Who's running in Michigan's 8th congressional district
5 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
5 candidates · ballot order · Kristen McDonald Rivet currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Levelling the playing field for working families, the framing of her campaign.
Banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks.
Labour rights and public education; she is endorsed by the Michigan AFL-CIO and the Michigan Education Association.
Abortion rights; she is endorsed by EMILYs List and Elect Democratic Women.
Gun violence prevention; she is endorsed by Giffords.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 8th District since January 2025; elected in 2024 with 51.3% in a district President Trump carried.
Former Michigan state senator.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the August 4, 2026 primary.
Endorsed by the Michigan AFL-CIO, the Michigan Education Association, the Black Economic Alliance PAC, Elect Democratic Women, EMILYs List, Giffords, J Street and the Jewish Democratic Council of America.
Arguments in favor
State labour and teachers' organisations endorsed her, alongside national women's electoral and gun safety groups — the coalition her campaign credits for holding a seat President Trump carried.
— Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, EMILYs List, Elect Democratic Women and Giffords
Black business and Jewish community organisations also endorsed her, which her campaign presents as unusual breadth for a front-line member.
— Black Economic Alliance PAC, J Street and the Jewish Democratic Council of America
Arguments against
The National Republican Congressional Committee calls her a self-serving partisan liberal who attacks law enforcement, emboldens China and rejects efforts to lower taxes, and says voters will send her packing.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
What we couldn’t verify
The NRCC's characterisations were not independently verified and her response was not located.
A second criticism of her, from a source other than the party committee, could not be found.
No campaign website for her could be located; the link given is her official House site.
Advancing what he calls President Trump's America First agenda.
Manufacturing policy, drawing on his career as a General Motors engineer.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Retired engineer at General Motors.
Won the August 4, 2026 Republican primary with about 50% against Trump-endorsed candidate Amir Hassan on 30%.
Had stopped campaigning in July 2026 and endorsed another Republican in the race, Al Lemmo, who finished third.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He beat the president's endorsed candidate by twenty points without an active campaign, which supporters read as Republican voters in the district choosing for themselves rather than following an outside pick.
— Primary results reported by ABC News and the Washington Times
Arguments against
He had withdrawn from the race and endorsed a rival Republican weeks before winning the nomination, which national reporting treated as raising doubts about whether the party has a functioning campaign in a seat it must win.
— Reporting by the Washington Times, ABC News and The Downballot
What we couldn’t verify
Whether Smith has resumed active campaigning since the primary was not established from sources read.
No campaign website for him could be located, and his positions above come from Ballotpedia's summary.
His fundraising was not established from sources read.
Green Party candidate for Michigan's 8th District in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Casha's biography and policy positions could not be established: no campaign website, candidate questionnaire or news profile covering him was located. The standsFor list is left empty rather than filled with guesses.
No published criticism of Casha by name could be found, and no published case for him beyond the ballot listing.
His fundraising was not established from sources read.
Libertarian candidate for Michigan's 8th District in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Pettus's biography and policy positions could not be established: no campaign website, candidate questionnaire or news profile covering her was located. The standsFor list is left empty rather than filled with guesses.
No published criticism of Pettus by name could be found, and no published case for her beyond the ballot listing.
Fundraising was not established from sources read.
Working Class Party candidate for Michigan's 8th District in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Goodwin's biography and policy positions could not be established: no campaign website, candidate questionnaire or news profile covering her was located. The standsFor list is left empty rather than filled with guesses.
No published criticism of Goodwin by name could be found, and no published case for her beyond the ballot listing.
Fundraising was not established from sources read.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Michigan held its primary on August 4, 2026, and the Republican primary here produced one of the strangest results of the cycle: retired General Motors engineer Thomas J. Smith beat President Trump's endorsed candidate Amir Hassan 50% to 30%, even though Smith had stopped campaigning in July and endorsed a different Republican, Al Lemmo, who finished third. Democratic incumbent Kristen McDonald Rivet was unopposed. Green Party candidate Jim Casha, Libertarian C. Mia Pettus and Working Class Party candidate Kathy Goodwin are also on the ballot. The district covers Saginaw Bay — Flint, Saginaw, Bay City and Midland — and is one of the few seats President Trump carried in 2024 that elected a Democrat to the House. Roster confirmed against Ballotpedia and ABC News and Washington Times reporting.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Michigan ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.