Democrats include Marlinga in their program, increasing their chances of winning seats in the US House of Representatives
Washington — The Democratic campaign arm in the U.S. House of Representatives announced Thursday that it is adding a swing seat in the Detroit metropolitan area to its list of top targets for 2024, after rejecting the idea two years ago.
As a result, Democratic candidate Carl Marlinga will receive more money and resources from across the country to help him defeat first-term U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township) in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Macomb County and Oakland County.
The move suggests that Democrats view the district as a potential new addition to their quest to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans hold only a narrow majority.
“In 2022, Carl Marlinga came just 1,600 votes (or 0.5 percentage points) short of defeating John James, despite being outnumbered 8-1,” said Aidan Johnson, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
He continued, “This year will be different. Carl has a campaign built to win, and his participation in the highly competitive Red to Blue program is a sign that this race should be taken seriously. With this momentum, grassroots enthusiasm and additional support, Carl will have the tools to win in November.”
Marlinga, of Sterling Heights, is a former prosecutor and judge in Macomb County. He won a four-candidate Democratic primary last month, taking 49% of the vote. When he and James face off in the 2022 general election, it was the third-closest race in the country. Only the 13th District in central California and the 3rd District in western Colorado were closer.
The DCCC did not sponsor Marlinga that year as part of its Red-to-Blue program, which angered local Democrats and Marlinga.
Review: Democrats in Macomb angry over national party’s rejection of Marlinga (2022)
The party is not overlooking the district this year, but is adding Marlinga to the program’s list of 30 seats across the country. According to Thursday’s announcement, the list includes three seats in Michigan. The other two are districts in central Michigan – the 7th and 8th – being vacated by Democratic incumbents Elissa Slotkin, who is running for U.S. Senate, and Dan Kildee, who is retiring, respectively.
State Senator Kristin McDonald Rivet of Bay City has been on the list since late May. She won the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 8th District in early August, receiving support from Kildee of Flint Township.
Former state Senator Curtis Hertel, Democrat of East Lansing, has been on the list since late January. He was unopposed in the primary and is running in Michigan’s 7th District to replace Slotkin, Democrat of Lansing.
More: These 4 races in Michigan could decide the majority in the US House of Representatives
Although Marlinga is now receiving more support from Democrats nationally, he still has a large fundraising gap with James. The first-term Republican’s campaign had more than $4 million in the bank as of July 17, compared to just over $100,000 for Marlinga.
The Republican campaign arm in the US House of Representatives – the National Republican Congressional Committee – rejected the re-inclusion of Marlinga in the Democrats’ Red to Blue program.
“Voters will reject Carl Marlinga again because his and Kamala Harris’ policies are out of step with the people of Michigan,” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement. “Marlinga and Harris will ban gas-powered cars, perpetuate our open border crisis, and move good-paying Michigan jobs to China – crippling the state’s economy and middle class.”
@GrantSchwab
