Hill Harper, known for his iconic roles from movies to television, has made a significant leap from Hollywood to politics by running for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. As the Democratic primary approaches on August 6, with early voting already underway, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin has dominated fundraising and has aired several TV ads. Despite this, Harper is banking on the power of the people rather than big money, having even turned down substantial financial support.

Last year, Harper revealed that a donor offered him $20 million in campaign support if he dropped his Senate bid and instead challenged Rep. Rashida Tlaib in a primary. Harper declined the offer, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to declare, "I won't be bossed, bullied, or bought."

Harper’s refusal to accept the $20 million underscores his commitment to running a campaign not influenced by big money or special interests. As he continues his campaign, Harper remains focused on engaging with voters and promoting his message of empowerment and change. If he wins the primary and the general election, he will be the first Black American to be U.S. Senator of Michigan. 

In an exclusive interview, Harper shared his thoughts as the primary day approaches. "I feel great," Harper said, emphasizing the importance of turnout. "There's no question that we have the most supporters. The question is, can we convert those supporters to actually show up and vote? And that's the real challenge in a primary."

Harper has been actively engaging with voters, releasing a political anthem, "Own Your Vote," produced by Helluva, known for working with artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Big Sean. Harper explained, "A lot of people say, 'You know, listen, man, my vote doesn't matter.' And they've given away their power. I want people to own their power. When I say 'own it' or 'own your vote,' it's really about owning your own power."

Harper also differentiates himself from his primary opponent, Rep. Slotkin, by emphasizing their distinct lived experiences, despite both being Democrats. "She's only worked in the government, and she's a career politician. I am not that in any way," Harper said. He pointed to his background as a cancer survivor, a union member, and his various roles in community empowerment as evidence of his unique perspective.

On Slotkin's voting record, Harper said, "She made a vote to not call on the State Department to study and confirm the Gaza Health Ministry's records on injuries and death toll in Gaza. I would never make that vote. She didn't co-sponsor the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Medicare for All, or the Green New Deal. These are massive issues for me."

Harper's campaign does not take corporate PAC money or major special interest PAC money, aiming to represent people over political entities. His commitment to ending Citizens United and reducing money's political influence is central to his campaign. "Money is speech, corporations are people, and we're going to allow corporate entities and big donors to participate with unfettered, unlimited dark money in politics. And it's literally changing how people are represented."

When asked about his motivation for running, Harper shared, "So many people are hurting, and it's pretty clear to most people that the federal government, the body that's supposed to be protecting them, is not. Good people, common sense people, people who are going to start running for office to represent the average American have to start running for office again."

As primary day approaches, Harper is focused on voter education and turnout. "With turnout, we win. High turnout will win, low turnout will lose. Let's just be honest. And so that's what this is. Please help us turn out voters!"

For those interested in supporting Hill Harper's campaign, he stressed the importance of donations to fund voter engagement efforts. "Every dollar makes a difference that comes in at hillharper.com. We can repurpose literally the next day by doing voter engagement."

Harper concluded with a message of unity and determination: "The first three words of the Michigan constitution, the first three words of the U.S. constitution are exactly the same. We, the people. It doesn't say we, the super PAC. It doesn't say we the political party. It says we the people. And I'm running to represent people."

As Harper's campaign approaches the primary, his message is clear: turnout is everything, and with the people's support, he believes he can bring meaningful change to Michigan and beyond.

Clay Cane is a SiriusXM radio host and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans From the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump.