In the Democratic primary election on August 4, only two candidates are competing for the party’s nomination in Michigan’s Second State Senate District: State Rep. Erin Byrnes and Arab American activist Abbas Alawieh.

The winner of the Democratic primary in the district, which encompasses all of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, along with portions of Detroit and Allen Park, will advance to the Nov. 3 general election to face the lone Republican candidate, Harry Sawicki. The race is widely viewed as heavily favoring the Democratic nominee, given the district’s long-standing Democratic voting history.

Notably, the Second Senate District has the highest concentration of Arab Americans among Michigan’s 38 State Senate districts.

The Arab American News submitted the following questions to both candidates:

Q1: For readers who may not be familiar with you, please introduce yourself. Tell us about your upbringing, where you live, your educational background, your professional career and, if you wish, your family. What life experiences have most shaped your values and inspired you to pursue public service?

A1, Abbas Alawieh: I was born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States at age 6. I live in Dearborn with my wife, Amanda, and our dog, Rocco. I grew up in east Dearborn and attended Dearborn Public Schools, where dedicated teachers helped me earn a full scholarship to the University of Michigan, graduating with a master’s degree in public health. My journey from an ESL student to serving as a Capitol Hill chief of staff would not have been possible without public schools, public libraries, Medicaid, food assistance and other public programs that helped my family succeed.

My commitment to public service began by helping my own family. As a child, I negotiated payment plans with insurance companies and utility providers while my mother worked three jobs to support us. Later, after returning home from Washington, D.C., to care for my mother during her battle with cancer, our family faced a six-figure medical bill. Those experiences showed me how easily working families can be overwhelmed by the cost of health care.

As an immigrant, first-generation college graduate, survivor of war and product of public schools, I understand firsthand the challenges many families face. I am running for office to fight for working people who have too often been left out of the decisions made in Lansing.

A1, Erin Byrnes: I am a lifelong Dearborn resident, educator and public servant. I currently represent Dearborn Heights and west Dearborn in the Michigan House of Representatives, where I work to give working families a strong voice in Lansing.

Before joining the legislature, I served five years on the Dearborn City Council, helping address neighborhood concerns with community-focused solutions. I began my career as a middle school teacher before joining the University of Michigan, where I led a literacy tutoring program and later worked on student voter education and civic engagement.

I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and completed graduate studies in education, reflecting my commitment to expanding opportunities for students and families.

In the legislature, I have focused on protecting health care and public education, strengthening transparency and accountability, and ensuring government delivers for the people it serves. I am committed to lowering the cost of living, holding polluters accountable and protecting our community from federal overreach.

Q2: How have your professional, community and public service experiences prepared you to serve in the Michigan State Senate? Why did you decide that now is the right time to run, and what is the vision that drives your campaign?

A2, Abbas Alawieh: I believe politics is not just about saying the right thing, but about doing what is right, delivering results and fighting for working families. My experience at the highest levels of the federal government taught me that effective legislating requires more than casting votes. It requires policy expertise, strong relationships with community organizations and elected officials, and the ability to build support for meaningful legislation.

As a senior legislative strategist for members of Congress Andy Levin, Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush, I helped author dozens of bills and amendments that passed the U.S. House, including measures that secured millions of dollars to replace lead service lines and advanced bipartisan immigration reforms.

I will bring that experience to Lansing by working closely with constituents, local leaders and labor organizations to deliver results from day one. My vision is to represent every community in the district, strengthen its voice in state government, bring people together in one of Michigan’s most diverse districts, reject corporate PAC money and secure greater investments in our schools, parks, public libraries, roads and small businesses.

A2, Erin Byrnes: I’m running for the State Senate because I believe I can make the greatest difference for the people of our community. I want to bring experienced leadership, a proven record of standing up to special interests and a commitment to putting the community first.

My background in education, service on local boards and commissions, and nearly nine years in elected office have prepared me for this role. In the State House, I secured funding for a new fire station in Dearborn Heights, upgrades to Dearborn fire stations and helped pass legislation creating Michigan’s permanent absentee voter list.

My campaign is rooted in community service and engagement. After knocking on tens of thousands of doors, I understand the hopes and challenges of the people I represent. My commitment is to listen first, remain accessible and be a strong advocate for our community in Lansing.

Q3,: If elected, what would be your three highest legislative priorities? Michigan lawmakers are facing significant challenges, including balancing the state budget, strengthening public education, improving infrastructure, expanding affordable housing, supporting economic growth, and enhancing public safety. Which of these issues would you address first, and what specific policies would you champion?

A3, Abbas Alawieh: My top priorities are improving road safety, lowering the cost of living for working families and strengthening public education.

Too many residents have raised concerns about speeding and reckless driving. I support investing in proven traffic-calming measures and safer road design, building on successful projects already implemented in communities like Dearborn.

I also believe Michigan needs stronger oversight of AI industries and data centers. Communities should have a meaningful voice in whether these projects move forward, with strong protections for air and water quality, energy use and local decision-making.

Lowering costs means investing in affordable housing, expanding access to affordable child care, helping first-time homebuyers, strengthening home repair programs and cracking down on price gouging, junk fees and AI-enabled scams that target seniors and veterans.

Finally, we must invest more in public education by increasing per-pupil funding, improving school infrastructure and ensuring every child has access to a high-quality education.

A3, Erin Byrnes: My top priorities are holding utility companies accountable, protecting our environment and keeping our communities safe.

DTE’s unreliable service has become unacceptable. After many residents, including myself, lost power for days earlier this month, I renewed my support for the Ratepayer Bill of Rights, which would cap DTE’s profits and prohibit the company from using customer dollars to pay for private jets, corporate suites and lobbying.

I also support “polluter pay” legislation that requires companies — not taxpayers — to cover the cost of cleaning up environmental contamination. I have worked with state lawmakers and Wayne County officials to prevent hazardous waste from being stored in our community.

Finally, I remain committed to protecting public safety by working with local and state law enforcement, community leaders and residents to respond to threats facing our community, including immigration enforcement actions that separate families and extremist groups spreading hate in our neighborhoods.

Q4: If elected, how would you work to represent the diverse communities that make up this district while serving the interests of all residents? Finally, what message would you like to share with the readers of The Arab American News?

A4, Abbas Alawieh: I am running to represent every resident of the district equally and uphold the dignity of everyone in our community. I will use every tool available to the office — including constituent services, legislative action and oversight — to deliver meaningful results. As an immigrant, I would bring the perspective of a new American to the State Senate.

What distinguishes my leadership is that I combine legislative experience with grassroots organizing. I believe effective representation begins in our neighborhoods, not just in Lansing. I will work alongside the people I serve, challenge my own party when necessary and always put working families ahead of special interests.

My message to voters is simple: democracy works best when people get involved. If we do not participate, others will make decisions that affect our families and communities. I hope to earn the trust and support of voters on August 4.

A4, Erin Byrnes: State Senate District 2 is wonderfully diverse, and home to people from all walks of life. I will stand up and fight for the rights of every person and every community in this district. From my time on City Council to the State House, I have a consistent track record of advocating for the rights and dignity of all people, and in the State Senate, I will prioritize working closely with community leaders and organizations that represent the best interests of everyone who calls our community home. Community engagement is my number one priority as a public servant, and I will do everything in my power to serve the needs and uplift the lived experiences of everyone in District 2.

I am running for State Senate to be of service to our community, and to ensure that every voice is heard in Lansing. My focus has always been on fighting for the rights of our community members, and I promise to always have your best interests at heart.

Editor note: The answers of both candidates had to be edited for space without affecting the substance of their answers to our questions.