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Michigan's 8th Congressional District election, 2020

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Michigan's 8th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: May 8, 2020
Primary: August 4, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Elissa Slotkin (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Michigan
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean Democratic
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Michigan's 8th Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th
Michigan elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

Incumbent Elissa Slotkin (D) defeated Paul Junge (R) and Joe Hartman (L) in the November 3, 2020, general election to represent Michigan's 8th Congressional District. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) both added this race to their election target lists.

Slotkin was first elected in 2018 after defeating incumbent Rep. Mike Bishop with a 3.8% margin of victory in favor of the Democratic candidate, a shift from 2016 and 2014 when the Republican candidate won by margins of 16.9% and 12.5%, respectively.

The 8th District was one of 31 U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election and a Democratic candidate won in the 2018 midterm elections. During the presidential election, Trump received 51% of the vote to Hillary Clinton's (D) 44% in the 8th District.[1]

Michigan's 8th Congressional District is located in the mid region of the lower peninsula of Michigan. It includes Livingston and Ingham counties and sections of Oakland County.[2]

The outcome of this race affected partisan control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress. All 435 seats in the House were up for election. At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232 to 198 majority over Republicans. The Libertarian Party had one seat. Four seats were vacant. Democrats defended 30 districts Donald Trump (R) won in 2016. Republicans defended five districts Hillary Clinton (D) won in 2016.

All candidates submitted Candidate Connection surveys, which can be read here.

This race was one of 89 congressional races that were decided by 10 percent or less in 2020.


Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

Post-election analysis

The table below compares the vote totals in the 2020 presidential election and 2020 U.S. House election for this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

Presidential and congressional election results, Michigan's 8th Congressional District, 2020
Race Presidential U.S. House
Democratic candidate Democratic Party 48.8 50.9
Republican candidate Republican Party 49.6 47.3
Difference 0.8 3.6

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Michigan modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Absentee ballot applications were sent to all registered voters in the general election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Incumbent Elissa Slotkin defeated Paul Junge and Joe Hartman in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elissa Slotkin
Elissa Slotkin (D) Candidate Connection
 
50.9
 
217,922
Image of Paul Junge
Paul Junge (R) Candidate Connection
 
47.3
 
202,525
Image of Joe Hartman
Joe Hartman (L) Candidate Connection
 
1.8
 
7,897

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 428,344
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Incumbent Elissa Slotkin advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elissa Slotkin
Elissa Slotkin Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
90,570

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 90,570
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Paul Junge defeated Mike Detmer, Kristina Lyke, and Alan Hoover in the Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Paul Junge
Paul Junge Candidate Connection
 
35.1
 
30,525
Image of Mike Detmer
Mike Detmer
 
28.6
 
24,863
Image of Kristina Lyke
Kristina Lyke Candidate Connection
 
25.4
 
22,093
Image of Alan Hoover
Alan Hoover Candidate Connection
 
10.9
 
9,461

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 86,942
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Joe Hartman advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on July 18, 2020.

Candidate
✔
Image of Joe Hartman
Joe Hartman (L) Candidate Connection

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[3] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Elissa Slotkin

Image of Elissa Slotkin

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

Submitted Biography:  "I am a third-generation Michigander who spent my early years on my family farm in Holly, and I grew up riding four-wheelers, watching the Pistons clinch NBA championships and seeing Andre the Giant wrestle at the Silverdome. I am also a career national security professional who joined the CIA in the wake of 9-11 and served three tours as an intelligence analyst in Iraq, where I met my husband, Dave, a 30-year Army officer. I proudly served both Republican and Democratic presidents on the National Security Council and held senior positions at the Pentagon. After an apolitical life in national security, I ran for Congress because I believe, and still believe, that the division and vitriol I saw in politics is unbecoming of the nation I served, and because I thought Congress needed more leaders who will put country before party and never forget who they serve. I believe Michiganders want public servants whom they can respect even when they disagree, and I want to raise the bar for elected officials. I have two step-daughters, both in public service, and Dave and I live on that same family farm in Holly. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I am focused on the issues my constituents ask me about the most: The price of health care and prescription drugs; protecting the water in our lakes and streams and coming out of our taps; creating good jobs and economic opportunity; and bringing some decency and civility to politics.

As we work to recover from COVID-19 and restart our economy, we must focus on smart, strategic stimulus policies that support working families and small businesses today, reduce our dependence on China and other foreign sources of critical supplies, and heed the lesson of the pandemic that supporting U.S. manufacturing isn't just an economic imperative, but a national security necessity.

The crises our nation has faced in recent months demonstrate the need for clear, consistent, compassionate, action-oriented leadership that puts the interests of the American people ahead of partisan politics and seeks bipartisan solutions, even if it's a struggle. I have worked throughout my first term to reach across the aisle and find practical solutions, and believe working across the aisle is a mandate and part of my job.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Michigan District 8 in 2020.

Paul Junge

Image of Paul Junge

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Paul worked in his family business that maintained housing for military families, created over 500 jobs, and supported working families. Additionally, Paul was a deputy district attorney who worked in the domestic violence unit to protect battered women and abused children. He was the Fox47 television news anchor in Lansing. And most recently, he worked in the Trump Administration at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to stop illegal immigration and secure our borders. I am running for Congress to defend the values that make America strong to help our families, promote freedom and opportunity, and secure our Constitutional rights. My priorities are bringing jobs back to Michigan, removing burdensome regulations, and improving our broken infrastructure."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Support our families and a strong economy by opposing tax increases, stopping costly liberal regulations, and cutting wasteful spending to move toward a balanced budget.

Defend our citizens and sovereignty by banning sanctuary cities and securing our border to stop illegal immigration.

Stand up to China by removing critical supply chains, particularly for pharmaceuticals, and bringing those jobs back to Michigan.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Michigan District 8 in 2020.

