Michigan Dem Scholten wins U.S. House race over Trump loyalist
TRAVERSE CITY >> Hillary Scholten will become the first Democrat since the mid1970s to represent Michigan’s second-largest city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. House after winning a seat vacated by a Republican who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump.
Scholten defeated GOP nominee John Gibbs in Tuesday’s election. Gibbs had ousted first-term Rep. Peter Meijer in the August GOP primary, criticizing the incumbent for being one of 10 House Republicans supporting Trump’s ouster after the 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
An independent commission reconfigured Michigan’s congressional district map following the 2020 census, producing a number of competitive races.
Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Dan Kildee fended off Republican challenges, while Republican John James narrowly prevailed in Michigan’s newly crafted 10th District, which includes portions of Detroit metro counties Macomb and Oakland.
James, a businessman and previous Senate nominee, led Democrat Carl Marlinga by about 1,600 votes with 99% counted. Marlinga, a former prosecutor and retired judge, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had conceded and would not seek a recount.
Other Michigan incumbents won reelection, including Republican Reps. Jack Bergman, Tim Walberg, John Moolenaar, Bill Huizenga, Jack Bergman and Lisa McClain; and Democrats Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens and Rashida Tlaib. State Rep. Shri Thanedar, a Democrat, was elected to an open seat representing part of Detroit.
Scholten is an immigration attorney whose district is anchored by Grand Rapids, long a GOP stronghold once represented by former President Gerald Ford. The addition of Democratic-leaning Muskegon to the modified district boosted Scholten’s prospects.
Gibbs, who held several positions in the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Trump and won his endorsement, described himself as staunchly conservative, opposing abortion rights and favoring a border wall.
He questioned the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, posted conspiracy theories on social media and drew criticism for hosting a website as a college student that contended women shouldn’t vote or work outside the home. He recently described the site as an “over-the-top” effort to provoke liberals.
Scholten, who worked in the Department of Justice during the Obama administration and for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, emphasized preserving abortion rights and reducing health care costs.