LANSING, Mich. (NEWSnet/AP) — Hill Harper, an actor known for his roles on “CSI: NY” and “The Good Doctor,” announced Monday he is running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat and challenging U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin for the Democratic nomination.

Harper is the sixth Democratic candidate to enter the race for retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow's seat. In January, Stabenow announced she will not seek a fifth term in 2024.

Harper owns a house in Detroit and bought a coffee shop, Roasting Plant Coffee, in the city in 2017. In 2012, Harper was appointed to President Barack Obama's cancer panel in 2012. Harper himself is a survivor of the disease himself.

In an interview with The Associated Press before his announcement, Harper described himself as a small-business owner, a union member and an activist. He said that not being a “career politician” would serve as an advantage in Congress and that he plans to run a campaign “powered by the people, for the people.”

“It’s not about party. It’s about people feeling represented,” Harper said. “And being an independent voice in the U.S. Senate is something I believe Michiganders want right now.”

Harper faces a tough test in catching Slotkin in both fundraising and campaigning. Slotkin has raised $5.8 million in just over four months, according to her campaign, and $3.6 million of it remains unspent. She has been endorsed by fellow U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat who represents parts of suburban Detroit.

The field of Democratic candidates has grown in recent months. State Board of Education member Pamela Pugh, former state Rep. Leslie Love, businessman Nasser Beydoun and attorney Zack Burns have announced campaigns.

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