Joe Hartman

Image of Joe Hartman

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Libertarian Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am a libertarian. My political philosophy is based in the Non-Aggression Principle, that consistently applies the idea that it is wrong to hurt people or take their stuff. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Decentralization

End the Drug War and Terror Wars

Lawmakers are not public servants.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Michigan District 8 in 2020.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[4] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[5]

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Elissa Slotkin Democratic Party $9,135,390 $7,587,944 $1,566,680 As of December 31, 2020
Paul Junge Republican Party $2,112,467 $2,101,990 $10,477 As of December 31, 2020
Joe Hartman Libertarian Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.


District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+4, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 4 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Michigan's 8th Congressional District the 201st most Republican nationally.[6]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.12. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.12 points toward that party.[7]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[8]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[9][10][11]

Race ratings: Michigan's 8th Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLikely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLean Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Slotkin (D) Junge (R)
Newspapers and editorials
Detroit Free Press[12] ✔
The Detroit News[13] ✔
Elected officials
U.S. President Donald Trump (R)[14] ✔
Individuals
Frmr. U.S. President Barack Obama (D)[15] ✔
Frmr. 8th District Rep. Mike Bishop (R)[16] ✔
Organizations
Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce[17] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Elissa Slotkin

Supporting Slotkin

"Fight" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Oct. 21, 2020
"Ovarian Cancer Month" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Sept. 28, 2020
"Manufacturing in Michigan" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Sept. 28, 2020
"In America" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Sept. 25, 2020
"Mom" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Sept. 16, 2020
"Do Better" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Aug. 29, 2020
"What's Best" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Aug. 17, 2020


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Opposing Junge

"Don't" - Slotkin campaign ad, released Oct. 8, 2020

Republican Party Paul Junge

Supporting Junge

"Politics Aside" - Junge campaign ad, released Sept. 1, 2020
"Sides with You" - Junge campaign ad, released July 13, 2020


Opposing Slotkin

"Party Before Country Final" - Junge campaign ad, released Sept. 2, 2020
"Mike Was Right" - Junge campaign ad, released Aug. 24, 2020


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Debates and forums

October 6 debate

On Oct. 6, 2020, Slotkin and Junge participated in a debate hosted by WHMI.[18]

Click here to listen to the debate[21]

Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

September 27 debate

On Sept. 27, 2020, Slotkin and Junge participated in a debate hosted by WDIV-TV.[19]

Official recording, Sept. 27, 2020, debate - WDIV Detroit

Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

September 21 debate

On Sept. 21, 2020, Slotkin and Junge participated in a debate hosted by WLNS-TV.[20]

Click here to watch the debate

Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Democratic Party Elissa Slotkin

