Sean Carlson announces campaign for Michigan Senate District 13
Sean Carlson of Commerce Township, currently deputy executive of Oakland County, has announced his campaign for Michigan Senate District 13.
District 13 is considered an open seat in the 2026 election, as Democrat Rosemary Bayer of West Bloomfield has decided to retire and will not seek re-election. Bayer has given her endorsement to Carlson's run for the seat.
The district was redrawn in 2021 and currently includes West Bloomfield Township, Commerce Township, Lyon Township, Milford Township, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake, South Lyon, Sylvan Lake, Walled Lake, Wixom and Milford along with parts of Waterford Township and Novi.
"I'm running for state Senate to fight for you," Carlson said in his announcement. "My priorities are clear: a strong middle class, better pay for public school teachers, comprehensive support for our veterans, safeguarding our water quality and helping small businesses grow. We are at a pivotal moment in Michigan, and this is the time for proven leaders."
Carlson grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He is a graduate of Michigan State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration, a master's in labor relations and human resources, and a juris doctor degree.
"From an early age, I witnessed the impact of community service firsthand," Carlson continued. "My father's dedication as a mayor and public school teacher, and my mother's role as a Sunday school teacher shaped my understanding of what it means to serve a community with compassion, consistency, and purpose."
He served in the U.S. Army and later became a commissioned officer in the Air Force, where he retired in 2014 as a lieutenant colonel.
His career in state and local government work includes 14 years on the Huron Valley School Board and his current role as Oakland County Deputy Executive. The school board role is considered non-partisan.
He also had worked as executive director of the Michigan Defense Center and vice president of international trade at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Carlson and his wife Nicole raised two children in Commerce Township.