Candidates in the highly competitive congressional race for Michigan’s 8th district are focusing on a range of issues, but there are two areas of agreement: tax cuts and healthcare costs. The race features Democratic State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican Paul Junge, as incumbent Democrat Dan Kildee is retiring for personal reasons.
Junge, a criminal prosecutor and former employee of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Trump administration, has centered his message around job growth, tax cuts, border security, crime prevention, and lowering healthcare prices. He believes in an “all of the above” approach to energy, encouraging private sector innovation in renewable energy sources rather than relying on government mandates. Junge has also pledged to protect Social Security and Medicare, similar to his opponent.
In the previous election in 2022, Junge ran against Kildee and lost. However, the new district maps, which include more conservative-leaning areas, have made the race a toss-up according to Cook Political Report. It is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the nation.
Rivet, endorsed by Kildee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, is campaigning on job creation, tax cuts, affordability in areas like healthcare and childcare, and abortion access. She aims to make life easier for working families by lowering costs, creating well-paying jobs, and pushing back against extremists. Rivet has a track record of supporting working families through her work in the state Senate, including efforts to lower prescription drug costs and passing significant tax cuts. She also repealed Michigan’s extreme abortion ban.
As a state senator, Rivet co-sponsored bills that aimed to lower prescription drug costs, increase childcare affordability, expand voting options, mandate background checks for gun purchasers, and require non-union members to pay agency fees. She has faced criticism for introducing a bill that prohibits schools from using teacher performance evaluations for tenure or termination-based decisions. However, she has also gained praise for introducing legislation that expands retirement plan options for corrections officers.
Rivet supports immigration reform that includes making the legal immigration process easier and working towards a federal law that reinstates Roe v. Wade-era abortion regulations. She has received endorsements from organizations such as Planned Parenthood, EMILYs List, and multiple labor unions.
The National Republican Congressional Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are both targeting Michigan’s 8th district seat, as Republicans hope to flip the seat. The outcome of this race will be closely watched as it could have significant implications for the balance of power in Congress.
