Detroit — Former prosecutor Christina Hines has won the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, according to a race call by the Associated Press at 12:09 a.m.
The contest featured Hines of Warren, former Pontiac Mayor and state House Minority Leader Tim Greimel and former Commerce Department attorney Eric Chung of Sterling Heights.
The race was called with Hines holding about 45% of the vote, while Chung had about 31% and Greimel had about 23%.
“Working families across this district deserve a representative who will finally put them first,” said Hines in a statement. “That’s what I have spent my career doing as a prosecutor – protecting this community, standing up for victims and holding bad actors accountable.”
“As a mom of three, I know what’s on the line and that’s why it’ll be my mission to lower costs, protect Social Security and Medicare, fight for universal healthcare, create good-paying union jobs, and root out corruption to bring the change our families deserve.”
Hines, Greimel and Chung battled for the Democratic nod for a swing seat that represents southern Macomb County, and Rochester and Rochester Hills in Oakland County. The race opened up after Republican U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township chose to run for governor, rather than defend the seat he first took by a razor-thin margin in the 2022 midterms.
Come November, the general election contest again projects to be one of the most competitive in the country. The winner on the Democratic side will face Trump-endorsed Republican primary frontrunner and Army veteran Michael Bouchard of Rochester Hills.
Just before 9:20 p.m., the Associated Press projected Bouchard to win the Republican nomination.
The Democratic primary contest was a polite one. The campaigns did not sling opposition research and attack ads. There were no candidate debates and less outside spending than in other competitive races in the state.
Light on confrontation and similar on policy priorities, the primary shaped up as a contest of door-knocking, local politicking and attempts to build some level of name recognition with voters. None of the three endorsed or were endorsed by candidates atop the party ticket in more attention-grabbing races for governor and U.S. Senate.
Chung was the leading fundraiser in the race, though Hines was backed more heavily by a last-minute outside spending effort.
What voters said
Harrison Township resident Susan Malley voted for Hines. She said she doesn’t know a lot about the candidates in the race, but she has heard more about Hines than the others.
“Where we live in Harrison Township, I think … Christina Hines was more supported here,” Malley said. She added that she has seen more of Hines’ signs in her area.
Nick Reilly, a 40-year-old audio engineer from Roseville, told The Detroit News at a Sunday event for U.S. Senate candidate Abdul E-Sayed that he voted early but didn’t remember which 10th District option he chose.
“That was one where we were sitting there looking them all up, trying to get as much info as possible. And it was actually shockingly hard to find info on each of them, like dead Facebook accounts for their races and stuff,” he said.
Reilly added that he knows he didn’t vote for Chung, in part because “his mailers were strange,” but wasn’t sure which of the other two candidates he chose.
Dylan Guzak, a 29-year-old teacher from Warren who was also at the El-Sayed event, said he did not follow the race closely but voted for Chung. “I honestly saw his TikToks, and I liked his messaging,” Guzak told The Detroit News. “He went to Harvard and grew up around here.”
David Dieter, 71, of St. Clair Shores, said he voted for Chung, saying he was impressed by him and appreciated his background.
“I always appreciate the fact when someone who’s considered a minority in the country has the oomph and the support to be in this kind of position. He seems like a very smart young man. And the other candidates are just other candidates, as far as I’m concerned. He’s fresh, he’s local.”
Dieter also said he is openly gay, as is Chung, and that he considered the opinions of friends in the Asian community, since Chung is Vietnamese-American.
“I have many friends in the Asian community, and so they trust him. And if they do, well, then why shouldn’t I?”
gschwab@detroitnews.com
@GrantSchwab
Staff Writer Anne Snabes contributed.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Christina Hines wins Democratic congressional primary in Macomb County
Reporting by Grant Schwab, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Grant Schwab, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
