Michigan, a key Midwestern swing state, held highly-watched primaries on Tuesday. Polls in most of the state closed at 8 p.m. ET.
The races and the stakes:
Governor
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is seeking a second term, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and former conservative media personality Tudor Dixon won the Republican gubernatorial primary.
The GOP primary saw its share of tumult over the past year after former Detroit police chief James Craig — who had long been viewed as a frontrunner in the race — was disqualified from the ballot. Like Craig, four other candidates were also removed from the ballot after multiple forged signatures were found on the nominating petitions that candidates are required to submit to run for office in Michigan.
The result? Five lesser-known candidates were on the ballot in one of the nation’s most competitive swing states, as the GOP seeks to unseat Whitmer, who was roundly criticized by conservatives for enacting COVID-19 restrictions earlier in the pandemic than other states.
In addition to Dixon, GOP candidates who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot included pastor Ralph Rebandt; real estate broker Ryan Kelley; businessman Kevin Rinke; and chiropractor Garrett Soldano.
Former President Donald Trump endorsed Dixon last week, and polling conducted before the primary reflected a surge in support for her.
Key US House races
3rd District
When Rep. Peter Meijer was elected to Congress in 2020, he fit the mold of moderate Republicanism that has long been successful in this Grand Rapids-anchored district in Western Michigan. He was also one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role on January 6, 2021, which divided many within the party.
Meijer, who cast that vote only days after being sworn in to his first term, faces former Housing and Urban Development official John Gibbs, who has been endorsed by Trump.
Hillary Scholten, a former Department of Justice attorney, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
National Democrats have faced criticism for wading into the GOP primary to prop up Gibbs, whom they’d prefer to face in the fall as they feel he is too conservative for the district.
8th District
Rep. Dan Kildee is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination in this Flint-area district that was made more competitive in the last redistricting process.
The Republican candidates are Paul Junge, Candice Miller (who shares the same name as a former GOP congresswoman from Michigan), and Matthew Seely.
10th District
Republican John James, who was the party’s nominee for Senate contests in 2018 and 2020, is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination in this newly-configured suburban Detroit district. He faces Tony Marcinkewciz in the GOP primary.
The Democratic candidates include Huwaida Arraf, Carl Marlinga, Rhonda Powell, Angela Rogensues, and Henry Yanez.
11th District
Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens defeated fellow Rep. Andy Levin in an intraparty contest in the Detroit suburbs that was set off by redistricting.
The Republican primary candidates are Mark Ambrose and Matthew DenOtter.
12th District
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib faces several candidates in this blue Detroit-area district — Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey, Lathrup Village Mayor Kelly Garrett, and former state Rep. Shanelle Jackson.
The Republican candidates include Steven Elliott, James Hooper, and Hassan Nehme.
13th District
This heavily Democratic district anchored in Detroit and several of its adjacent suburbs is an open-seat contest. Candidates include state Sen. Adam Hollier, state Rep. Shri Thanedar, former Detroit council member Sharon McPhail, former state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, Michigan Civil Rights commissioner Portia Roberson, civil rights attorney Michael Griffie, radio host Sam Riddle, small business owner Lorrie Rutledge.
John Conyers III, the son of the late congressman John Conyers Jr., who represented Detroit from 1965 to 2017, is also running in the Democratic primary.
Martell Bivings is the sole candidate running in the Republican primary.
Michigan state legislative primaries
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