Carl Marlinga, John James set for a rematch in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District

In Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, Democrat Carl Marlinga is set to face off against Republican incumbent John James, who defeated Marlinga in the last election by only about 1,600 votes — or one-half of one percentage point. 

Marlinga, a former Macomb County judge and prosecutor, says national donors did not put much effort into his campaign last time because former Congressman Andy Levin decided Democrats had a better chance in a different district. 

“If he could not win this district, what chance would anybody else have? But they didn’t have the local knowledge about my years as a prosecutor, as a probate judge, as a circuit court judge – the knowledge of what I would bring to the table,” Marlinga said. “Now they do.” 

Marlinga says there are clear issues separating him from the Republican Congressman now, including issues over reproductive rights, limiting inflation and finding ways to keep raw sewage from overflowing into Lake St. Clair.  

“I’m the guy with the record protecting the lake,” Marlinga said. “John James is the guy who wants to drill for oil in the lake.” 

Republican party officials counter that members like James —  who was unopposed in his primary — will fight to stabilize the economy, lower prices and secure the nation’s borders. 

The 10th Congressional District race was the third-closest in the nation in 2022. Now, with the Democratic party’s new presidential ticket, Marlinga says excitement about the Harris-Walz campaign could play well across the electorate.

“We have a ticket that is just designed perfectly for the voters of this county,” he said. “Macomb County is known as the home to Reagan Democrats from years ago. We tend to vote Democratic but we are suspicious of extremes at either end — right or left.” 

Republicans, both nationally and in Michigan, contend that the Democratic presidential candidate will cater too much to progressive causes.