'The Good Doctor' actor Hill Harper enters Senate race in Michigan
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Actor Hill Harper announced his bid July 10 to represent Michigan as a Democrat in the United States Senate.
"We can all feel it: D.C just isn’t getting things done for people," he wrote in his announcement tweet.
"We need representatives who’ll take on special interests, get money out of politics, and make our government work for all of us. That’s why today, I’m announcing my campaign for U.S. Senate in Michigan!"
The "Good Doctor" actor, 57, graduated from Brown University, attended Harvard Law School and currently lives in Detroit.
In the announcement, Harper, who is also known for his role on "CSI: NY," included a video he says he recorded for his son, Pierce.
In the video, he said he knows this journey will be hard for Pierce, but the 12-year-old is also the reason why he's running.
We can all feel it: D.C just isn’t getting things done for people.
We need representatives who'll take on special interests, get money out of politics, and make our government work for all of us.
That’s why today, I’m announcing my campaign for U.S. Senate in Michigan! ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/lv11ncDcsK— Hill Harper (@hillharper) July 10, 2023
"Dear Pierce, I'm recording this video for you because I'm about to make a big announcement and it's going to be tough for us," Harper says in the video.
"Now I'm not going to be able to tuck you in every night or do our nighttime prayer together, but these are sacrifices so many hard working families have to make every single day," Harper continues.
In the video, Harper lists his qualifications, saying he started a non-profit, owned a small business in Detroit, beat cancer and served on former President Barack Obama's cancer panel, and is a best-selling author.
"But for me, adopting you is the greatest thing I've done in my life," he said, later adding that conversations with his son about guns contributed to launching a campaign.
"When you told me that you were afraid to go to school because of shootings, that's not freedom ... Every child in every neighborhood in every town across Michigan deserves the freedom to flourish," Harper says.
"I love you son and I hope to make you proud," Harper says.
The Senate seat is up for grabs since its current occupant, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, said in January that she will not seek a fifth term in 2024. Harper is the sixth person to vie for the opening.
His main competitor is expected to be current U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who represents Michigan's 7th district, according to the Associated Press.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
