Brenda Lawrence (née Lulenar; born October 18, 1954) is an American retired politician who served as the
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
from
Michigan's 14th congressional district from 2015 to 2023. A member of the
Democratic Party, Lawrence served as
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of
Southfield, Michigan
Southfield is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Southfield borders Detroit to the north, roughly northwest of downtown Downtown Detroit, Detroit. As of the 2020 Uni ...
, from 2001 to 2015, and was the party's nominee for
Oakland County executive
Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to:
Role or title
* Executive, a senior management role in an organization
** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators
** Executive dir ...
in 2008 and for
lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
in
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
. Her congressional district covered most of eastern
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, including downtown, and stretched west to take in portions of
Oakland County, including
Farmington Hills,
Pontiac, and Lawrence's home in Southfield.
Redrawn into the
12th district, Lawrence did not seek reelection in 2022, and retired from Congress upon her fourth term's expiration in 2023.
Early life and education
Lawrence grew up in Detroit's northeast side, on Lumpkin Street. She was raised by her grandparents after her mother died when she was three years old. She attended local schools, graduating from Detroit's
Pershing High School
John J. Pershing High School is a four-year public high school in Detroit, Michigan. It is in Conant Gardens in proximity to the residential areas[bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...]
in public administration from
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University (CMU) is a Public university, public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1892 as a private normal school and became a state institution in 1895. CMU is one of the eigh ...
.
Career
Lawrence had a 30-year career with the
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
, advancing to work in human resources.
In the early-1990s, as an active member of the
Parent-Teacher Association at her children's school, she sought and earned a seat on the Southfield Public Schools
Board of Education
A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution.
The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional area, ...
. She served as president, vice president, and secretary of the board.
Southfield politics
Lawrence got more deeply involved in local affairs. In 1997, she was elected to serve on Southfield's City Council,
and in 1999 she was elected council president.
In 2001, Lawrence defeated longtime incumbent Donald Fracassi for the mayor's office, becoming the city's first
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
and first female mayor.
She was reelected in 2005 without opposition. As mayor, she was invited by the
United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative United States congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives. The committee's broad jurisdiction and legislative authority make it one o ...
in 2008 to represent United States mayors in testimony about the mortgage crisis and its effect on American communities. She returned to Washington later that year to lobby Congress for a bridge loan for the
American auto industry
In the United States, the automotive industry began in the 1890s and, as a result of the size of the domestic market and the use of mass production, rapidly evolved into the largest in the world. The United States was the first country in t ...
.
Lawrence served as a Michigan delegate to the
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter (now the TD Garden) in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts for president and Senator John Edwards from North ...
. As a
superdelegate
In American politics, a superdelegate is a delegate to a presidential nominating convention who is seated automatically.
In Democratic National Conventions, superdelegates—described in formal party rules as the party leaders and electe ...
at the
2008 Democratic National Convention
The 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial United States presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform an ...
, she endorsed
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
for
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
in June 2008.
She successfully sought a third term as mayor in 2009, defeating former Councilwoman Sylvia Jordan with nearly 80 percent of the vote.
[Official Election Results Certified by the Southfield City Clerk] She was reelected to a fourth term unopposed in 2013.
Campaigns for higher office
2008 Oakland County Executive election
In May 2008, Lawrence announced her candidacy for Oakland County Executive. She was unopposed for the Democratic nomination to unseat the longtime
Republican incumbent,
L. Brooks Patterson. Patterson won reelection 58%-42%. Lawrence's challenge to the polarizing Patterson was identified as the strongest challenge he faced in his six elections for County Executive.
[Election Results Certified by the Oakland County Clerk](_blank)
2010 gubernatorial election
Lansing Mayor
Virg Bernero named Lawrence as his running mate in his bid for
governor of Michigan
The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...
. She was formally nominated as the Democratic candidate for
lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
at the
Michigan Democratic Party convention in August 2010. They campaigned around the state promoting a "Main Street Agenda" with emphasis on their shared backgrounds as mayors.
As with the national election results, the 2010 general election in Michigan saw strong turnout and enthusiasm by Republican voters. Political pundits attributed the losses by Democrats, in part, to voter reaction to President Obama and term-limited Democratic Governor
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is an American politician who was the 16th United States secretary of energy from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she previously served as the 47t ...
. The Democratic gubernatorial ticket lost to Republican nominees
Rick Snyder
Richard Dale Snyder (born August 19, 1958) is an American business executive, venture capitalist, attorney, accountant, and politician who served as the 48th governor of Michigan from 2011 to 2019. Snyder, who was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, ...
, a businessman, and
Brian Calley, a State Representative, 58%-40%. No statewide Democratic candidates were successful in 2010.
2012 congressional election
In late 2011, Lawrence announced she would be running in the newly redrawn
14th congressional district. The district had previously been the 13th, represented by freshman Democrat
Hansen Clarke. It was redrawn to take in a large slice of Oakland County, including Southfield. Clarke's home in Detroit was drawn into the neighboring 13th district, but he opted to follow most of his constituents into the 14th.
In the Democratic primary, the real contest in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district, Lawrence faced incumbent representatives Clarke and
Gary Peters
Gary Charles Peters (born December 1, 1958) is an American lawyer, politician, and former military officer serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Michigan, a seat he has hel ...
