2 Congressional Races to Watch in Michigan Primary

Republicans have an opportunity to pick up at least two seats in Michigan’s 13-member delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives—and they may have redistricting to thank for it.

The redrawing of congressional district boundary lines by an Independent Bipartisan Commission created a new 10th Congressional District, which has no incumbent.

The commission also seriously reconfigured the 5th Congressional District, represented by the heretofore safe district of incumbent Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), creating a new 8th Congressional District.

Congressional district lines are redrawn after every decennial census to ensure population equality among the districts, which is the foundation of the principle of one-man, one-vote in the constitutionally required reapportionment process.

The compact but densely populated 10th Congressional District is made up of portions of suburban Macomb and Oakland counties.

The leading contender in the small Republican primary field is John James—a successful black businessman and decorated Iraq War veteran.

James, who describes himself as “the walking American Dream,” came within 1.7 percent of defeating incumbent Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich) in the 2020 election. He also ran unsuccessfully against Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) in 2018.

According to his last campaign finance statement, James has amassed a war chest of $3.5 million going into the Aug. 2 primary.

Challenging James for the Republican nomination is Tony Marcinkewciz, a software engineer who grew up in a single-parent household and prides himself on his years as a blue-collar worker.

Marcinkewciz favors the decentralization of government authority and stopping the incentivizing of single parenting. He has raised $14,299 in campaign contributions.

A voter fills in his ballot, in Lansing, Mich., on Nov. 3, 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images)

There are five Democrats vying for their party’s nomination to run for the open seat.

They’re civil rights attorney Hawaida Arraf of Macomb Township; former Macomb County prosecutor and circuit

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