Democratic state senator running for House in toss-up Michigan district

Michigan state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D) is running to succeed retiring Rep. Dan Kildee (D) in the Great Lake State’s 8th Congressional District. 

In a statement announcing her campaign, McDonald Rivet lauded Kildee, who has represented Michigan in Congress for roughly a decade, and said she’s “ready to continue his work of bringing jobs and our fair share home to #MI08.”

“But this won’t be easy in one of the most competitive districts in the country,” she added. 

Kildee announced in November that he won’t seek reelection in 2024, saying a cancer diagnosis prompted a reassessment of his career. 

The nonpartisan political handicapper Cook Political Report rated the district as “lean Democratic” before Kildee’s retirement announcement, but has since moved the rating to a “toss-up.” The seat was a noted Republican target even before the change.

Cook analyst David Wasserman said Kildee’s exit deals a “significant blow to Democrats,” because Kidlee “had proven appeal in a blue-collar district that’s trended right.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee knocked McDonald Rivet after her announcement, arguing she’s “chosen to align herself with extreme Michigan Democrats and slimy lobbyists throughout her entire career” and dismissing her as “nothing more than a career politician who is out-of-touch with the voters of Michigan,” according to a statement from spokesperson Mike Marinella.