Karen Whitsett
Michigan State Representative, District 4 since 2018. Did not run for re-election in 2026; leaves office in January 2027.
- In office
- 7 yrs
- Since 2018
- Bills became law
- 0
- 1 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 0%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +74.2
- Won 2022
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Homeland Security and Foreign Influence · alternate
- Oversight · alternate
- Public Health and Food Security · alternate
- State and Local Public Assistance Programs · alternate
- Weaponization of State Government · alternate
- Health Policy
- Insurance
- Legislative Council
- Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses
- Regulatory Reform
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Children: health · Introduced Sep 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Whitsett sits in the Michigan House of Representatives
Whitsett is closer to the center than 51% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Nancy Jenkins-Arno, Rylee Linting, Steve Frisbie
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:53 PM ET
With Whitsett’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats0%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills67%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Whitsett’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Whitsett | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2025 | HB 4122: Food: cottage food operation; certain requirements for cottage food operations and… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 101–7 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | HB 4183: Transportation: motor fuel tax; motor fuel tax; increase and expand applicability. Amends… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 62–46 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | HB 4187: Individual income tax: revenue distributions; distribution and use of renew Michigan fund… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 63–45 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | HB 4182: Use tax: exemptions; motor fuel sales; exempt. Amends sec. 21 of 1937 PA 94 (MCL 205.111)… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 65–43 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | HB 4181: Streamline sales and use tax: exemptions; tax on motor fuel; exclude. Amends secs. 3 & 5… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 65–43 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Whitsett was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 4 | Won | — |
| 2022 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 4 | Won | D+74.2 |
| 2020 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 9 | Won | D+88.4 |
| 2018 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 9 | Won | D+90.3 |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Whitsett has held
- Michigan House of Representatives, District 4 · since 2022
- Michigan House of Representatives, District 9 · since 2018
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Whitsett has run against
- Tonya Renay Wells (R) · 2022 general, won
- James Stephens (R) · 2020 general, won
- James Stephens (R) · 2018 general, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Whitsett
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/1b71cbce-bf12-4009-b1cd-79da2f22b9aa
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET