Slotkin, Elissa

Elissa Slotkin is the junior senator from Michigan and a Democrat who took office in January 2025 after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in a close race. As ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, she leads the Democratic opposition on issues including special operations, intelligence, counterterrorism, and weapons of mass destruction. She also serves as ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee's Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety Subcommittee, and holds memberships on the Homeland Security and Veterans' Affairs committees.

Slotkin brings deep national security expertise to her committee roles. She spent her career as a CIA analyst and Department of Defense official, serving three tours in Iraq and holding senior positions at the Pentagon and White House under both Republican and Democratic administrations. She was nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Her background in Middle East policy and intelligence analysis directly informs her work on emerging threats and military readiness.

In her first year in the Senate, Slotkin has been active in committee oversight. She led a letter with other Armed Services Committee members demanding answers from the Secretary of Defense regarding the dismissal of Judge Advocate General officers, pressing for legal justification and documentation of the decision-making process. She has sponsored legislation focused on national security priorities, including bills on Arctic readiness and strategic materials procurement.

Slotkin is described as a moderate Democrat who has been ranked among the most bipartisan members of Congress. She represents a shift toward national security-focused leadership in the Senate Democratic caucus, bringing her experience as a career civil servant who worked across administrations to her legislative priorities of strengthening the middle class, supporting manufacturing, and maintaining American security.