Slotkin's campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Affordable Healthcare
I believe all Americans should have access to healthcare they can afford, regardless of pre-existing conditions. No one should ever go broke because they happen to get sick, and no family should have to decide whether they can afford to save the life of a loved one. I believe we need true bipartisan reform of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We should also consider options that would allow people the choice to buy into plans, such as Medicare, that have been proven to control costs for consumers. Healthcare reform must be accompanied by a serious effort to reform standards on the prescription drug industry in order to bring down prescription drug costs, something both Democrats and Republicans left out of the original ACA legislation.
Like many Americans, healthcare is a deeply personal issue for me. In fact, healthcare was the reason I decided to first run for office. In 2009, my mother was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer at a time when she was uninsured. She had struggled with her healthcare since 2002 when she lost her job and benefits. She had breast cancer as a young woman — what we now call a “pre-existing condition” — so she couldn’t find a healthcare plan that she could afford for many years. Eventually she got insurance, but unbeknownst to my family, she let it lapse just months before her cancer returned. A loophole saved her from going bankrupt from the high cost of her medical bills, but our family’s experience is evidence of a broken system.
Our nation has made important strides over the past seven years. The ACA ensured that insurance companies could not discriminate based on pre-existing conditions, eliminated lifetime coverage limits, allowed young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, and made some progress in bringing down healthcare and drug costs for seniors. But there is much more to do: premiums have risen, particularly for small business owners, and too many people in our district are covered but struggle to afford the high premiums and deductibles associated with their insurance plans.
We need to approach healthcare with the seriousness and focus it deserves. I believe it is important to work in a bipartisan fashion to tackle the challenges that remain under the ACA. But the way ahead must safeguard vital components of the ACA: protection for essential health benefits, no annual or lifetime coverage caps, no denial of coverage based on health status or pre-existing conditions, and no discrimination based on gender. I believe we must bring down the high price of prescription drugs, which is why I have cosponsored a number of bills to increase transparency around drug pricing, and to allow for price negotiations, which will bring down drug costs for all consumers. The health and safety of our families are at stake in this debate, and we must treat this issue with the seriousness that it deserves.
  • Lowering The Cost Of Prescription Drugs
Working to lower the cost of prescription drugs has been a top priority of mine since I was elected. The cost of prescription drugs has skyrocketed over the past few decades, and research shows that 1 in 5 Americans have walked away from the pharmacy counter because they can’t afford their prescription drugs. To bring down the cost to consumers, it is essential that there is far greater price transparency, and that the government has the tools to negotiate down drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies, especially for Medicare beneficiaries.
To tackle the problem of price transparency, I introduced the Real Time Benefits Act, which passed the House with unanimous, bipartisan support in October 2019. This bill creates a “real time benefits” tool which could be used by doctors and Medicare patients to access information about the cost of a prescription, compare cheaper generic alternatives, and find the pharmacy with the best price. This would allow patients to know the real cost of their prescription drugs, before they leave the doctor’s office.
To tackle the issue of negotiation, I co-sponsored the Lower Drug Cost Now Act. And in December 2019 I was extremely proud to see it pass the House with bipartisan support. This comprehensive drug pricing reform bill would allow the government to directly negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the costs of prescription drugs, bringing down the costs for all consumers. Right now, the Veteran’s Administration health care system is able to do just that for the nearly 10 million patients that access healthcare through the VA. Negotiation will bring prices down, which will benefit all Americans.
Unfortunately, both of these bills remain stuck in the Senate’s hands.
For too long, big pharmaceutical firms have bought influence through campaign donations and politicians have looked the other way as prescription drug prices have skyrocketed. I don’t accept a dime from this industry, or any corporate PAC, in my campaign. I will pledge to continue the fight for increased checks and balances on the pharmaceutical industry. The fight for affordable prescription drugs is far from over. I can’t get through the grocery store without people coming up to tell me that they can’t afford their son’s insulin, they can’t send their daughter to summer camp because they can’t afford the four required inhalers, or that their elderly parents are rationing their medication. This is a struggle that nobody should have to go through, and why I will continue to fight to find ways to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
  • Investing In Education
All children deserve access to a high-quality education that will allow them to compete in the 21st century economy — both the practical skills and the critical thinking they need to succeed. My priority is fighting for common-sense measures that support funding for science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education, improving access to the skills training necessary to secure the well-paid jobs here in Michigan, and making higher education affordable for everyone who chooses to pursue it.
From Lansing to Rochester Hills, public schools are the anchor of our communities and as they go, so goes the future of our towns and cities. Thriving public schools require skilled, committed teachers, and I will continue fighting to make sure that they get the respect and support they have earned. I believe educational innovation is important, especially in underserved communities, and I support communities having choices, including magnet schools and public non-profit charter schools.
But I have strong concerns that private, for-profit charter schools may put profit-making at odds with educating Michigan’s children. Regardless of the school, I believe that it is essential for our state to have robust standards across the board. However, any alternative option must apply equal standards and include public accountability for taxpayers’ dollars that gives parents confidence in the quality of the education their children receive. Furthermore, such alternatives cannot come at the expense of ensuring that quality schools exist in each of our district’s neighborhoods.
I believe our education system should work from the bottom up, from early childhood education to skilled trade programs, so that we’re providing the broad set of skills needed for our children to succeed. College shouldn’t be considered a luxury, or a requirement for success, and should be affordable for those who are interested in pursuing it. We need more options — more certification programs and college apprenticeship programs that are paired with the specific job opportunities available right now in our state — to ensure that we are educating and training our young people to contribute to growing Michigan’s economy.
I believe that hard-working college graduates should get a fair shot at the American dream. However, the reality is that many students finish college saddled with crushing debt. I am committed to making higher education more affordable and more accessible to our district’s young people. I will continue to fight to strengthen federal Pell grants, expand federal funds for school-to-work programs so that students know that they have a job waiting for them when they graduate, strengthen career and technical education, and cap the student loan interest rates to reduce the debt on graduating students, to ensure that students are getting a fair shake.
  • Growing Economic Opportunity In Michigan
Michigan was the birthplace of the middle class, and we must make sure we enact policies that allow Michigan’s middle class families to succeed.
Growing economic opportunity begins by investing in talent in our communities. We must train the next generation to take on roles in Michigan’s 21st century economy by connecting our workforce to the training that will prepare them for the trades, advanced manufacturing, technical, and cyber jobs of the future.
Michigan has always been a place where things are designed and built. Our state has an amazing history of innovation, from the creation of the modern automobile to the invention of penicillin. But the economy is evolving in our state and we need to face forward and change with it. For our communities to thrive, we must be serious and strategic about growing economic opportunity here in Michigan. That starts with investing in education, connecting our talented young people with opportunities in our businesses, and ensuring that our entrepreneurs and small business owners are able to grow by hiring talent directly from our communities.
