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U.S. House · Michigan's 2nd District

Michigan's 2nd Congressional District — the northwestern Lower Peninsula, including Midland and parts of the Grand Traverse region.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

John Moolenaar, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
John Moolenaar220,35361.5%
Ben Ambrose132,49037%
Charlotte Magoon3,8501.1%
Richard Sills1,7650.5%

About 95% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • Cook Political Report rated Michigan's 2nd District R+15 for the 2026 cycle. Donald Trump won the district 64.3%–34.2% in 2024.[1]
  • Incumbent John Moolenaar was unopposed in the August 4, 2026 Republican primary. Ben Ambrose defeated Jamie Hill and Clyde Welford in the Democratic primary with 44.3% of the vote.[2]

On the November 3 ballot · 4 candidates

John MoolenaarRINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative, Michigan's 2nd District (since 2015)Full profile →Ben AmbroseDFull profile →Charlotte MagoonGFull profile →Richard SillsNatural Law Party in MichiganFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[39][40][41]

    Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15). Voted yes on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36, 2017-10-03), which would have banned most abortions after 20 weeks.

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[34][35][36][37]

    Voted no on Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8, 2019-02-27), which would have required background checks on most private gun sales. Voted no on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29), which would have banned the sale of many semiautomatic assault weapons. Voted no on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag programs. Voted yes on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38, 2017-12-06), which would have required states to honor other states' concealed-carry permits.

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted no on American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6, 2019-06-04; 2021-03-18).

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[19][20][21][30][29]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03; 2017-12-20), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted no on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    In their own words[8]
    “We must demand that the rich pay their fair share in taxes”

    In her 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey

  • Richard Sills
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[19][20][21][26][27]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies. Voted yes on American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628, 2017-05-04), which would have capped federal Medicaid funding and ended enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion.

  • Ben Ambrose
    Supports[5]

    Campaign website says he supports Medicare for All and lists protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act.

  • Charlotte Magoon
    In their own words[8]
    “it is my goal to fight for a universal healthcare, so no one has to choose between their family's health and bankruptcy”

    In her 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey

  • Richard Sills
    —

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[19][20][21][28][29]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.

  • Ben Ambrose
    Supports[5]

    Campaign website lists transitioning to clean energy sources and reducing carbon emissions among his priorities.

  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Raise the minimum wage

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[38]

    Voted no on Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582, 2019-07-18).

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    In their own words[8]
    “the national minimum wage remains at $7.25 / hr . The richest nation on earth tells us that they can't afford to guarantee more than poverty wages”

    In her 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey

  • Richard Sills
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[33]

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[28]

    Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[25]

    Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • John Moolenaar
    Recorded votes[31][32]

    Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Ben Ambrose
    —
  • Charlotte Magoon
    —
  • Richard Sills
    —

Research notes & limits

This is a safe Republican seat (R+15); research time focused on the two major-party candidates. No documented Moolenaar statement was found addressing immigration enforcement, tariffs, or other ISSUES topics beyond life and the Second Amendment on his official issues page. Biographical information for Moolenaar's challengers comes from Ballotpedia, news coverage and candidate surveys; Ambrose's campaign website could not be loaded.

Sources · 52

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.John Moolenaar · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Issues · Office of Rep. John Moolenaar Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Issues (page 2) · Office of Rep. John Moolenaar Candidate's own words
  5. 5.Ben Ambrose campaign website statement (July 29, 2026) · Ben Ambrose campaign website, via Ballotpedia · 2026-07-29 Candidate's own words
  6. 6.Moolenaar Votes Against COVID Credit Extension · Office of Rep. John Moolenaar · 2026-01-08 Official record
  7. 7.Priorities · Ambrose for Congress · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
  8. 8.Charlotte Magoon (2026 Candidate Connection survey) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
  9. 9.John Moolenaar · Ballotpedia Reference
  10. 10.Biography · Office of Rep. John Moolenaar Official record
  11. 11.John Moolenaar · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  12. 12.Ben Ambrose · Ballotpedia Reference
  13. 13.Michigan's 2nd District U.S. House election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  14. 14.H.R. 22, the SAVE Act (SAVE Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  15. 15.H.R. 7296, the SAVE America Act (SAVE America Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  16. 16.H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  17. 17.H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act (Life at Conception Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  20. 20.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-06-04 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: American Health Care Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-05-04 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  29. 29.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  30. 30.Roll call: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-20 Official record
  31. 31.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  32. 32.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  33. 33.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  34. 34.Roll call: Bipartisan Background Checks Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-02-27 Official record
  35. 35.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  36. 36.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  37. 37.Roll call: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-06 Official record
  38. 38.Roll call: Raise the Wage Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-07-18 Official record
  39. 39.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  40. 40.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  41. 41.Roll call: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-10-03 Official record
  42. 42.Ben Ambrose · Ballotpedia Reference
  43. 43.Veteran Ben Ambrose narrowly wins 2nd District Democratic primary · WCMU Public Media · 2026-08-05 News report
  44. 44.Meet the Democrats running in Michigan's 2nd Congressional District · 9&10 News · 2026-07-22 News report
  45. 45.About Ben Ambrose · Ben Ambrose for Congress Candidate's own words
  46. 46.U.S. House · Michigan's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report
  47. 47.United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  48. 48.Charlotte Magoon (2026 Candidate Connection survey) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
  49. 49.U.S. House · Michigan's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report
  50. 50.United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  51. 51.Richard Sills · Ballotpedia Reference
  52. 52.U.S. House · Michigan's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report