Mike Bouchard may be best known in southeast Michigan as the namesake and son of the longtime Oakland County sheriff, but that’s no longer his best-known supporter.
President Donald Trump on Monday, June 22, gave Bouchard the Younger his endorsement in the Republican primary race to succeed U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, in the state’s 10th Congressional District.
Bouchard faces Robert Lulgjuraj, a Macomb County prosecutor; Clinton Township lawyer Justin Kirk and construction manager and Army veteran Steffan Demetropoulos in the Aug. 4 Republican primary in the Macomb County-based district, which is considered a potential toss-up but has been trending Republican in recent elections.
Trump won the district by a 6.5-percentage-point margin in 2024.
Lawyer Eric Chung, former Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel and lawyer and prosecutor Christina Hines are running for the Democratic nomination in the district.
James saw the question of whether Trump would endorse him in the race to become Michigan’s Republican nominee for governor finally end Monday. The president gave the two-term congressman his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” Trump also gave a nod to Amir Hassan in the 8th Congressional District, where he’s hoping to win the GOP nomination and face first-term U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City.
The Free Press doesn’t typically write political endorsement stories unless they are clearly newsworthy and these are: An endorsement from Trump has helped many Republican candidates take their nominations, though his record has been a bit mixed of late. That said, Trump-endorsed candidates have also faced crushing losses in Michigan in general elections, including in 2022, when his endorsees lost races for governor, attorney general and secretary of state.
In a midafternoon post on his Truth Social site, Trump said Bouchard, who is an Army National Guard captain and a Bronze Star recipient, “has served his State and Nation with distinction, and will bring that same Fighting Spirit to the U.S. Congress.” Trump also said he is convinced that Bouchard will be committed to improving the economy, cutting taxes and regulations, helping veterans and keeping the border secure.
“Mike Bouchard has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Michigan’s 10th Congressional District – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on X @tsspangler
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump endorses Mike Bouchard to replace John James in Congress
Reporting by Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