Across our district, I hear from businesses big and small that they have trouble finding the local talent they need to compete. Instead, our companies are turning to out-of-state talent to fill their critical openings, particularly in IT, cyber-security, coding, and health care. At the same time, I am constantly meeting people who are unsure of the educational path they should pursue to prepare them for well-paid careers, and fear taking on too much student debt with the promise of a job in their field. If we have critical vacancies in fields like IT and healthcare, we should invest in job training programs that match talent to opportunity. Instead of our businesses spending money to hire out of state, they should have the option to partner with the community high schools and colleges to train their own pipeline of talent.
  • Investing In Our Infrastructure & Water Systems
I live twenty minutes from Flint, Michigan — so clean, safe drinking water is something that’s always on my mind. And here in Michigan we know that you can’t talk about clean water without talking about the threat posed by PFAS contamination, often called the “forever chemical” that has found its way into hundreds of sites in Michigan due to industrial contamination.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I directly advocated for six PFAS related provisions to be included in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and I am proud that my bills to combat the threat of PFAS were signed into law by the President. As a result, the Department of Defense must stop using PFAS based firefighting foams no later than 2024, National Guard bases will be able to receive funding from the Department of Defense to support environmental remediation efforts to clean up PFAS. Importantly, as a result of my PFAS Monitoring Act, communities across the country will now be required to test for PFAS. There is still much work to be done to ensure that every Michigander has clean, drinkable water when they turn their tap — making that a reality remains one of my top priorities in Washington.
Every Michigander knows that our roads need some serious work. The visible potholes in our roads are a daily reminder of how Michigan’s infrastructure is in serious need of investment. We all know the challenges, and we have the skilled workforce in our state ready to rebuild the roads, bridges, pipelines, and other critical infrastructure that our economy depends on. Investing in our infrastructure will attract investment to our state — improving our economic competitiveness — and improve the safety and security of Michiganders. I stand ready and willing to work with anybody, of any political party, who is serious about addressing this critical issue.
  • Protecting Retirement Security
If you work hard your whole life, you deserve a dignified retirement. Social Security and Medicare are a promise — one that seniors have contributed to through a lifetime of hard work. Safeguarding the economic security of retirees by defending these programs and bringing the costs of prescription drugs down have been among my top priorities since I was elected.
Michiganders pay their fair share towards Medicare and Social Security. Hundreds of thousands of people across our state rely on a responsible government to preserve and protect their benefits. While I wholeheartedly support common-sense approaches to improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs for Medicare, we should not be looking to balance the federal budget on the backs of seniors. It is essential that these programs are safeguarded and defended. Our seniors have earned it.
  • Fighting For Campaign Finance Reform
Our campaign finance system is broken and largely responsible for so much of the polarization and dysfunction we see in our politics today. Much of this can be traced back to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allowed corporate special interest money to flood into our democratic system and drown out the voice of voters in our own elections. That’s why I made the decision to refuse corporate PAC money, as I never wanted my constituents to question why I voted the way I did.
The first bill I voted for as a Member of Congress was the For the People Act (HR1). This bill would curb partisan gerrymandering, expand voter rights, and crack down on the culture of corruption in Washington. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives in March of 2019, but unfortunately, it’s been stuck in the Senate ever since.
I promise to continue fighting to reform our campaign finance laws, supporting policies that would increase transparency, curb unlimited spending, to ensure that the voices of our citizens are heard. I support measures that would hold candidates and donors — including my own — accountable through clearly defined fundraising disclosures, deadlines, and penalties. Voters deserve to know who is funding their elected officials.
  • Strengthening America’s National Security
Before my election to Congress, I proudly served for fourteen years with the CIA and the Department of Defense. Following the 9/11 attacks, I was recruited to join the Central Intelligence Agency as a Middle East analyst and I served a total of three tours in Iraq, alongside our nation’s military and diplomats. I served in the office of the first Director of National Intelligence, and in the White House under both President Bush and President Obama. At the Pentagon, I served as the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs where I was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on security strategy and policy issues related to NATO, Russia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere. Now, as a Member of Congress, I sit on the House Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee.
I believe that the United States plays a unique and vital role in the world. Keeping Americans safe at home and abroad starts with a strong defense, but military power alone is not an effective strategy in a world of increasingly globalized and networked challenges. As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, I remain focused on ensuring the United States is ready to confront both existing international challenges and new threats, from terrorism to sophisticated cyber-attacks. To do so, the United States must make investments in its military, intelligence, and diplomatic power – and continue to work with allies and partners around the globe to confront common challenges.
  • Providing For Our Veterans
Veterans’ issues are personal for me. My family is a service family. My husband is an Apache pilot and served for thirty years in the Army, retiring as a Colonel. My grandfather was awarded the Silver Star for his service at Normandy, during World War Two. My father-in-law served for twenty years in the Air Force, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Today, my two stepdaughters are both serving in their own right: one is an active duty Army officer and the other is a physician at a VA hospital. For me, providing world-class care and support to our nation’s veterans is not an abstract policy question – it affects my life and that of my family.
I believe that our veterans deserve our utmost respect and we must do more to ensure that returning veterans are given opportunities to successfully reintegrate, through more support for education, apprenticeship, and job training. In February 2020, I was proud to lead the introduction of the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act, which unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support. This bill would create a program within the VA that supports non-profits that connect veterans with service dogs. Two organizations right here in the 8th district, Blue Star Service Dogs and Veteran Service Dogs, will directly benefit from this bill and are already doing this type of meaningful work. I believe it is critical that veterans have meaningful employment opportunities when they transition to civilian life, which is why I co-led the bipartisan Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act, which will help expand the number of registered apprenticeship programs veterans can access with their GI benefits. Advocating for our veterans is a top priority for me, and I will continue to fight to ensure they have the support and resources that they have earned.
  • Preserving Our Environment
A threat to our environment is a threat to our security and a threat to our way of life. I do not believe that a strong economy and a clean environment are mutually exclusive. In fact, in Michigan, they are intrinsically linked. After all, if you can’t sustain your business because our lakes and rivers have become polluted, that’s a threat to your economic security. If you and your family don’t have access to clean drinking water, that’s a threat to your family’s health and well being. And if polluters continue to write the rules,that’s a threat to the future of our state — and the environment we will pass down to our kids.
Here in Michigan, we not only cherish our beautiful natural resources, but we depend on them to keep our families healthy and our economy strong. That’s why I’ve made protecting our environment — and the businesses that depend on them — a top priority, since over 525,000 jobs in our state are tied to the Great Lakes.
In February 2020 I strongly supported the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support. This legislation will ensure that we have the funding to preserve the Great Lakes as a reliable source of clean water, fishing, and recreation for generations to come.
The development of clean energy technologies like wind and solar not only helps the quality of our environment, it also means economic potential. Michigan has always been a leader in manufacturing, and I will continue to fight to position Michigan to welcome the next generation of high-skill, well-paying advanced manufacturing jobs to our state.
