Scholten, Dingell, Stevens, Tlaib for US Congress in Aug. 6 primary | Endorsement

In nine of Michigan's 13 congressional districts, an incumbent faces no credible challenger in the Aug. 6 primary.

In four of those districts, that's good news.

Michigan Democrats should not hesitate to cast ballots for these U.S. representatives in the Aug. 6 primary:

• HILLARY SCHOLTEN, 3rd District, parts of Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties

• DEBBIE DINGELL, 6th District, Washtenaw County and parts of Wayne and Oakland counties

• HALEY STEVENS, 11th District, most of Oakland County

• RASHIDA TLAIB, 12th District, western Wayne County and part of south Oakland County

The 6th, 11th and 12th districts are so heavily Democratic they will be effectively be decided in the Aug. 6 primary, despite nominal Republican opposition this fall. Tlaib and Dingell have no primary opponents; a Democrat running against Stevens is not a credible challenger. U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, who won the 3rd District by a 13-point margin in 2022, is likely to easily clear the primary and will face a Republican candidate in the Nov. 4 general election.

Hillary Scholten

Scholten was elected in 2022 to the 3rd District seat formerly held by moderate Republican Peter Meijer, after Meijer lost the GOP primary to a right-wing challenger.

Scholten has represented this Democrat-leaning district well. A former immigration attorney, she brings real-world experience to fraught debates over immigration reform. She has a primary challenger in Salim Al-Shatel of Norton Shores. He had not filed a campaign finance statement at the end of the last reporting period.

Debbie Dingell

In 2014, Dingell won the seat — after redistricting, now the 6th — held for 60 years by her husband, the legendary Congressman John Dingell, who left office in 2015 and died in 2019. She has deployed an in-depth knowledge of Washington, accumulated over three decades of marriage to one of the U.S. Congress' most influential members and her own lengthy career in philanthropy, and paired her deep convictions and political savvy with deep roots in Michigan and an unmatched understanding of the constituents she serves.

Rashida Tlaib

Tlaib, who represents what is now the 12th District, can a lightning rod for controversy — often simply because of who she is, not what she has done. Tlaib is a hard-working lawmakers, tirelessly canvassing her district to ensure she understands the concerns of the Michiganders she represents, and offers top-notch constituent services. She's sharp, smart and principled. But as the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, she and her family are the subjects of frequent, credible threats and a stream of abuse well beyond what has, unfortunately, become the norm.

The last eight months haven't changed that. Tlaib has been an outspoken advocate for a cease-fire in Israel's war on Gaza, an advocate for Palestinian statehood and a loud critic of the Israeli government. Tlaib's fervor — which some have dubbed antisemitic — led many to speculate that she'd face a serious primary or general election challenger this year. One businessman reportedly offered to bankroll any primary candidate who'd take Tlaib on, to the tune of $20 million.

No one took the offer. That alone is a testament to what Tlaib has accomplished. Residents of the 12th District will be well-served by Tlaib’s return to Washington.

Haley Stevens

Stevens, of Michigan's 11th District, cut her political teeth in the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, later serving as chief of staff to the U.S. Auto Rescue Taskforce, the group that orchestrated the 2009 bailout of the American auto industry. She ran for office as a staunch Democrat with an instinctive understanding of the moderate voters in her Oakland County district. Few members of Congress can rival Stevens' knowledge of the auto industry, American manufacturing and the ingredients for resurgence and success.

Stevens has a nominal opponent in Ahmed Ghanim of Ferndale, who likewise has not reported any financial contributions.

Editorial: 1 tip to change the outcome of elections

How to vote

Local clerks will mail absentee ballots to Michigan voters on June 27. Registered voters may cast ballots early, in person, from July 27 to Aug. 4 — 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 Aug. 6, Election Day.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Freep endorsements in Dem primary: Scholten, Dingell, Stevens, Tlaib