Elissa Slotkin

Elissa Slotkin
Born	Elissa Blair Slotkin 10 7, 1976
Birthplace	New York City, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, former intelligence analyst
Title	United States Senator from Michigan
Education	Cornell University (BA) Columbia University (MIA)
Awards	Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service

Elissa Blair Slotkin (born July 10, 1976) is an American politician and former intelligence analyst serving as the junior United States Senator from Michigan since January 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Slotkin previously represented Michigan in the United States House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025. Before entering electoral politics, she spent more than a decade in national security roles, working as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst with three tours in Iraq and serving in the Department of Defense under both Republican and Democratic administrations, culminating in her role as the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs during the final two years of the Obama administration. In 2018, she won election to the U.S. House, defeating incumbent Republican Mike Bishop to represent Michigan's 8th congressional district. She won reelection twice before successfully running for the U.S. Senate in 2024, defeating Republican nominee Mike Rogers. Slotkin became the second female senator from Michigan, succeeding Debbie Stabenow.

Early Life

Elissa Blair Slotkin was born on July 10, 1976, in New York City. She grew up in Michigan, where her family had deep roots. Her family owned a meat processing company, and she was raised on a farm in Holly, Michigan, in Oakland County.

Slotkin's mother's battle with ovarian cancer had a formative influence on her life and later political career. Her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and ultimately died from the disease, an experience that Slotkin cited frequently in her political campaigns as shaping her views on healthcare policy and the importance of protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. The personal tragedy of losing her mother to a serious illness became a central element of Slotkin's public narrative and informed her advocacy for healthcare reform during her time in Congress.

The September 11, 2001 attacks were a pivotal moment in Slotkin's life, motivating her to pursue a career in national security and intelligence. She has spoken publicly about how the attacks prompted her to seek government service, ultimately leading her to join the CIA as an analyst.

Education

Slotkin attended Cornell University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She subsequently pursued graduate studies at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where she obtained a Master of International Affairs (MIA) degree. Her academic background in international affairs provided a foundation for her subsequent career in intelligence and defense policy.

Career

Intelligence and Defense Career

Following her graduate studies, Slotkin joined the Central Intelligence Agency as an analyst. Her career at the CIA included three tours in Iraq, where she worked on some of the most pressing national security challenges facing the United States during the Iraq War. Her work as a CIA analyst gave her direct experience with Middle Eastern affairs and counterterrorism operations during a period of intense American military engagement in the region.

Slotkin's career subsequently took her to the Department of Defense, where she held several positions spanning both Republican and Democratic administrations. She served on the National Security Council staff and in various roles within the Pentagon. Her tenure at the Department of Defense culminated in her appointment as the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, a senior policy position she held from January 15, 2015, to January 20, 2017, during the final two years of the Obama administration. In this role, she succeeded Derek Chollet and was responsible for overseeing defense policy related to international security matters. For her service, Slotkin received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.

2018 Congressional Campaign

In 2017, Slotkin announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Michigan's 8th congressional district, challenging incumbent Republican Mike Bishop. The district, which encompassed portions of northern Oakland County, Livingston County, and Ingham County, including the Lansing area, had been considered a reliably Republican seat.

Slotkin ran on a platform that emphasized healthcare, particularly protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions, drawing directly from her personal experience with her mother's cancer diagnosis and death. She also highlighted her national security credentials, positioning herself as a candidate with practical experience in defense and intelligence matters.

Slotkin won the Democratic primary in August 2018. In the general election on November 6, 2018, she defeated Bishop, flipping the seat as part of the broader Democratic gains in the 2018 midterm elections. Her victory was seen as part of a wave of Democratic candidates with national security backgrounds who were elected to Congress in that cycle.

U.S. House of Representatives (2019–2025)

Slotkin took office on January 3, 2019, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district. During her tenure in the House, she positioned herself as a centrist Democrat, often emphasizing bipartisanship and her national security background.

