The Downriver native will be the youngest Senate Majority Leader in the country, and first Latino to lead the chamber in Michigan
LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 5, 2026) – Sen. Darrin Quiroz Camilleri (D-Trenton) will serve as the Michigan Senate’s next Majority Leader following a vote today where Senate Democrats elected their caucus leadership for the four-year term beginning in January.
“I’m honored that my colleagues have chosen me to lead our caucus through the next four years,” said Sen. Camilleri. “Voters sent a clear message on Tuesday. They are fed up with the kind of politics that has repeatedly ignored the needs of working-class families. They want leaders who are ready to take the gloves off and actually fight to lower costs and deliver on their promises. I’m incredibly proud of our record as Senate Democrats, but we have a lot of work left to do to make life better for people here in Michigan. In January, Democrats will have a trifecta in Lansing, and with our expanded Senate majority we’ll be ready to get to work on day one to deliver for the people of Michigan and make Michigan affordable for our families.”
Sen. Camilleri, a former teacher, first ran for state House in 2016, becoming the youngest Latino and first-ever Maltese-American state legislator. He was elected to the Senate in 2022, where he has served as Assistant Majority Leader and chair of the preK-12 school aid budget committee. The son of an immigrant from Malta and a Mexican American from Michigan, Camilleri will be the second-youngest Senate Majority Leader in state history and the first Latino and Maltese American to hold the office. He will also be the first Majority Leader from Wayne County in over 40 years. He will succeed Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, the first woman to serve in the role.
“This is an incredibly profound, energizing moment for our state, and it is my true honor to pass the torch to a battle-tested leader like Darrin,” said Senate Majority Leader and Lieutenant Governor-elect Winnie Brinks. “Darrin is an effective coalition builder, respected by his colleagues, and most importantly, a devoted champion for the people. Our trifecta will accomplish great things, and I cannot wait to see how Darrin and the expanded Senate Democratic majority will harness the momentum of this election to improve life for all Michiganders”
