Carl Marlinga narrowly defeated three other candidates in a fierce Democratic primary for Michigan’s 10th Congressional District and will face off against incumbent Republican Rep. John James in November.
Marlinga beat Diane Young, Emily Bush and Tiffany Tilley, according to an Associated Press report.
Marlinga, a former judge, entered the election seeking a rematch with James and touted his long track record as a prosecutor and judge throughout the campaign.
Four states hold key primary elections on Tuesday, setting the stage for November’s Senate and House showdowns.
Carl Marlinga, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan’s 10th congressional district. (Jeff Kowalski/AFP) (Jeff Kowalski/AFP via Getty Images)
“I’ve been doing the right things for the right reasons for decades, and sometimes I get some turbulent headlines, but when I’m doing the right things for the right reasons, I usually win,” Marlinga told the Michigan Advance. “I think the majority of my county’s voters would view me that way, too.”
Tilley, who has served as co-vice chair of the state Board of Education since 2018, campaigned on a gun safety platform, telling the stories of people who have lost family members to gun violence.
“There is no one else in this race with my background, my experience and the passion that I have and have brought to the table,” Tilley told the Michigan Advance. “I’ve been fighting for people for over 20 years. Most of the candidates in this race can’t say that.”
Michigan Rep. John James waves as he walks off the stage after speaking on the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 15, 2024. (Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP) (Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) (Angela Weiss)
What Mike Rogers told Fox News Digital about the Michigan Senate showdown
Young, a former financial planner, ran on the basis that Congress needed to reform tax and welfare policies while strengthening Social Security.
“I have deep empathy for the issues facing ordinary people,” Young told the Michigan Advance, “from caring for children to funding retirement and how important Social Security and Medicare are to helping people have a safer, more secure retirement.”
Bush, who ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2022, has also been a vocal advocate of gun safety, citing his experience picking up his son from school after he survived the deadly Oxford High School shooting in 2021, as well as the mass shooting on the Michigan State University campus last year.
Rep. John James, Republican of Michigan, attends the Republican National Convention (RNC) at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, Monday, July 15, 2024. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“When the Michigan State University shooting happened, it reverberated throughout the state and the region,” Bush told the Michigan Advance, “so that night is what made me decide to run for Congress.”
[Winner] Jones will face off in the November general election against James, who was unopposed in the district’s Republican primary and narrowly defeated Marlinga in the 2022 election, 48.8% to 48.3%.
According to the Cook Political Report, Michigan’s 10th Congressional District is “dominant” Republican.
