Slotkin, Elissa

Elissa Slotkin is a Democratic legislator from Michigan who first entered the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019. A third-generation Michigander raised on a family farm in Holly, she built a career in national security before entering politics. Following the September 11 attacks, she joined the Central Intelligence Agency as a Middle East analyst and served three tours in Iraq alongside the U.S. military. She later held senior roles in the White House and the Pentagon under both the Bush and Obama administrations, eventually serving as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.

In Congress, Slotkin has utilized her background to focus on defense, intelligence, and veterans' affairs. Her committee work spans critical areas including Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Agriculture. She has been a vocal advocate for strengthening domestic supply chains, particularly in the manufacturing and technology sectors, and has worked on bipartisan efforts to address environmental concerns like PFAS contamination in water supplies. Her legislative priorities also include lowering the cost of prescription drugs and protecting the Affordable Care Act, a mission she often links to her mother's personal struggle with healthcare access.

Slotkin is known for a pragmatic, mission-driven approach to policy, frequently emphasizing the importance of bipartisan cooperation on national security and economic issues. She has sponsored significant legislation aimed at maintaining public integrity in financial markets and establishing guardrails for artificial intelligence. Throughout her tenure, she has maintained a focus on the intersection of climate change and national security, advocating for the inclusion of environmental risks in long-term strategic planning.