The impact of climate change is being felt nationally, and can be seen here in Michigan. I believe climate change is an issue that must be taken seriously, and prudent planning should be undertaken to prepare for and mitigate its negative impacts. We must be realistic about our changing climate and prepare our state’s economy, communities, and environment for the impact of climate change — and get serious about how to stop it.
  • Advancing Equality
FIGHTING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS
When women succeed, families succeed, and communities succeed. While we have made great strides as a society, we must do more to ensure women have every opportunity to chart their own paths, rise up in their careers, and provide for their families. Women deserve equal pay for equal work, and there is far more to do to ensure all women are treated equally in the workplace. The United States lags far behind other nations with regards to access to maternity care and paid family leave, which helps women and families stay healthy and get ahead. I believe that women should make their own personal decisions about their reproductive health, and that politicians should not tell women what to do with their bodies.
Since being elected in 2018, one of my top priorities has been ensuring that survivors of sexual assault are fully protected under the law. In December 2019, I was proud to introduce legislation that would stop Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos from dismantling Title IX protections for survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment, and to co-lead bipartisan legislation to strengthen on-campus sexual assault prevention and enforcement measures, by holding colleges and universities more accountable. As the U.S. Representative for Michigan State University, the location of the single largest case campus sexual assault in American history, I am dedicated to fighting for progress on this issue.
DEFENDING LGBTQ RIGHTS
Members of the LGBTQ community deserve to have full and equal protection under the law. There have been important advancements in LGBTQ equality in my lifetime, but that progress must be defended. I have always been a strong supporter of equality for the LGBTQ community, including marriage equality. It is a deeply personal issue for me: my mother came out in the 1980’s and was in a committed same-sex relationship prior to her passing away. From equality in the workplace, to access to critical healthcare services, LGBTQ Michiganders deserve equal rights and opportunities.
I was serving in the Pentagon when the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was finally repealed, an update that was long overdue and that I strongly supported. No service member who meets the requirements for service should be turned away based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, including transgender service members. I am proud to have the endorsement of Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest civil rights organization working for equality on behalf of LGBTQ Americans.
ADVANCING EQUALITY FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
I believe that every Michigander, no matter who they are, where they come from, how they identify, who they worship, or who they love, deserves to be safe, healthy and thrive in their community. I have spent my life working to keep Americans safe, to defend the rights that are promised to each of us in our founding documents – and that’s a fight I’m continuing in Congress. Doing one’s duty as a public servant means defending equal rights, but also ensuring equal opportunity – when it comes to access to quality schools, equitable employment opportunities, dependable and affordable healthcare, safety, and security.
As a Member of Congress I’ve worked hard to truly put the public first – and that means fighting to break down the barriers that still hold Michiganders back. We have a long way to go to address the racial inequities in economic security, education, housing, safety, employment, and our criminal justice system – and these issues must be at the center of an agenda to build a stronger economy that works for everyone, and a safer and fairer Michigan.
My first job out of college was working for an organization that helped address educational disparities in marginalized communities. In Congress, I will fight to ensure every child is given the chance to succeed, level the playing field in our criminal justice system, protect and expand voting rights, and promote fair hiring practices that give Michiganders a second chance to thrive and contribute in their communities.
  • Passing Common Sense Gun Legislation
I believe in and support the Second Amendment. I believe that individuals across our district, state, and country who operate guns with care and safety should be allowed to exercise the right to do so. I grew up in a gun-owning family, and when I served as an intelligence officer alongside the military in Iraq, I was trained on and carried a Glock 17 handgun and an M-4 semi-automatic weapon. My husband, who served in the U.S. Army for 30 years, carried a weapon every day he was deployed.
But I also believe we need to be honest that gun violence presents a serious national security and public health issue. And it is precisely because of my experience both operating firearms and working in national security that I believe we must pass common-sense gun safety legislation. We must prohibit terrorists, the mentally ill, and domestic abusers from obtaining guns. And as an Army wife, I do not believe ordinary citizens should be able to easily obtain weapons or materiel that allow them to outgun their local police or military.
Mass shootings and gun violence are a threat to the security of our families, our communities, and our schools. No parent should fear for their child’s safety after dropping them off for class. Failing to do all we can to protect our children is a failure to put the public first – and in my view, a dereliction of duty to address one of the nation’s pressing security issues.
  • Combating The Opioid Epidemic
It’s no secret that the opioid epidemic represents a national emergency across America — it is now a leading cause of death of Americans under 50 years old. I have met with the stakeholders of our communities — teachers, firefighters, police and first responders, community coalitions, treatment programs, nonprofits and hospitals — to hear directly from those most impacted by the opioid epidemic and to guide my legislative approach on this critical issue.
In Congress, I have co-sponsored legislation to authorize State Opioid Response Grants, creating lasting congressional approval for a program that moves critically important funds to our state. In 2019 alone, Michigan received more than $27M through State Opioid Response Grants to help strengthen opioid response measures. And I have co-sponsored legislation that sanctions foreign drug manufacturers who knowingly provide synthetic opioids to traffickers, to crack down on the pipeline that brings these drugs into our state. In Michigan, opioid overdoses now claim more lives than car accidents, including hundreds of deaths each year across our district. This issue demands action, at every level.
  • Fiscal Responsibility And Government
Crafting a budget for the federal government is one of the most fundamental duties of the U.S. Congress. Just like a family’s budget, the federal budget is a reflection of our national values and priorities. And just like a family budget, we must identify the waste to cut in order to spend on the things that are most important to us. I believe we need to rigorously cut waste and excess, while simultaneously making smart investments in health care, education, support for small businesses, and improvements to our infrastructure. I believe that a core tenet of being an elected official is to be upfront about spending decisions, to explain both the benefits and the cuts.
An example of this backward budgeting mindset is the 2017 tax bill proposed by Congress and enacted by President Trump. This legislation permanently slashed taxes for corporations and the richest Americans, while adding more than a trillion dollars to our national debt. In my mind, that’s the definition of fiscal irresponsibility – giving away permanent tax breaks to corporations without being clear what vital programs will be cut to pay the bill. We should not balance the federal budget on the backs of Middle Class families, seniors, students, or veterans — and the public should be informed about how these new bills will be paid.
I strongly disagree with the usage of government shutdowns as a bargaining tactic during budget negotiations. After being elected in 2018, I was sworn into Congress in the middle of the longest government shutdown in history, which lasted thirty five days. During that period, I led a group of Freshman lawmakers to draft the Shutdown to End all Shutdowns Act, which would suspend pay for Members of Congress and suspend travel for senior Executive Branch officials in the event of a federal government shutdown. I believe that the all-too common pattern of using the federal workforce as leverage in budget negotiations is political brinkmanship at its most cynical, and it must end.
Solving our country’s debt and deficit issues starts with an efficient and effective government that invests in the future of the American people. I will continue advocating for a responsible federal budget that reduces government waste and puts people before corporate profit.

