U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, will serve a second term in Michigan's 8th Congressional District.
According to unofficial results from NPR, McDonald Rivet won with 54.4% of the vote against Republican Thomas Smith. The race was called with 85% of votes tallied.
"We can listen, include, and end the cycle of hate, division, and fear mongering, that's how we won this election and that's how we're going to make change," McDonald Rivet said at her watching party in Saginaw Tuesday night. "We, not me. If we're going to turn that page, do something new and different, it will take us all."
This district includes all of Bay and Saginaw counties, most of Genesee County and the city of Flint, along with portions of Midland and Tuscola counties.
During McDonald Rivet's speech, she spoke about her future plans in Congress.
"We know we've gotta lower costs, whether it's health care, housing, child care, groceries, utilities, you name it, we have got to bring costs down because people are drowning," McDonald Rivet said. "And the chaos of the past two years have made things worse."
She said many of the policies passed by congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump over the last two years needs to be reversed, including tariff policy, cuts to Medicaid, affordable care tax credits and bringing an end to the Iran war.
McDonald Rivet won the 8th Congressional District in 2024 against Republican Paul Junge with 51.3% of the vote after the seat was vacated by Democrat Dan Kildee.
Democrat state Sen. Chedrick Greene, who also won his race Tuesday, replaced McDonald Rivet in the 35th State Senate District.
"I think she's a strong, very strong advocate for the congressional district she represents," Greene said.
He said it's imperative that together, the two have a strong working relationship to make sure things are happening both federally and at the state level.
"Making sure that we're challenging the chaos that's going on in the federal administration and tackling some of these issues that are about to set in come January," Greene said.
Smith, McDonald Rivet's challenger, suspended his campaign ahead of the August primary. But, in a surprise, won the Republican nomination over Amir Hassan and Al Lemmo.
Smith ran no TV ads ahead of the primary, according to the New York Times. In July, he only reported$1,850 in campaign fundraising, but later received an influx of campaign funds after winning the nomination.
Smith did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
McDonald Rivet will begin her second, two-year term on Jan. 3, 2027.
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