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January 27th , 2024 Len’s Political Note #617 Kristen McDonald Rivet Michigan 08
2024 General Election
Losing Dan Kildee will be a blow to his constituents. For a young man (he is 65), he has been around for a while. Nearly 50 years ago, in 1977, he was elected to the Flint School Board. At age 18, Dan Kildee was one of the youngest public officials in the country. He went on to be a member of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners. He served as chair and was ultimately elected County Treasurer. In that role, he created the first county land bank in the country. The land bank focused on remedying urban decay, cleaning up and revitalizing abandoned structures. In 2009, Dan Kildee resigned as county treasurer to become President of the non-profit Center for Community Progress. In 2012, he ran for Congress, replacing his uncle Dale Kildee who was retiring from the job. Now, Dan Kildee has announced that a diagnosis of cancer led him to choose retirement.
Three Democrats want to replace him in this district that descends besides and narrowly below the bay that serves as the inside of the Michigan thumb.
Dan Moilanen is the Executive Director of the Association of Michigan Conservation Districts. He lives in Flint and announced, when he declared his candidacy, that improved housing and childcare are necessary to keep Michiganders from falling through the cracks. His statement was in mid-December. He was too late to submit a report on campaign funds raised for the September deadline.
Pamela Pugh is an African American woman from Saginaw. Saginaw is 40 minutes north of Flint and 20 minutes south of Bay City. With a BS from Florida A & M, and more ultimately an MS and DrPH, she began as a lab supervisor. After 15 years in Saginaw’s health department, she had become director of Community Health Improvement. Since 2015, she continued in public health while also serving on the state Board of Education of which she is currently the president. She has been a champion for social justice in public health and in education. She dropped out of the race for the US Senate after Dan Kildee’s announcement with the intention of being a champion for social justice in Congress.
There are other potential candidates as well. But when Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan 08 announced at the beginning of January at least one newspaper offered the headline that the Democrats got their candidate. The Michigan Midlander described her as “a lifelong Michigander, mother of six, and an advocate for children and working families.” She is the former Executive Director of the Michigan Head Start Association. She worked for the Michigan State School Superintendent and went on to become the Skillman Foundation’s Vice President for program and policy. Then she went into politics, serving on the Bay City Commission, as a state rep, and state senator. She touts her record in the state senate – passing a tax cut for working families, developing plans for providing childcare for working families, passing gun safety legislation that included a requirement for safe storage of firearms. She notes her efforts to protect abortion rights, and effort which could come to fruition as Democrats sustain control of the state legislature.
Kristen McDonald Rivet has been attacked by one of the Republican candidates as out of touch, as a life-long politician. She does not sound out of touch when this daughter of a man who worked construction and snow removal in the winter recalls his advice: “Hard work equals opportunity. If you get up and you work really hard, you’ll be able to have [a house you own], too”. Now, she says “”that Michigan dream is out of reach for too many of our families. Sixty percent of our jobs pay less than $50,000 a year. With the cost of daycare, the cost of groceries, the cost of higher education, housing, it’s just become out of reach.”
None of the candidates for MI 08 were candidates for the position when money raised was last counted on September 30. None of them had money in hand to speak of. We will see on January 31 when the reports are due. Most of the candidates will not have had a chance to really start raising money. The Michigan press expects them to raise a lot – for the August 6 primary and, for the two candidates remaining, for the November election. One newspaper suggested that between MI 07 and MI 08 – two open seats formerly held by Democrats — the campaigns will spend $40 million. Add MI 10 – one of the closest races in the country in 2022, you might contemplate a total of $60 million.
It is possible that the Democrats could win every one – hold MI 07 and MI 08, flip MI 10. But not without resources. Begin by putting some resources behind Kristen McDonald Rivet.
Support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
As we look toward November, 2024, Help sustain the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris campaign. Put things in perspective. In the period between January 15 and January 20, Trump led in 3 head to head polls by 1, 2, and 4 points; Biden led in two head to head polls by 1 and 7 points.
Every donation, large or small, makes a difference. Larger donations mean more money for the campaign. But many in the media count the number of small donations as a measure of enthusiasm for the candidate. Make a small donation if you cannot afford a large one. DONATE TO JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS. #2 in the Stephenson County, IL list of Biden accomplishments: “Helped get more than 500 million life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations in the arms of Americans through the American Rescue Plan.”
Three Michigan races where your money is needed now
Michigan 07. Had Incumbent Elissa Slotkin been the candidate, she would have been #29 on Len’s list of Vulnerable Democratic Incumbents. Curtis Hertel makes the seat more vulnerable than that. Daily Kos’s List makes Michigan 07 #1 among vulnerable Democratic seats. As of October 1, Curtis Hertel had $600,000 available for campaigning; Tom Barrett was not far behind with $400,000. DONATE TO CURTIS HERTEL See Len’s Political Note #601
Michigan 08. Had Incumbent Dan Kildee been the candidate, he would have been #37 on Len’s list of Vulnerable Democratic Incumbents. Mary McDonald Rivet (If she proves to be the Democratic candidate) will be more vulnerable than that. DONATE TO MARY MCDONALD RIVET. Help keep this seat Democratic.