[22]

”
—Elissa Slotkin's campaign website (2020)[23]


Republican Party Paul Junge

Junge's campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Combating Coronavirus
The lives taken and hurt by coronavirus is heartbreaking, but the selfless courage of health care professionals, law enforcement, first responders, fire fighters and each person doing their part to help fellow citizens is the essence of America. President Trump took strong action with travel bans and he’s leading a team determined to get our country through this crisis. While we’re in this economically damaging partial shutdown, ensuring people can pay their bills is critical and businesses closed or operating with minimal revenue through no fault of their own need access to resources in order to stay afloat. We will get through this together.
  • Rebuilding our Economy
Coronavirus has hit our economy hard, causing economic insecurity for families, seniors, and small businesses owners, while government deficits balloon and large job providers are damaged. We will clearly need to rebuild our economy and we do that by pursuing the same policies President Trump employed to build a booming economy. President Trump’s economy produced record low unemployment and higher incomes, particularly at the lower end of the wage scale, by encouraging hard work, entrepreneurship, investment, and job creation through low taxes and the elimination of burdensome regulations. Socialism, tax hikes, and crippling regulations would destroy any hope of a robust economic recovery, and we need a strong recovery to provide quality jobs, hope and opportunity for every American. I will support policies that simplify our tax code and make tax cuts for individuals permanent.
  • Putting America First
President Trump is putting America First in trade deals, no longer allowing China and other countries to take advantage of us. I will proudly stand with President Trump as he puts American workers and American businesses first, as he did with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) and other steps President Trump has taken to ensure our trade agreements are enforced and benefit American workers.
As the Coronavirus crisis has demonstrated, U.S. supply chains are over-reliant on China. As long as China continues to steal American technology and intellectual property, and threaten our pharmaceutical supply, U.S. companies should pull critical operations out of China. Congress should incentivize companies to bring those operations back to the U.S. and invest in states like Michigan that have been harmed by jobs being shipped overseas.
  • Securing the Border
I was a President Trump Administration appointee at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services where we enforced our immigration laws and put Americans first. I support Presidents Trump’s efforts to build the Wall, end sanctuary cities, and secure our border.
  • Defending the Right to Life
I am pro-life. Life is a gift from God and there is no more vulnerable life than a baby in the womb. It’s truly horrific that statewide Democrat elected officials have supported allowing the decision of whether a baby lives to be made even after that little life is outside of the womb. Partial-birth abortions, taxpayer-funding of abortions, and no-reason abortion-on-demand needs to end. The solution is life affirming alternatives, particularly support for soon-to-be mothers and adoption.
  • Protecting our Second Amendment Rights
I am pro-Second Amendment and will fight efforts that attack lawful gun ownership, whether by unconstitutional red flags laws or any other means. The United States and Michigan Constitutions resolutely defend the right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms, and efforts to remove this fundamental right strikes at the core of our freedom as Americans.
  • Destroying Terrorists
I support President Trump’s efforts to defend American lives. When an American Embassy is attacked, it is the president’s responsibility to address the threat and he did that by taking out an American-killing Iranian terrorist. The order to strike Iranian terrorist leader Soleimani was not only appropriate, it has no doubt saved lives and improved conditions in the Middle East. President Trump’s strong support for our ally Israel further demonstrates that we stand with our freedom-loving allies and terrorism will not be tolerated.
  • Fixing Our Broken Infrastructure
Michigan’s roads received a failing grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers. It’s clear we need to address the issue, but our Governor’s solution to cut important programs and increase prices at the pump for hardworking Michigan families isn’t the answer. Given the state of our crumbling infrastructure, Federal legislation must focus on making our roads and bridges safe, not on highway beautification projects or public transit, which currently make up 25% of current Federal infrastructure spending. Our infrastructure projects should also address road congestion so you can spend more time with your family instead of sitting in traffic. We must also reduce project costs and speed up construction by removing red tape and streamlining the permitting process.
  • Supporting Quality Health Care
I will protect your work-provided health care. Many Democrats are pushing a version of Medicare for All, which is a threat to your health coverage. This government-run approach will lead to rationing and delayed care. The key to health care is a patient-centered approach that focuses on the doctor-patient relationship. I will insist on protecting people with pre-existing conditions and improving efficiency within the system through health savings accounts, combating lawsuit abuse, and allowing individuals and small businesses to join together for better rates. We must also make prescription drugs more affordable. I support efforts that will actually lower out-of-pocket-costs by increasing the availability of generics, speeding up the FDA approval process, and providing greater price transparency.
Deaths from opioid overdoses dropped for the first time in six years in Michigan in 2018. While the Trump Administration and Congress have taken substantive action to curb opioid abuse, Michigan is still above the national average and there’s more work to do. Substance abuse does not discriminate and it’s critical that we find ways to tackle the problem before it starts. In Congress I will seek solutions that improve access to and the quality of treatment. American health care quality and innovation is top-notch and allowing people to affordably access this fine care is our mission.
  • Educating America’s Future
As the son of a teacher, I understand the need for our educators to receive the support they need to educate the next generation. Educators should be able to focus on ensuring students are prepared to enter the workforce. I support education being addressed at the local level and I will defend the right of American parents to educate their children as they see fit, in a public, religious, private, or charter school, or at home.
  • America First Energy & Environment
Even so-called moderate Democrats like Joe Biden have endorsed a ban on fracking, which would eliminate 516,000 Michigan jobs and reduce the state’s gross domestic product by $159 billion over five years. I support an all-of-the-above approach to meet our energy needs to ensure America remains energy independent.
In order to reduce carbon emissions, we must encourage the private sector to continue innovating renewable energy sources, including hydropower, nuclear, wind, and solar. We don’t need a big government answer that will only result in higher taxes and job-killing regulations. By encouraging research and development of new technologies that reduce emissions and grow our economy, we can ensure Michigan families continue to have access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
The Great Lakes are one of the state’s most treasured natural resources, and it’s important we work together to protect and conserve them. I will work with the Trump Administration and Congress to ensure programs that protect the Great Lakes, such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, are fully-funded.

