana Nessel and other critics contend the move is costlier than shifting to more efficient energy plans.
The Local Impact
Nick Dodge, senior director of programs for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, said the affordability framing on energy may be an effective message to voters in this year's midterm elections.
"Maybe it's not a traditional environmental air, land, and water issue, but there are really strong intersections on how we get our energy and how that impacts the environment and how much we pay for on our energy bills," Dodge said.
Ed Rivet, executive director of the Michigan Conservative Energy Forum, acknowledged there were downsides to the Biden administration's electric vehicle manufacturing push.
"At least in the energy sector, policy can support, but it can't lead," Rivet said.
What Comes Next
The August 4, 2026 primary will determine which candidate advances to the November general election. Pontiac voters will have a say in whether the state's energy policy moves toward renewable investment or maintains its current trajectory.
Stevens, who represents Pontiac in Congress, said the state has been "set back" by the federal policy shifts.
"The Michigan ratepayer has really been set back," Stevens said.
The Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country, with the outcome potentially shaping national energy policy for years to come.