Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow defends California voting after move, says ‘moving takes time’
McMorrow said 'moving takes time' and that her two-year transition between states justified her California vote
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow defended her past voting record and deleted social media posts and prior statements during a Sunday appearance on CNN’s "Inside Politics," responding to scrutiny that has emerged in the 2026 Democratic primary for a key battleground U.S. Senate seat.
"Moving takes time," McMorrow said, defending why she voted in California after saying she had relocated to Michigan.
Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow addresses questions about voting in California after announcing her move to Michigan. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The interview followed criticism from Rep. Haley Stevens, one of McMorrow’s primary opponents, who argued the deleted posts and past comments could hurt Democrats in the general election.
"I thought it was a little tacky, and I think that it dovetails from things that we saw Mallory McMorrow say last year," Stevens said. "It strikes me as very out of touch with what our state is all about."
McMorrow responded by emphasizing her personal background and rejecting claims that she is disconnected from voters.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I tweeted normal things like a normal person, and people are desperate for authenticity," McMorrow said.
The controversy stems from a report that uncovered roughly 6,000 deleted tweets, along with past statements about rural America, manufacturing jobs and her residency timeline between California and Michigan.
Rep. Haley Stevens criticized McMorrow’s past social media posts as "out of touch" with Michigan voters. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We decided to move to Michigan in 2014," McMorrow said. "Like a lot of millennials, moving takes time. It was a two-year process to finally settle in Michigan."
When pressed on whether she should have voted in California’s 2016 primary, McMorrow pointed to her transitional living situation.
"We still had our place out in Southern California, and as I mentioned, we had multiple jobs," McMorrow said. "Moving is ugly."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The issue drew additional attention because of McMorrow’s past criticism of another voter over residency rules.
Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow responds to scrutiny over deleted tweets and defends her background in the auto industry. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)
"Yeah, absolutely," McMorrow said when asked if she still believed it was illegal to vote in a state after moving. "If you are doing that intentionally after moving permanently to a place that is illegal."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}McMorrow also acknowledged inconsistencies in how she previously described her move from California to Michigan.
"We made the decision to permanently relocate, but it does take time," McMorrow said. "Could have worded it a little bit differently."
Stevens argued the broader pattern could present challenges in a competitive race.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat from Michigan, said people were desperate for authenticity. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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"Why litigate that in a general election when we know we're in a swing state," Stevens said.
McMorrow further addressed criticism over past comments about rural America and the auto industry, framing them as part of broader discussions rather than policy discussions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think we all need to understand each other better," McMorrow said. "Trump has succeeded in weaponizing us against each other."
On her decision to delete thousands of tweets, McMorrow said it was part of a broader cleanup.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It’s cleaning up social media, which I think is something that everybody should stop now and then," McMorrow said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mallory McMorrow for comment, but did not immediately hear back.