[22]

”
—Paul Junge's campaign website (2020)[24]


Libertarian Party Joe Hartman

Hartman's campaign website stated the following:

“

– Non-Interventionist Foreign Policy: Bring the troops home and end the terror wars

– Repeal the ACA: Abolish the heavy-handed, one-size-fits-all regulatory burdens in healthcare

– Education choice: Empower families with education vouchers.

– End Taxation: starting with the regressive Social Security and Medicare payroll tax system

– Abolish Drug Laws: starting with cannabis and entheogenic substances

– Daylight Act: End the chaos of clock changing. [22]

”
—Joe Hartman's campaign website (2020)[25]

District represented by a Democrat in 2020 and won by Donald Trump in 2016

See also: U.S. House districts represented by a Democrat in 2020 and won by Donald Trump in 2016

This district was one of 30 Democratic-held U.S. House districts up in 2020 that Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Most were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2020.


2020 Democratic-held U.S. House districts won by Donald Trump in 2016
District Incumbent Ran in 2020? 2018 congressional margin 2016 presidential margin 2012 presidential margin
Arizona's 1st Democratic Party Tom O'Halleran Yes Democrats+7.7 Trump+1.1 Romney+2.5
Georgia's 6th Democratic Party Lucy McBath Yes Democrats+1.0 Trump+1.5 Romney+23.3
Illinois' 14th Democratic Party Lauren Underwood Yes Democrats+5.0 Trump+3.9 Romney+10
Illinois' 17th Democratic Party Cheri Bustos Yes Democrats+24.2 Trump+0.7 Obama+17
Iowa's 1st Democratic Party Abby Finkenauer Yes Democrats+5.1 Trump+3.5 Obama+13.7
Iowa's 2nd Democratic Party Dave Loebsack Retired Democrats+5.2 Trump+4.1 Obama+13.1
Iowa's 3rd Democratic Party Cindy Axne Yes Democrats+2.2 Trump+3.5 Obama+4.2
Maine's 2nd Democratic Party Jared Golden Yes Democrats+1.3 Trump+10.3 Obama+8.6
Michigan's 8th Democratic Party Elissa Slotkin Yes Democrats+3.8 Trump+6.7 Romney+3.1
Michigan's 11th Democratic Party Haley Stevens Yes Democrats+6.7 Trump+4.4 Romney+5.4
Minnesota's 2nd Democratic Party Angie Craig Yes Democrats+5.5 Trump+1.2 Obama+0.1
Minnesota's 7th Democratic Party Collin Peterson Yes Democrats+4.3 Trump+30.8 Romney+9.8
Nevada's 3rd Democratic Party Susie Lee Yes Democrats+9.1 Trump+1.0 Obama+0.8
New Hampshire's 1st Democratic Party Chris Pappas Yes Democrats+8.6 Trump+1.6 Obama+1.6
New Jersey's 3rd Democratic Party Andrew Kim Yes Democrats+1.3 Trump+6.2 Obama+4.6
New Jersey's 5th Democratic Party Josh Gottheimer Yes Democrats+13.7 Trump+1.1 Romney+3.0
New Jersey's 11th Democratic Party Mikie Sherrill Yes Democrats+14.6 Trump+0.9 Romney+5.8
New Mexico's 2nd Democratic Party Xochitl Torres Small Yes Democrats+1.9 Trump+10.2 Romney+6.8
New York's 11th Democratic Party Max Rose Yes Democrats+6.5 Trump+9.8 Obama+4.3
New York's 18th Democratic Party Sean Maloney Yes Democrats+10.9 Trump+1.9 Obama+4.3
New York's 19th Democratic Party Antonio Delgado Yes Democrats+5.2 Trump+6.8 Obama+6.2
New York's 22nd Democratic Party Anthony Brindisi Yes Democrats+1.8 Trump+15.5 Romney+0.4
Oklahoma's 5th Democratic Party Kendra Horn Yes Democrats+1.4 Trump+13.4 Romney+18.4
Pennsylvania's 8th Democratic Party Matt Cartwright Yes Democrats+9.3 Trump+9.6 Obama+11.9
Pennsylvania's 17th Democratic Party Conor Lamb Yes Democrats+12.5 Trump+2.6 Romney+4.5
South Carolina's 1st Democratic Party Joe Cunningham Yes Democrats+1.4 Trump+13.1 Romney+18.1
Utah's 4th Democratic Party Ben McAdams Yes Democrats+0.3 Trump+6.7 Romney+37.0
Virginia's 2nd Democratic Party Elaine Luria Yes Democrats+2.2 Trump+3.4 Romney+2.3
Virginia's 7th Democratic Party Abigail Spanberger Yes Democrats+1.9 Trump+6.5 Romney+10.5
Wisconsin's 3rd Democratic Party Ron Kind Yes Democrats+19.3 Trump+4.5 Obama+11
Source: Sabato's Crystal Ball and Daily Kos


Click here to see the five U.S. House districts represented by a Republican in 2020 and won by Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Twelve of 83 Michigan counties—14 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Bay County, Michigan 12.55% 5.56% 15.31%
Calhoun County, Michigan 12.46% 1.60% 9.36%
Eaton County, Michigan 4.72% 3.13% 8.40%
Gogebic County, Michigan 14.80% 8.10% 17.27%
Isabella County, Michigan 3.66% 9.28% 19.26%
Lake County, Michigan 22.77% 5.01% 12.28%
Macomb County, Michigan 11.53% 3.99% 8.62%
Manistee County, Michigan 15.29% 5.93% 13.26%
Monroe County, Michigan 21.97% 0.98% 4.35%
Saginaw County, Michigan 1.13% 11.89% 17.34%
Shiawassee County, Michigan 19.59% 3.67% 8.59%
Van Buren County, Michigan 13.92% 0.45% 8.78%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Michigan with 47.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.3 percent. In presidential elections between 1836 and 2016, Michigan voted Republican 60.8 percent of the time and Democratic 34.7 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Michigan voted Democratic four out of the five elections.[26]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Michigan. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[27][28]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 53 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 37.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 43 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 39.3 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 57 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 12.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 67 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 21.2 points. Trump won eight districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

Candidate ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for 8th Congressional District candidates in Michigan in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Michigan, click here.

