Endorsement: Send west Michigan rep Hillary Scholten back to US Congress

When U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten took office in 2023, the first Democrat to win this west Michigan seat in almost 50 years, she kept two of her Republican predecessor’s constituent service staffers on board.

Constituent services — a key, problem-solving aspect of holding elected office — aren’t partisan, Scholten, of Grand Rapids, explained in an endorsement interview with the Detroit Free Press.

“We are solving our constituents’ needs, regardless of who they voted for,” she said.

It’s an example of the kind of service Scholten aims to offer, transcending partisan politics and focusing on results for the people she represents.

Michigan’s 3rd District — parts of Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties, which includes Grand Rapids, tourist towns along Lake Michigan and a lot of farmland — once a conservative bastion, is rapidly changing. In 2022, Scholten decisively defeated Republican John Gibbs, who beat moderate incumbent Peter Meijer in the primary. The current race is rated a likely Democratic win by Cook Political Report.

This time, Scholten will face East Grand Rapids Republican Paul Hudson in the Nov. 5 general election. She’s outraised Hudson, with $3.2 million to his $630,000 at the end of the last reporting cycle with just $300,000 in outside spending on his behalf.

Hudson is a traditional conservative who rejects many of the fringe beliefs that have enveloped the Republican Party. But on some key issues, he is simply out of step with this complex and changing district.

Scholten's experience, compassion and thoughtful engagement with the diverse communities she represents make her the clear choice in this contest. West Michigan voters should not hesitate to return HILLARY SCHOLTEN to the U.S. Congress.

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A rapidly changing district

Scholten’s west Michigan district is exactly the type of political battleground where immigration is a key issue. And she is one of few candidates for federal office who can address that topic in depth with valuable insight and hands-on know-how.

Scholten is a social worker and an attorney who worked for the U.S. Justice Department on immigration issues under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Frustrated by Trump’s leadership, which led to immigration policies she calls “cruel for the sake of being cruel,” Scholten left the administration and joined the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, which provides pro bono representation and other legal resources for immigrants.

Scholten has spent time with asylum seekers and refugees as well as farmers and other major employers of immigrants. She’s worked on immigration policy and services through lenses of law enforcement and social work – and even in this contentious environment, sees a pathway to comprehensive and effective reform.

“There is a way to get immigration policies that are just, fair and humane,” she told the Free Press Editorial Board. “It just takes committed people. I believe that there are a lot of people out there who share those values.”

Among her other legislative priorities are reducing health care costs, building up education resources, opposing a higher retirement age, protecting Michigan’s waters and boosting infrastructure standards.

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Effective, responsible, judicious

Hudson has refused to espouse the election-denying posture of many Trump-era Republicans. It’s a refreshing change.

But on matters like police reform and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Hudson’s beliefs are out of step with voters. While Hudson told the Free Press Editorial Board that he would not support a federal ban on abortion, he won the endorsement of Right to Life of Michigan in a 2022 campaign for the Michigan Supreme Court. (The group has not endorsed him in this year’s election.)

And his professional experience as a Miller Canfield attorney doesn’t match Scholten’s long history of policy and social service work that have helped her quickly become a respected and effective congresswoman.

Scholten has successfully steered a lot of federal dollars to Michigan and is dedicated to a smart, judicious approach to responsible policymaking. She could get a lot done with more time in office, and deserves another nod from voters in November.

How to vote

Local clerks mailed absentee ballots to Michigan voters on Sept. 26. Registered voters may cast ballots early, in person, from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 — check with your local clerk for the location of early voting sites and ballot dropboxes. And, of course, you can vote — and register to vote — in person on Election Day, Nov. 5. Check your voter registration or find your polling place on the Michigan Secretary of State website.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Endorsement: US Rep. Hillary Scholten wins Free Press endorsement