Michigan 10. Republican John James, seeking his third term in the House of Representatives, is #3 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republican incumbents. As with MI 08, it is hard to know who will be the Democratic candidate and the August 6 primary is a long way off. I suggest assuming that the 2022 Democratic candidate will be renominated. Former county judge Carl Marlinga is a little quirky, but, with little in the way of resources, he came very close to winning against the scion of a wealthy African American family, DONATE TO CARL MARLINGA
Two Iowa races where your money is needed now
Iowa 03 – Republican Zach Nunn is #5 on Len’s list of vulnerable Republican seats. A US Agriculture Department Undersecretary whose family escaped Communism, Lanon Baccam will be the Democratic candidate against Incumbent Zach Nunn. On October 1, Zach Nunn had $1.4 Million. Lanon Baccam was not yet a candidate on the date of the last report. Help Lanon Baccam catch up in the financial race. DONATE TO LANON BACCAM
Iowa 02 — #22 on Len’s List of vulnerable Republicans. Law professor, former State Rep, and previous candidate Christina Bohannan has a reasonably good chance to defeat Incumbent Republican Marianette Miller-Meeks. Miller-Meeks, who won her first race by 9 votes, had $1.4 Million for her campaign on October 1. Christina Bohannan has a respectable $600,000 for a challenger. DONATE TO CHRISTINA BOHANNAN
A Nebraska race for Congress
Nebraska 02 – Republican Incumbent Don Bacon is #11 on Len’s list of vulnerable Republicans. State Senator Tony Vargas is his Democratic opponent. Bacon has been a leader of the crumbling Republican moderates. Had the moderates been effective in Congress, Bacon would be less vulnerable. On October 1, Incumbent Republican Don Bacon had $1 Million. Tony Vargas had $750,000. Both will need more to compete in this race. Help Tony Vargas succeed. DONATE TO TONY VARGAS See Len’s Political Note #587.
Five more Midwestern races where your donations would be extremely valuable
Three in Ohio
Ohio 13 Inc Emilia Sykes is #24 on Len’s list of vulnerable Democrats and #15 on Daily Kos’s List. On October 1, she had $750,000 available for her campaign. The probable Republican nominee City Councilman Chris Banweg had $100,000. Neither candidate has enough. Help Emilia Sykes raise the funds she needs. DONATE TO EMILIA SYKES Len’s Political Note #590
Ohio 01 Inc Greg Landsman is # 26 on Len’s list of vulnerable Democrats and #21 on Daily Kos’s List. On October 1, he had $1 Million available for his campaign. The only Republican in the race, Orlando Sonza, had less than $100,000. Greg Landsman, nevertheless, needs additional resources to keep the pressure on. DONATE TO GREG LANDSMAN Len’s Political Note #598
Ohio 09. Inc Marcy Kaptur is not on Len’s List or Daily Kos’s List. The fault for that is the way those lists are calculated. She won substantially in 2022 against a flawed candidate Joe Majewski. The district is skewed Republican and several Republicans are campaigning for the position. State Rep Craig Riedel had $500,000 on October 1; Marcy Kaptur had one million dollars. National Republicans are looking for another candidate after a video surfaced of Riedel criticizing Donald Trump. Amidst the Republican chaos DONATE TO MARCY KAPTUR. See Len’s Political Note #554
One in Illinois and one in Indiana
Illinois 17– Inc Eric Sorensen is #12 on Len’s list of vulnerable Democrats and tied for #16 on Daily Kos’s List. Eric Sorensen is a former television weatherman. He has two possible Republican opponents and had $1.1 Million on October 1. His opponents had little or nothing. DONATE TO ERIC SORENSEN Len’s Political Note #552.
Indiana 01 Inc Frank Mrvan is #18 on Len’s list of vulnerable Democrats. On October 1 Frank Mrvan had $600,000. His apparent opponent Trucking Company Owner Randall Niemeyer had not yet begun to raise money. Help Frank Mrvan raise enough money to discourage his probable opponent. DONATE TO FRANK MRVAN Len’s Political Note #576
Midwestern Senate Contests – These are crucial
Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is the favorite to win the nomination for this open seat. The Republican favorite is former Congressman Mike Rogers. A January poll showed her either even or up by 1 or 2 points against three possible opponents. . She had $5.1 Million in hand on October 1; Rogers had $800,000. DONATE TO ELISSA SLOTKIN See Len’s Political Note #589
Ohio Incumbent Sherrod Brown is considered by some to be the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent now that Joe Manchin is not running. He has three possible opponents. An mid November poll found Sherrod Brown ahead by 3, 5, or 11 points against his three possible opponents. The October 1 reports showed Sherrod Brown with $4.5 Million — more than the closest opponent financially. He needs every bit of support you can provide. DONATE TO SHERROD BROWN See Len’s Political Note #556
Wisconsin. Incumbent Tammy Baldwin has no serious opponent so far, but wealthy businessman Eric Hovde keeps promising to announce for the Republican nomination. A poll conducted in May found her only one point ahead of a Congressman who decided not run for the Senate. She is preparing for a serious race and had $6.8 Million on October 1. DONATE TO TAMMY BALDWIN See Len’s Political Note #570.
A Midwestern independent for Senate you should support
Nebraska Labor leader Dan Osborn is running against two term Republican Senator Deb Fischer. She is not the worst Republican Senator, though she is a climate crisis skeptic and opposes gun safety rules. On the other hand, she voted to certify the results of the 2020 election. (How can it be that such an ordinary vote can be worth an approving mention in the United States?) Dan Osborn was part of the leadership for a recent successful strike against Kellogg. He would be a more sympathetic independent than Joe Manchin ever was. No one would think he had a personal financial stake in his political decisions. (That is another statement that, sadly, warrants attention in the contemporary United States.) DONATE TO DAN OSBORN See Len’s Political Note #614.
Please note: In Len’s Political Note #614, I got Dan Osborn’s name wrong. I called him Don.