Filing requirements, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Michigan 8th Congressional District Major party 1,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 5/8/2020 Source
Michigan 8th Congressional District Qualified party 1,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 5/8/2020 Source
Michigan 8th Congressional District Unaffiliated 3,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 7/16/2020 Source

District election history

2018

See also: Michigan's 8th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Elissa Slotkin defeated incumbent Mike Bishop, Brian Ellison, and David Jay Lillis in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elissa Slotkin
Elissa Slotkin (D)
 
50.6
 
172,880
Image of Mike Bishop
Mike Bishop (R) Candidate Connection
 
46.8
 
159,782
Image of Brian Ellison
Brian Ellison (L)
 
1.8
 
6,302
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
David Jay Lillis (U.S. Taxpayers Party)
 
0.8
 
2,629

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 341,593
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Elissa Slotkin defeated Chris Smith in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elissa Slotkin
Elissa Slotkin
 
70.7
 
57,819
Image of Chris Smith
Chris Smith
 
29.3
 
23,996

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 81,815
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Incumbent Mike Bishop defeated Lokesh Kumar in the Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mike Bishop
Mike Bishop Candidate Connection
 
92.3
 
75,403
Image of Lokesh Kumar
Lokesh Kumar
 
7.7
 
6,254

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 81,657
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8

Brian Ellison advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Michigan District 8 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Brian Ellison
Brian Ellison
 
100.0
 
522

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 522
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Michigan's 8th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Mike Bishop (R) defeated Suzanna Shkreli (D), Jeff Wood (L), Maria Green (G), and Jeremy Burgess (Natural Law) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Bishop faced no opposition in the Republican primary. Melissa Gilbert (D) withdrew from the race prior to the primary, but still appeared on the primary ballot. She was replaced by Shkreli on the general election ballot.[29][30][31][32][33][34]

U.S. House, Michigan District 8 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMike Bishop Incumbent 56% 205,629
     Democratic Suzanna Shkreli 39.2% 143,791
     Libertarian Jeff Wood 2.6% 9,619
     Green Maria Green 1.5% 5,679
     Natural Law Jeremy Burgess 0.6% 2,250
Total Votes 366,968
Source: Michigan Secretary of State

2014

See also: Michigan's 8th Congressional District elections, 2014
U.S. House, Michigan District 8 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMike Bishop 54.6% 132,739
     Democratic Eric Schertzing 42.1% 102,269
     Libertarian James Weeks II 1.9% 4,557
     Green Jim Casha 0.8% 1,880
     Natural Law Jeremy Burgess 0.7% 1,680
Total Votes 243,125
Source: Michigan Secretary of State Vote totals above are unofficial and will be updated once official totals are made available.

State profile

See also: Michigan and Michigan elections, 2020
USA Michigan location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of Sept. 10, 2020.

Presidential voting pattern

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Michigan Party Control: 1992-2025
Two years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D
Senate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D
House D S S R R D D R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D R

Michigan quick stats
More Michigan coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Michigan
 MichiganU.S.
Total population:9,917,715316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):56,5393,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:79%73.6%
Black/African American:14%12.6%
Asian:2.7%5.1%
Native American:0.5%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.6%3%
Hispanic/Latino:4.7%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:89.6%86.7%
College graduation rate:26.9%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$49,576$53,889
Persons below poverty level:20%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Michigan.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Daily Kos, ""Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2016, 2012, and 2008,"" accessed June 24, 2020
  2. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Counties by Congressional Districts," accessed June 8, 2016
  3. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  4. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  5. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  6. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  7. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  8. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  9. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  10. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  11. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Detroit Free Press, "Endorsement: For U.S. House: Return Slotkin, Stevens to Congress," Oct. 4, 2020
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Detroit News, "Editorial: Our choice for Congress from the 8th District," Oct. 19, 2020
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Facebook, "Paul Junge," Oct. 26, 2020
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Twitter, "Barack Obama," Sept. 25, 2020
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Facebook, "Paul Junge,"Aug. 31, 2020
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, "Detroit Regional Chamber Releases Bipartisan List Of Endorsements For November Election," Sept. 21, 2020
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 WHMI, "Slotkin & Junge Square Off In Final 8th District Debate," Oct. 7, 2020
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 YouTube, "Flashpoint 9/27/20: (Whole Episode)," Sept. 27, 2020
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 WLNS-TV, "8th Congressional candidates face off in 6 News debate," Sept. 21, 2020
  21. ↑ The debate is available as a downloadable MP3
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  23. ↑ Elissa Slotkin's 2020 campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed Sept. 10, 2020
  24. ↑ Paul Junge's 2020 campaign website, “Issues,” accessed Nov. 2, 2020
  25. ↑ Joe Hartman's 2020 campaign website, “Policy,” accessed Nov. 2, 2020
  26. ↑ 270towin.com, "Michigan," accessed June 29, 2017
  27. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  28. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  29. ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Candidate Listing," accessed April 20, 2016
  30. ↑ Michigan Radio, "Assistant Macomb prosecutor Suzanna Shkreli seeks to replace Melissa Gilbert in 8th Dist. House race," July 6, 2016
  31. ↑ Politico, "Michigan House Primaries Results," August 2, 2016
  32. ↑ The Detroit News, "State board lets Dems select new Rep. Bishop challenger," August 22, 2016
  33. ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Candidate Listing," accessed September 6, 2016
  34. ↑ CNN, "Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016
  35. ↑ Reason.com, "Justin Amash Becomes the First Libertarian Member of Congress," April 29, 2020


Michigan's current delegation to the United States Congress
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Gary Peters (D)
Elissa Slotkin (D)
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District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
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District 8
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