Hillary Scholten won the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District, one of the most crucial races in determining control of Congress.
Scholten defeated Salim Al-Shater with 87 percent of the vote, The Associated Press reported.
Scholten, who is completing his first term in parliament, is running as an incumbent and, his supporters say, sought to highlight his record of fighting for change during his first two years in parliament.
Four states hold key primary elections on Tuesday, setting the stage for November’s Senate and House showdowns.
WASHINGTON – JULY 25: Rep. Hillary Scholten, Democrat of Michigan, speaks to Roll Call in an interview in her office at the Congressional Longworth Office Building on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)
“Other people can make a lot of promises,” Skorten said in an interview with ABC News 13. “It’s easy to stand by and throw stones or say what you’re going to do, but I’m the only candidate who’s been able to get up every day and do what I promised I was going to do in 2022. And we’ve done that.”
Al-Shater, meanwhile, said he joined the race because he was disillusioned with some of Scholten’s policies.
“I didn’t want to complain on social media or to friends or anything,” Al-Chater told ABC News 13. “Hillary has already been elected unopposed twice, so I wanted to give people another option. [in the primary]”And I didn’t want her to let that go.”
Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) speaks during a press conference following the House Democrats’ Caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 25, 2023. Rep. Scholten spoke about the need to protect abortion rights. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
What Mike Rogers told Fox News Digital about the Michigan Senate showdown
Al-Shater said he wanted to offer an alternative voice to Scholten on issues such as foreign policy, and argued that the United States was supporting “genocide” in the Middle East instead of funding its domestic priorities.
“I see what’s happening to the innocent people who are dying there as genocide,” Al-Shater said. “I don’t see the need to continue sending money overseas to support these wars when we don’t have universal health care and food and housing prices are soaring.”
In the general election, [Winner] He will face the winner of Tuesday’s Republican primary, which pits attorney Paul Hudson against businessman Michael Markey Jr.
Former Rep. Peter Meyer (R-Mich.)
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Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District has become competitive since the state redrawn its congressional maps in 2022, ultimately resulting in Skolten unseating former Republican Rep. Peter Meyer later that year.
The Cook Political Report classifies the district as one where Democrats have a “high probability” of winning in this year’s election.
