WASHINGTON — Former Republican Michigan U.S. Rep. Dave Trott is considering another bid for Congress in the Detroit suburbs, but this time as a Democrat or an independent candidate after leaving the GOP and labeling President Donald Trump a threat to democracy.

Trott, 64, of Birmingham, is eyeing Michigan's 11th District that covers parts of Oakland County, and that is a redrawn version of the 11th District that he represented in Congress from 2015-19. The seat is open because U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham ― who succeeded Trott in the House ― is running for U.S. Senate.

"I was surprised that Haley is running for the Senate. I think she should be a great candidate, and I think she's the kind of person we need," Trott told The Detroit News.

"I'm not sure who all is looking at Michigan 11, but I find it increasingly difficult to just sit back and watch what's happening to our country. So it certainly has given me some things to think about."

Trott said he's taken no formal steps toward a campaign and has no set timeline for making a decision.

Since leaving Congress, the former foreclosure attorney splits his time between Florida and Michigan, where he still owns with a partner 16 legal newspapers in Michigan, commercial real estate properties and is chairman of ATA National, a national title insurance company. Before his time in elected office, Trott was a major Republican donor.

"I've got a lot of work to do if I'm going to get serious about it," Trott told The News. "I have to do some polling, and I would not be running as a Republican, so I have to figure out how that would resonate with the voters and certainly have a lot of discussions with my family before I did anything."

Trott has left the Republican Party, saying it's become a cult. He endorsed President Joe Biden in 2020 and 2024 and then Vice President Kamala Harris after she took over the 2024 Democratic ticket. He co-chaired the Republicans for Harris Coalition and campaigned for her in Pennsylvania last fall.

"I'm not a MAGA believer, and I think Donald Trump is a singular threat to our democracy," Trott said. "I think he's just unfit to be president. I said that back in 2019; I believe it's even more true today."

Part of Trott's desire to run is that he wants to see more representatives approach the job with a bipartisan, problem-solving mentality. He doesn't see this happening if a contender like progressive former Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township, were to be reelected. Levin has said he's being urged to run in the 11th District.

Trott sees some appeal in running as an independent, as many voters say they no longer identify with either of the two major parties. He called Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's independent candidacy for governor "very interesting."

"I'm not interested in just running just to make a point, although I have a lot of things I want to say. ... We need to solve problems, and Trump is not doing anything in a bipartisan fashion. And so I would try and bring some common-sense solutions and solve problems," Trott said.

"It takes 217 other people to cooperate to accomplish that ― forgetting about the Senate for the moment ― but at least I would be one of the people saying, 'Well, I can't take extreme positions because that doesn't lead to solutions.'"

The 11th District was competitive when Trott held it. But since redistricting, it has leaned heavily to the Democrats, with Stevens winning reelection last fall by nearly 19 percentage points.

Trott's history of giving to and voting with Republicans in Congress is a public record that opponents would likely highlight if he were to run as an independent or Democrat. Vance Patrick, chair of the Oakland County Republican Party, said running for Congress isn't like running for a nonpartisan school board post.

"I think the Democrat Party is going to see through that and say you're just a carpetbagger coming in here just to win a seat when you really have no affiliation with the party you are claiming to represent now," Patrick said.

"I would say, in all truthfulness, there's better Democrats that will be running for that seat."

No Republicans have raised their hands to run in the 11th District or expressed interest in the seat yet, he said.

Former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence of Southfield, who now chairs the Oakland County Democratic Party, was shocked to learn that Trott is exploring a run, calling him a "great guy." She noted that while he'd have difficulties running as an independent, the wealthy businessman could always self-fund a campaign.

"David Trott is a person who, even when he was wearing that R hat, was reasonable and was in Congress for the right reason," said Lawrence, who served with Trott in the House.

"He and I haven’t spoken recently, and I’d love to talk to him. But I know that there’s other Democrats lining up to run."

So far, only one candidate has declared a bid for U.S. House in the 11th District, Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Moss of Southfield. Other Democrats eyeing the seat include Oakland County Commission Chair Dave Woodward and Levin.

Other names floated as potential contenders include Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, state Sen. Rosemary Bayer of West Bloomfield Township and Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel, a former state representative who is running for Congress next door in the 10th District.

Trott was elected to office in 2015 after clinching the general election and turning away his predecessor, former Republican U.S. Rep. Kerry Bentivolio of Milford, by nearly 33 percentage points in the 2014 Republican primary.

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