Republicans see great opportunity in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District

On Thursday, clerks will begin mailing out mail-in ballots for Michigan’s August primary election.

The race for the 8th Congressional District in Central Michigan is attracting a lot of attention.

With Kildee off the ballot in November, Republicans have high hopes of winning a seat that Democrats have held for over half a century.

Last month, the three candidates in the 8th District Republican primary walked the Memorial Day parade in the town of Burton, shaking hands with voters and introducing themselves.

“Hello, I’m Paul. Nice to see you today,” said Paul Junge, leaning forward to shake the hand of a man sitting on a folding chair watching the parade pass by.

Steve Carmody

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Michigan Public

In the case of Paul Junge, it’s about reintroducing himself to voters. Junge was the Republican candidate for the 8th District seat in 2022. He lost to Democratic incumbent Dan Kildee.

But Kildee’s decision to retire from Congress brings into play the seat held by members of the Kildee family since the 1970s.

Paul Junge believes that the 2022 redistricting has shown that it is more difficult for Democrats to hold the central Michigan district, which includes Flint, Saginaw, Bay City and Midland.

“I’m a very good advocate and a conservative voice,” Junge said. “I’m going to stand up for working-class families. We’re going to fight the inflation that Joe Biden has forced upon us. We’re going to secure the border.”

While Junge talks a lot about his experiences as an immigration officer under the Trump administration and as a prosecutor, he also spends a lot of money on television ads attacking his opponent, Mary Draves.

Steve Carmody

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Michigan Public

“Mary Draves may play a Republican on TV. But the real Mary Draves is a real liberal, climate activist, Whitmer ally, Democratic donor…”

Mary Draves is a former executive at Dow Chemical, where she held roles including Chief Sustainability Officer. She has donated to some Democratic candidates, but has more often supported Republicans.

Draves insists she is a conservative Republican.

“We need to address energy independence. We need a secure border. We absolutely need to bring more jobs back to this community. And I’m the one who can do that,” Draves said.

Anthony Hudson is the third Republican in the race. The trucking company owner’s campaign has gone largely unnoticed. Well, it had gone largely unnoticed, at least. Until a few weeks ago, when an AI-powered video elicited an endorsement of the late Martin Luther King Jr. posted on TikTok.

“I’ve come back from the dead to say something. As I said, I have another dream: Anthony Hudson will be the next Congressman from the 8th District. Yes, I have another dream…”

Hudson initially apologized for the bizarre video but later accepted it, saying the civil rights icon would likely have supported him.

Steve Carmody

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Michigan Public

At the Memorial Day parade in Burton, Hudson emphasized what sets him apart from his Republican rivals in the 8th District.

“As a veteran, as a truck driver, I’ve spent my whole life moving the country forward behind the wheel of a semi-truck. We can do the same work in the office. And I think people understand that,” Hudson said.

Paul Rozycki is professor emeritus of political science at Mott Community College. The longtime observer of regional politics in Flint said Republicans have a very good chance of winning the congressional seat, given the strength shown by former President Donald Trump in parts of Bay, Saginaw and Genesee counties.

“Most polling firms are calling the 8th District a tight district,” Rozycki said. “I suspect there will be a lot of outside money coming into the area … especially if there is a very competitive candidate.”

If Republicans win the eighth district seat, it would be the first time the GOP has represented Flint in Congress since Don Riegle switched parties in 1973.