The Victors

Democrats boost Christina Hines in bid to flip John James’ congressional seat
Democrats call Michael Bouchard an “out-of-district nepo baby” as they target the vulnerable seat.
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by Steve Neavling
August 11, 2026


National Democrats are ramping up their support for Christina Hines’ campaign to flip Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, a closely watched race that could help determine control of the U.S. House.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced Tuesday that Hines has been added to its “Red to Blue” program, which provides fundraising, organizational, staffing, and strategic support to candidates in competitive Republican-held districts.

Hines, a former prosecutor from Warren, is facing Republican Michael Bouchard in November for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. John James, who is leaving the House to run for governor. James won the Republican gubernatorial nomination last week, while Hines and Bouchard won their respective congressional primaries.

The open 10th District seat is among Democrats’ best opportunities to pick up a Republican seat as the party fights to regain control of the House.

“Christina Hines is tough as nails and has what it takes to flip this open seat blue,” DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said. “Serving as chief prosecutor of the special victims unit, Christina put violent criminals behind bars to keep Michigan families safe. A mom of three living with her family in the very same community that raised her, Christina gets the challenges facing Michigan families — that’s why she will be the fighter to get costs down, build a better future for Michigan kids, and stand up to corruption to bring new leadership to Washington.”

The 10th District covers much of southern and central Macomb County, including Warren and Sterling Heights, and stretches west into Rochester and Rochester Hills in Oakland County.

The Red to Blue program is reserved for candidates the DCCC considers capable of flipping competitive Republican seats and provides them with fundraising help, campaign staff resources, training, and strategic guidance.

Hines emerged from last week’s Democratic primary with about 47,000 votes, comfortably defeating Eric Chung and Tim Greimel. Bouchard easily won a four-way Republican primary.

The district has been one of the state’s most competitive congressional battlegrounds.

James first won the seat in 2022 by just about 1,600 votes over Democrat Carl Marlinga. But his victory was more comfortable in their 2024 rematch, when James received about 51% of the vote compared with 45% for Marlinga.

The DCCC says nearly 90% of registered voters in the district live in Macomb County and is betting that Hines’ roots there will give her an advantage. Hines grew up in Macomb County and now lives in Warren with her husband and three children.

After graduating from Wayne State University Law School, Hines started working as a prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s General Trials Unit, which prosecutes felonies like armed robbery, home invasions, and homicide.

Later, at the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, she was promoted to chief of the Special Victims Unit Division, which focuses on sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and child pornography cases, and later became chief of the Appeals Division. Hines led the county’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) and started a restorative justice program.

Her early success led to her being recognized as one of Crain’s Detroit Business’ Notable Women in Law, one of D Business’ 30 in Their 30s, and a Future Leader by the Detroit Regional Chamber.

In an interview with Metro Times last year, Hines attributed her early accomplishments to her commitment to protecting victims of crimes, especially children and women. It’s what inspired her to pursue a career in law.

“I didn’t know exactly what field of law I wanted to practice, but I wanted to advocate for women and children,” Hines says. “I had already known over a dozen women who had been sexually assaulted.”

Hines previously ran for Macomb County prosecutor, challenging Republican Peter Lucido after years of scandals and turmoil in his office. At the time, Hines said she entered that race because she believed the prosecutor’s office needed more professionalism and integrity.

Bouchard, meanwhile, is an Army veteran and the son of longtime Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. But his background is likely to give Democrats plenty to scrutinize.

As Metro Times reported in June, the younger Bouchard previously worked as a researcher for Capitol Affairs LLC, a Lansing lobbying firm run by Robert Kennedy, a longtime political ally and former staffer for his father. The firm represented clients in the pharmaceutical, health insurance, and auto industries.

Kennedy’s connections to the Bouchard family stretch back decades. He worked for the elder Bouchard in the Michigan Senate in the 1990s, later served as a legislative coordinator for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, and held positions in Bouchard’s political campaigns.

President Trump endorsed Michael Bouchard before the Republican primary, praising his military service and calling him an “America First Patriot.”

The DCCC has already signaled that it intends to make Bouchard’s family political connections an issue in the general election. In Tuesday’s announcement, the committee referred to him as an “out-of-district nepo baby,” an early indication that Democrats don’t plan to soft-pedal their attacks on Bouchard.