37th Senate District 2026: Sen. John Damoose and Kate Gallup split on Proposal 2, Line 5 and school money across northern Michigan

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Voters across a broad stretch of northern Michigan will choose on Nov. 3 between Republican Sen. John Damoose of Harbor Springs, who is seeking a second term in the state Senate, and Democrat Kate Gallup, a Leelanau County teacher and artist.

The 37th District is one of the largest in the Senate. It covers Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Cheboygan counties and parts of Chippewa and Mackinac counties in the eastern Upper Peninsula, including the Straits of Mackinac, according to 9&10 News and The Ticker.

Damoose, 54, won the seat in 2022 with 55% of the vote after two years in the state House, 9&10 News reported. Gallup, 40, is a Traverse City native who lives in Cedar. She trained as an engineer at the University of Michigan, worked as a federal patent examiner and now teaches and sells art through her family’s gallery in Maple City, The Ticker reported. Damoose holds more than a 3-to-1 fundraising edge, according to The Ticker.

Campaign money and Proposal 2. The sharpest contrast is over Proposal 2, the statewide ballot question that would bar regulated utilities, large state contractors and some others from giving to political campaigns. Gallup worked on the petition drive and says she takes no utility or corporate money. Damoose opposes it. He told The Ticker the measure would leave union and out-of-state “dark money” untouched: “If you’re going to get money out of politics, then get money out of politics – this does not do that.” He also said that without donors, only wealthy people could afford to run.

Schools. Gallup says Michigan schools are underfunded by $4.5 billion and wants the per-pupil foundation allowance raised to $14,000, roughly a third higher than today, according to The Ticker. Damoose says the problem is results, not dollars. He points to Michigan’s low national rankings in reading and argues the state should not have dropped the third-grade reading law and A-to-F school grades. “The bottom line is when you’re 43rd or 44th in the country in education, you don’t have the right to get rid of standards,” he told The Ticker.

Health care. Gallup supports “MiCare,” a proposal for state-run health coverage for all residents. Damoose calls that unrealistic for a state senator and points instead to a licensing compact that lets doctors licensed elsewhere practice in Michigan and to $13 million he says he secured for northern Michigan mental health services.

Line 5. The Enbridge pipeline crosses the Straits inside the district. Damoose backs building the proposed tunnel and says the line is critical for energy, especially in the U.P. Gallup sides with tribes calling for a shutdown and says alternatives exist.

Where they agree. Both list affordability and housing as top concerns, and both are wary of data centers. Damoose told 9&10 News he favors a pause, with no state incentives until communities reach a consensus. Gallup backs a temporary moratorium while guardrails are written. Damoose also backs local control over short-term rentals, which he says have hollowed out year-round housing in his own town.

What it means for voters. All 38 state Senate seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot, and the winner here serves a four-year term.

Michigan’s deadline to register online or by mail was Oct. 19; you can still register in person at your city or township clerk’s office with proof of residency through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Early voting runs Saturday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 1; check your clerk for local sites and hours. Absentee ballot applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, by mail or online, and in person by 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. County canvasses must finish by Nov. 17, and the Board of State Canvassers certifies by Nov. 23.

Sources:
The Ticker, “Gallup, Damoose Face Off in 37th Senate Race,” Oct. 23, 2026 (backgrounds, fundraising edge, Proposal 2, schools, MiCare, Line 5, data centers, district counties), https://www.traverseticker.com/news/damoose-gallup-face-off-in-37th-senate-race/
9&10 News, “Meet the candidates in Michigan’s 37th Senate District,” Oct. 2, 2026, updated Oct. 13 (2022 result, interviews on economy, housing, health care, education, data centers), https://www.9and10news.com/2026/10/02/meet-the-candidates-in-michigans-37th-senate-district/
Ballotpedia, “Michigan State Senate District 37” (general election candidates, cross-check), https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_State_Senate_District_37
Michigan Department of State, Elections (registration, early voting and absentee rules), https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections
Photo: Antony-22, “Michigan Senate Chamber 2025e.jpg,” July 21, 2025, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan_Senate_Chamber_2025e.jpg

Up North · Election 2026 coverage

Tags: Up North · Election 2026 · State Senate · John Damoose · Proposal 2 · Line 5