PRESS RELEASE
Republican Officials Condemn GOP Ad Attacking the Hertel Family
Republicans’ latest ad crosses the line according to Hillegonds and Gaffney
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (Oct. 19, 2026) — Last week, in the race for Senate District 12, Republicans aired their latest ad targeting Sen. Kevin Hertel and his family. In response, Republicans who worked alongside the late Speaker Curtis Hertel Sr., Sen. Hertel’s father, condemned the ad for stooping to gutter politics.
“Curtis saw the House as a place to sit down, learn from the other side, work through our differences, and problem solve. His son has continued that legacy as a legislator who’s respected on both sides of the aisle for setting aside differences and getting problems solved for his community,” former Republican Speaker of the House Paul Hillegonds, who served alongside Hertel Sr. as co-Speaker of the House, said. “The latest ad from Republicans and Senator Hertel’s opponent is deeply disappointing. Campaigns should be about presenting a strong vision to voters, not attacking your opponent and his family’s dedication to serving our state.”
Throughout his time in the state legislature, Sen. Hertel has worked across the aisle to deliver meaningful solutions for his lakeshore community. Notably, he played a key role in passing the largest tax cut for working families in our state’s history and wrote legislation that would establish the strictest guardrails for data centers in the nation.
“Time and time again, Senator Hertel has shown that he’s willing to put people above politics, just like his father did,” former Republican Rep. Edward J. Gaffney said. “Campaigns should be about candidates presenting how they’ll solve problems for their community, not pushing hostile rhetoric about the other side. My party should be ashamed of itself for attacking the Senator’s family. This is especially true because of the Hertel family’s outstanding and long record of bipartisan public service.”
Sen. Hertel has built a reputation in the legislature as one of the most effective, bipartisan leaders. He has sponsored and passed more than 60 bills with bipartisan support, including bills to deliver nearly $100 million for water infrastructure projects to protect Lake St. Clair and secure the future of Selfridge Air Base. In his campaign for re-election, he’s been endorsed by local leaders on both sides of the aisle who cite his work to deliver results across party lines.
“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished for our lakeshore community, and I’m proud of my family’s work serving our state,” Sen. Hertel said. “From a young age, I’ve been inspired by my family’s legacy of public service. I remember sitting down for dinner with both Democrat and Republican families while my dad and his colleagues hammered out the details of legislation that helped Michiganders. In fact, the lessons I learned from my father is one reason why I’ve been able to deliver results for our district.”
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Sen. Hertel is serving his first term in the Michigan Senate, where he has been focused on putting aside political games, finding common ground, and delivering solutions for his lakeshore community. His district includes the communities of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Shores, Grosse Pointe Woods, Harper Woods, St. Clair Shores, Harrison Township, a part of Clinton Township, Mount Clemens, Chesterfield Township, New Baltimore, Ira Township, Clay Township, and Algonac.
To learn more about Kevin Hertel and his agenda to deliver results for Michigan families, visit KevinHertelForSenate.com.
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