Christina Hines, a prosecutor and Democratic candidate for Congress in Michigan's 10th Congressional District, secured her party's nomination in a primary election on Tuesday evening.
In recent years, the district has leaned Republican but remains largely competitive.
Incumbent Rep. John James, R-Mich., last won re-election in 2024 in a 51.1% to 45.0% victory over Democratic challenger Carl Marlinga, a judge and former prosecutor.
The cycle before that, James beat out Marlinga by a narrow 48.8% to 48.3% win in 2022.
But now, James, who enjoyed the benefit of incumbency, announced he would vacate the seat and instead pursue a gubernatorial bid, calling it a way to secure Michigan’s prosperity for future generations.
"My family, like countless others, came to our great state for the better opportunities our manufacturing and automotive industries offered and to live the American dream," James said in a statement.
With an open seat in play, Hines has pitched her candidacy as a way to protect the country from what she characterized as an overzealous administration and institutional corruption.
"Congress has too many millionaires but not nearly enough moms who get things done," Hines said.
In her career as a prosecutor, Hines described her work as helping victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking, according to her website. She has also prosecuted cases involving homicide, torture and hate crimes.
On her website, Hines listed priorities like reducing the cost of living by pushing back against what she identified as "price gouging" and increasing the minimum wage, investing in technical educations and protecting federal programs against cuts from the Trump administration like Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.
Her platform has attracted endorsements from fellow local figures like Marlinga, the former Democratic nominee against James and a former Macomb County Prosecutor and Circuit Court Judge. She also received an endorsement from Michael Taylor, Sterling Heights Mayor.
With the party’s nomination secured, Hines will advance to the general election on Nov. 3.