Macomb Today

Former Macomb County Judge Carl J. Marlinga has announced his 2024 bid to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. John James in Michigan's 10th Congressional District, a battleground race targeted by national Democrats aiming to flip the House in 2024. Marlinga's campaign comes after narrowly losing to James in 2022, and the district is among the 31 Republican-held seats aggressively targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as they seek to gain control of the U.S. House, which currently has a Republican majority.

"I love the community and as someone who has lived in the community all my life, I understand the hopes, aspirations, and challenges of the families and small businesses who are my neighbors and whom I have served for nearly 40 years," Marlinga says on his campaign website.

According to The Hill, Marlinga, a Democrat, has announced his bid to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. John James in the 2024 race for Michigan's 10th Congressional District. Marlinga, who narrowly lost to James by half a percentage point in 2022, seeks to continue the Democrats' momentum in Michigan. While Democrats have made significant gains in the state, they narrowly missed winning the 10th District. National Democrats view this district as a target in their efforts to gain control of the U.S. House, where Republicans currently hold a 10-seat majority. Marlinga's campaign will focus on economic growth, protecting the Great Lakes, and defending abortion rights. However, he must first navigate a crowded primary field, including Diane Young, before facing James in the general election.

A seasoned legal professional with a notable career in public service, Marlinga previously held the position of Macomb County Probate Court Judge and was previously elected as the prosecuting attorney for Macomb County in multiple terms. His legal career includes work in several law firms, such as the Nine and Maister Law Firm and Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, as well as roles as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Macomb County, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, and a Special Trial attorney with the U.S. Justice Department's Organized Crime Strike Force. Throughout his career, Marlinga received recognition for his work in prosecuting white-collar crimes and advocating for the mentally ill and domestic violence victims. He played a crucial role in establishing support programs for victims of criminal sexual conduct and actively promoted diversity within the legal profession. Marlinga holds degrees from the University of Detroit and the University of Michigan Law School.

According to his bio page, Rep. John James is the Congressman representing Michigan's 10th Congressional District. Before his political career, he was the President of James Group International and CEO of Renaissance Global Logistics, a logistics services company in Detroit. He also served in the military, leading Apache platoons during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and holds degrees in Law and Systems Engineering, Supply Chain Management, and Business Administration. James has been involved in charitable and community boards, received industry accolades, and ran for U.S. Senate in Michigan. He is married to Elizabeth and has three sons: John, Hudson, and Christian.

In the previous race, James had a significant financial advantage, outspending Marlinga by a substantial margin. Despite being considered a partisan tossup, the district had recently leaned Republican, and James, known for his campaigning and fundraising abilities, was seen as a strong contender despite not residing in the district at the time, the Detroit Free Press reported.