WASHINGTON ― A retired Navy SEAL and former military aide to President Barack Obama is taking steps to run for Congress as a Democrat in the toss-up mid-Michigan district held by freshman Republican Rep. Tom Barrett.
Matt Maasdam, 50, of Ann Arbor graduated from the University of Michigan, deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and the Pacific as a SEAL and later served as Obama's military aide at the White House, responsible for carrying the "nuclear football" for the president in 2010, according to his bio.
Maasdam is now having conversations with stakeholders including elected officials and voters in Michigan's 7th District, which is among the most competitive swing districts nationally, as he considers a run, according to a Democratic source familiar with his efforts.
He's also met with national Democratic strategists in Washington, D.C., including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC, an independent group aligned with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, and with representatives with veteran or service backgrounds.
Maasdam is being advised by Emma Grundhauser, who managed Slotkin's 2022 House campaign and was her deputy campaign manager for her Senate race last year.
"Matt has deep roots in Michigan and a remarkable record of service in the military as a Navy SEAL and at the White House under President Obama," said Austin Cook, a former Slotkin adviser. "In a district like the 7th, his biography is as strong as you could hope for."
National Democrats and Republicans both are targeting the 7th in the 2026 midterm elections, with Democrats aiming to flip control of the seat. A veteran candidate like Maasdam could be an attractive counterweight to Barrett, a veteran who served in Iraq and previously served as a state lawmaker.
Barrett, a former Army helicopter pilot, had a strong fundraising quarter in the first three months of the year, bringing in over $900,000 during the first quarter. He defeated Democrat Curtis Hertel last fall by 3.7 percentage points when the seat was open because Slotkin ran for the Senate.
"In his first four months in office, Congressman Barrett has already established himself as a bipartisan leader who is getting things done. He's already had two bipartisan bills pass the House, successfully reopened a Social Security office which had been closed to residents for most of the year, helped secure the release two Michiganders imprisoned in Mexico over a timeshare dispute, and brought the VA Secretary to visit two key VA hospitals that service 7th District veterans," said Jason Cabel Roe, an adviser to Barrett.
"He's working hard for his constituents, and we are confident his record will earn him reelection in 2026."
Other possible Democratic contenders floated for the 7th include Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, and former House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski. Both Lasinski and Maasdam live outside the district.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink is reportedly also preparing to run for Congress in the 7th, according to reporting late Wednesday by the Inside Elections newsletter.
Maasdam received his bachelor's degree from UM in 1997 and a master's of public administration from Harvard Kennedy School in 2008.
As part of SEAL Team Three in Iraq, Maasdam was the agent in charge of security for the Iraqi vice president, according to his bio.
He became the lead instructor for "Hell Week" at SEAL training, and represented the U.S. Special Operations Command at the National Counterterrorism Center, focused on strategic planning against Al-Qaida.
He retired from the military as a commander in the U.S. Navy after 14 years and went into the private sector as an executive at Under Armour, heading e-commerce operations and serving as chief of staff for a 2,000-person team, according to his bio, before launching apparel and outdoor product companies.
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