Michigan state lawmaker enters crowded U.S. House race as Democrats aim to defend open seat

Michigan state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet on Wednesday became the fifth candidate to enter a competitive race for a U.S. House seat that Democrats are being forced to defend without an incumbent because of U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee’s retirement this year.

Defending the seat could be vital for Democrats in a year in which they need to gain at least five seats to win a majority control of the U.S. House. The party will also need to defend a vulnerable mid-Michigan seat left vacant after U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin opted to run for an open U.S. Senate seat this year.

While the state has shifted increasingly Democratic in recent years, a contested presidential election and open Senate race are expected to make Michigan one of the few swing states in 2024. Democrats in Michigan have also been divided in response to the war in Gaza, with the state’s large Arab American population vowing not to support those who don’t call for a cease fire.

The 65-year-old Kildee announced in November that he would not seek another reelection to his 8th District seat after he was diagnosed earlier this year with a curable form of cancer that he has since had removed. Kildee has represented the Flint-area since 2013 after succeeding his uncle, Dale Kildee, who had served in Congress for 36 years.

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