Name Recognition Carries the Day for Candidates in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District

Republican John James and Democrat Carl Marlinga each won Aug. 2’s primary and will face off in the Nov. 2 general election.

On the strength of the recognition gained from two unsuccessful runs for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020, and the endorsement of Donald Trump, James was the easy winner over a single GOP rival, software engineer Tony Marcinkewicz.

Marlinga defeated four other lesser-known contestants to win the Democrat primary. He is a household name in Macomb County, which comprises the lion’s share of the newly redrawn 10th District.

Marlinga is a 75-year-old retired federal judge and former prosecuting attorney who served Macomb County for decades.

Democrats Huwaida Arraf, a civil rights attorney from Macomb township; Rhonda Powell of Mount Clemens, a self-described single mother; Angela Rogensues, a Warren city council member; and Henry Yanez also ran.

A woman holds a ballot at a polling place at Cromie Elementary School in Warren, Mich., on March 10, 2020. (Elaine Cromie/Getty Images)

James is a 41-year-old businessman, He is a West Point graduate who served as an Army Ranger in Iraq. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Master’s in supply chain management and information systems from Penn State.

Consisting mostly of Republican-leaning Macomb County and a small portion of neighboring Oakland County, the newly reconfigured 10th District is an open seat, meaning there is no incumbent.

The November matchup between James and Marlinga is considered by most political observers to be competitive, with James seen as having a slight edge due to his strong national connections and effective fundraising.

According to his latest campaign finance report, James has raised more than $3.5 million.

Across Michigan the voter turnout was light to medium.

In Detroit, a problem with a modem resulted in the reporting of

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