Impeachment of Donald Trump

One of the most high-profile moments of Slotkin's House tenure came in December 2019, when she announced her support for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Her decision drew considerable attention given that she represented a swing district that Trump had won in 2016. In a December 2019 opinion piece and public statements, Slotkin outlined her reasoning, framing her decision in terms of national security and constitutional principles rather than partisan politics. The announcement was met with both support and opposition from constituents, reflecting the politically divided nature of her district.

War Powers Resolution

In January 2020, following the U.S. killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, Slotkin was among the House members who supported a War Powers Resolution aimed at limiting the president's ability to take further military action against Iran without congressional authorization. The measure drew bipartisan support, with some Republican members also voting in favor. Slotkin's advocacy on this issue drew from her experience as a former Pentagon official and CIA analyst who had served in Iraq.

2020 Reelection

In 2020, Slotkin faced Republican challenger Paul Junge in her bid for reelection. The campaign focused on issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare, and government spending. Slotkin won reelection, continuing to represent the district. Following redistricting after the 2020 census, Slotkin's district boundaries were redrawn, and she was elected again in 2022, representing the newly configured district through the end of her House tenure in January 2025.

Legislative Focus and Record

Throughout her time in the House, Slotkin focused on issues related to national security, healthcare, and election security. She was noted for her willingness to engage with constituents across the political spectrum and her emphasis on her pre-political career in intelligence and defense. She also spoke publicly about LGBTQ rights and equality.

2024 Senate Campaign

In 2024, following the announcement by Senator Debbie Stabenow that she would not seek reelection, Slotkin ran for the open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. She faced Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former U.S. representative and former FBI agent, in the general election. The race was closely contested, with both candidates drawing on their respective national security credentials.

Slotkin won the election, defeating Rogers in a close race. She became the second woman to represent Michigan in the United States Senate, following Stabenow. Her successor in the House, Republican Tom Barrett, took over representation of her former congressional district.

U.S. Senate (2025–present)

Slotkin was sworn in as the junior United States senator from Michigan on January 3, 2025, succeeding Debbie Stabenow. She serves alongside senior senator Gary Peters, and she is expected to become Michigan's senior senator when Peters retires in 2027.

Drone Testing Site Announcement

In February 2026, Slotkin, as part of the Michigan congressional delegation, announced that the National Defense establishment would establish a drone testing location in Michigan, reflecting the state's growing role in defense technology and innovation.

Federal Investigation Controversy

In January 2026, Slotkin publicly disclosed that she was under federal investigation in connection with a video she and other Democratic lawmakers produced urging military service members to refuse illegal orders. The investigation was reportedly initiated by federal prosecutors under the Trump administration.

Slotkin characterized the investigation as part of an "authoritarian" effort to intimidate political critics, describing it as a "well-worn playbook" to silence debate. She subsequently rejected a request from the Department of Justice to be interviewed about the video.

In February 2026, it was reported that a grand jury in Washington, D.C., had declined to indict Slotkin or the other five Democratic lawmakers who were subjects of the investigation, and that prosecutors were ending their push to bring charges.

Personal Life

Slotkin has deep roots in Michigan, where her family has long been involved in agriculture and the meat processing industry. She has spoken publicly about the impact of her mother's death from ovarian cancer on her worldview and her approach to healthcare policy.

Slotkin has been open about her background and personal experiences in public life, frequently drawing on her family's story and her own career in national security to connect with voters in Michigan. She has lived on a farm in Holly, Michigan, maintaining ties to the rural community where she was raised.

Recognition

Slotkin's national security career earned her the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, one of the highest civilian honors bestowed by the Department of Defense, for her service as acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.

Her 2018 election victory was considered one of the notable Democratic flips of the midterm cycle, as she defeated an incumbent Republican in a district that had been carried by Donald Trump in 2016. Political analysts noted that her campaign, centered on healthcare and national security credentials, exemplified a strategy employed by several successful Democratic candidates with military or intelligence backgrounds in that election cycle.

Slotkin's election to the U.S. Senate in 2024 made her the second woman to serve as a senator from Michigan, following Debbie Stabenow, who had held the seat since 2001.