, both of whom lived outside the district, and former State Representative Mary D. Waters. Peters won with 47%, to Clarke's 35%, Lawrence's 13%, and Waters's 3%. Peters went on to win the general election.
2014 congressional election
In May 2013, Peters announced that he would not be running for reelection in 2014. He instead
ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin (June 28, 1934 – July 29, 2021) was an American attorney and politician who served as a List of United States senators from Michigan, United States senator from Michigan from 1979 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party (U ...
. On January 23, 2014, Lawrence announced that she would run for the 14th district for the second time.
Lawrence was the first candidate to submit signatures to the state in order to be on the August primary ballot, doing so in March. Other candidates that filed for the Democratic nomination were former Congressman Hansen Clarke of Detroit, State Representative Rudy Hobbs of Southfield and teacher Burgess D. Foster of Detroit.
During the course of the campaign's contribution reporting, Hobbs raised a total of $607,806, Lawrence $383,649 and Clarke $173,124; Burgess reported no contributions to the Federal Election Commission, indicating that he raised or spent less than $5,000. Michigan Congressman Sander Levin's Political Action Committee, GOALPAC, also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to help elect Hobbs, who was previously employed on Levin's congressional staff.
Lawrence won the Democratic Party nomination on August 5, 2014, with 36% of the vote to Hobbs's 32%, Clarke's 31% and Foster's 1%. She took the most votes in Oakland County, carrying Southfield, Pontiac and Oak Park, as well as Royal Oak Township. Although it was expected that Clarke would convincingly win the portion of Detroit within the district, where he lives and had previously held public office, Lawrence was competitive in the city and won more votes than all other candidates from voters who cast their ballot on Election Day in Detroit.
As the Democratic nominee for Congress, she faced Republican nominee Christina Conyers of Detroit in the November general election. But Conyers withdrew from the race and Christina Barr of Pontiac was chosen as the Republican nominee. The district has a history of voting heavily for Democratic candidates. Also facing off against Lawrence in the November election was Libertarian Party nominee Leonard Schwartz of Oak Park and Green Party nominee Stephen Boyle of Detroit. Lawrence won with 78% of the vote, Barr took 20%, Schwartz 1% and Boyle 1%.
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
*
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative United States congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives. The committee's broad jurisdiction and legislative authority make it one o ...
**
Subcommittee on Government Operations
*
United States House Appropriations Committee
**
Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development
**
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
**
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
Caucus memberships
*
New Democrat Coalition
The New Democrat Coalition is a caucus in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress made up of Democrats, primarily liberals and centrists, who take a pro-business stance and a liberal-to-moderate approach to fiscal matte ...
*
Congressional Progressive Caucus
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is a congressional caucus affiliated with the Democratic Party in the United States Congress. The CPC represents the progressive faction of the Democratic Party. " e Congressional Progressive Caucus, ...
*
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is made up of Black members of the United States Congress. Representative Yvette Clarke from New York, the current chairperson, succeeded Steven Horsford from Nevada in 2025. Although most members belong ...
*
Congressional Arts Caucus
* Congressional Former Mayors' Caucus
*
Medicare for All Caucus
Retirement
During the 2022 redistricting cycle, Lawrence's 14th district was eliminated as Detroit's congressional districts were radically reshuffled.
While redistricting did create an open, heavily Democratic
13th district, the reshuffle combined with several deaths in Lawrence's family led to speculation that Lawrence would opt not to seek reelection.
[ On January 4, 2022, Lawrence announced that she would retire, becoming the 25th Democrat to do so that cycle.
]
Personal life
Lawrence was married to McArthur Lawrence prior to his death in 2023. They were high school sweethearts, having met outside the Midway Market corner store where he worked on Detroit's east side. They bought their first home on Detroit's northwest side. They had two children and a granddaughter.
Professionally, Lawrence worked for the federal government for 30 years in the United States Postal Service. She started as a letter carrier and later worked in human resources management; she retired in 2008. Lawrence's husband is a United Auto Workers
The United Auto Workers (UAW), fully named International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and sou ...
retiree from Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
.
Electoral history
*2016 Election for Congress, Michigan 14
*2014 Election for Congress, Michigan 14
*2014 Democratic primary for Congress, Michigan 14
*2013 Election for Mayor of Southfield
*2012 Democratic primary for Congress, Michigan 14
*2010 Election for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
*2009 Election for Mayor of Southfield
*2008 Election for Oakland County Executive
*2005 Election for Mayor of Southfield
*2001 Election for Mayor of Southfield
See also
* List of African-American United States representatives
* Women in the United States House of Representatives
References
External links
Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence
official U.S. House website
Brenda Lawrence for Congress
campaign website
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence, Brenda L.
1954 births
20th-century African-American politicians
20th-century African-American women politicians
20th-century American women politicians
21st-century African-American politicians
21st-century African-American women politicians
21st-century American women politicians
African-American mayors in Michigan
African-American members of the United States House of Representatives
African-American people in Michigan politics
African-American women mayors
Central Michigan University alumni
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
Female members of the United States House of Representatives
Living people
Mayors of places in Michigan
People from Southfield, Michigan
Pershing High School alumni
Politicians from Detroit
School board members in Michigan
Women mayors of places in Michigan
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
20th-century Michigan politicians