Michigan's 10th District Primary

An open and competitive House seat goes to a primary vote on August 4, when Michigan voters will choose the nominees for Michigan's 10th Congressional District. Republican Rep. John James is not seeking reelection, leaving the seat without an incumbent for the first time in years and drawing seven declared candidates across both parties.

Michigan runs a traditional partisan primary. Republican and Democratic voters cast separate ballots August 4, each party selecting one nominee to advance to the November 3 general election.

The Candidates

Michael Bouchard entered the race later than his rivals but quickly became the field's most prominent Republican. An Army captain and son of the longtime Oakland County Sheriff, Bouchard served nearly a decade in the military, including a nine-month deployment to Iraq as chief operations officer for a 1,200-soldier infantry battalion in the Michigan Army National Guard. He also served on a joint task force against ISIS and earned the Bronze Star. His campaign gained decisive momentum in late June when President Trump endorsed him, a development that prompted rival Robert Lulgjuraj to suspend his campaign.

Justin Kirk, of Clinton Township, is an attorney born and raised in Macomb County. He has made Bouchard's voting record a centerpiece of his campaign, publicly challenging him over a reported pattern of missing statewide elections. Kirk has positioned himself as a conservative rooted in what he describes as the working-class values of Macomb County.

Steffan Demetropoulos is an Army combat veteran and construction project manager who has emphasized his military service and blue-collar background throughout the race.

Robert Lulgjuraj, a Sterling Heights native and former prosecutor in both Wayne and Macomb counties, suspended his campaign following Trump's endorsement of Bouchard, but his name remains on the Aug. 4 ballot because ballots had already been printed. Lulgjuraj's campaign also navigated earlier ballot eligibility challenges over disputed nominating petition signatures; state officials ultimately determined he had enough valid signatures to remain listed.

Tim Greimel is the most credentialed Democrat in the field. He served as mayor of Pontiac from 2022 to 2026 and as a Michigan state representative from 2012 to 2018, including four years as House Democratic Minority Leader. An attorney specializing in labor, employment, and civil rights law, Greimel entered the race in April 2025 and has drawn the most outside spending attention of any candidate in either primary.

Christina Hines, a former special victims prosecutor and mother of three from Macomb County, was among the earliest entrants in the Democratic field. She secured the endorsement of EMILY's List, which identified the Michigan 10th Congressional District race as one of its top targets for flipping the House. Fellow Democratic candidate Tripp Adams endorsed Hines when he suspended his own campaign in late July.

Eric Chung, of Sterling Heights, is an attorney and the son of Vietnamese immigrants; his father worked as a Macomb County autoworker. Chung graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School and previously served as a senior lawyer at the U.S. Department of Commerce, working on implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act. He also worked with the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. He has received the endorsement of the FP Action Network.

Tripp Adams, a National Guard and Navy veteran from Utica, announced his candidacy but suspended his campaign in late July, citing his mental health. He endorsed Hines before withdrawing.

Brian Steven Jaye is also a Democratic candidate in the race.

Ratings vs. Odds

Cook Political Report rated Michigan's 10th "Lean Republican "as of July 16, reflecting the district's historical tilt. Sabato's Crystal Ball landed at "Toss-up" on the same date, and the 270toWin consensus rating, updated July 23, also stands at "Toss-up."

Kalshi's prediction market, with more than $15,000 in trading volume as of August 3, placed the Democratic nominee's November odds at 70 percent.

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