Tom Barrett — Michigan’s 7th Congressional District
Tom Barrett represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district includes all of Ingham, Clinton, Shiawassee and Livingston counties, most of Eaton County, and portions of Oakland and Genesee counties. Barrett is serving his first term in Congress after previously serving four years in the Michigan House and four years in the Michigan Senate.
From Military Service to Public Office
Barrett’s public biography is rooted heavily in military service. He served 22 years in the U.S. Army, including assignments in Iraq, Kuwait, Guantanamo Bay and the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and logged more than 1,000 hours flying helicopters. He later graduated with honors from Western Michigan University in 2007 using the Montgomery GI Bill. Barrett has said that difficulty he saw veterans face when returning to civilian life helped motivate his entry into public service.
The Priorities He Is Running On
Barrett’s campaign organizes its message around four themes it calls economic, neighborhood, national and border security. On the economy, he argues for lower taxes, reduced federal spending and trade policies intended to prioritize domestic workers and production. On public safety and national security, he emphasizes support for law enforcement, military readiness and stricter border enforcement. These are campaign positions and should be understood as Barrett’s stated agenda rather than independent findings by The Chronicle.
What He Has Focused On in Congress
During 2026, Barrett has promoted a broader policy framework he calls the Blueprint for a Better America. His congressional office has highlighted proposals dealing with government ethics and accountability, health-care affordability, housing, campaign finance and federal spending. Among the measures he has backed or introduced are proposals addressing congressional stock trading, judicial term limits, redistricting rules, health savings accounts, medical-price transparency and prescription-drug costs.
Veterans, Defense and Mid-Michigan
Barrett has also continued to put veterans and defense policy near the center of his public work. In July 2026, he supported the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, which included military pay increases and provisions tied to national defense priorities. His office has also promoted federal funding directed toward mid-Michigan infrastructure, research and health-care projects, including rural health-care modernization.
A First-Term Congressman Making His Case
Barrett’s pitch to voters combines his military background, experience in the Michigan Legislature and first-term congressional record. Supporters point to his emphasis on security, veterans, lower taxes and government reform, while voters may weigh those priorities alongside the broader policy differences in the 7th District race. The Chronicle will continue to distinguish paid candidate profiles from independent news coverage as the election season continues.
Paid for by Tom Barrett for Congress
Sources
Representative Tom Barrett — Biography: https://barrett.house.gov/about
Tom Barrett for Congress — Agenda and Issues: https://tombarrettforcongress.com/agenda and https://tombarrettforcongress.com/issues
Representative Tom Barrett — Blueprint for a Better America: https://barrett.house.gov/reform
Representative Tom Barrett — 2026 press releases and legislative updates: https://barrett.house.gov/media
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