Democrat Christina Hines flips House seat in Michigan

Democratic prosecutor Christina Hines was projected to defeat Republican Army veteran Mike Bouchard in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District , according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), flipping a GOP-held seat in the suburbs of Detroit.

Hines will succeed Rep. John James (R-Mich.), who ran for governor this year with President Trump’s endorsement instead of seeking a third term. The district covers much of southern Macomb County and part of Oakland County.

The open seat was a top target for Democrats.

The district voted for Trump three times over his opponents: by 5 points in 2016, by 1 point in 2020 and by nearly 7 points in 2024. But it also backed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) by double digits in 2022 — when James narrowly won his first term. Benson was on the ballot again this year, also running for governor .

James’s departure gave Democrats an opening by removing Republicans’ incumbency advantage. In August, Cook Political Report moved the race from “lean Republican” to toss-up. As of Monday, DDHQ rated the race as “lean Democrat,” giving Hines a 66 percent chance of winning.

Hines won a competitive Democratic primary this year by 17 points despite being outraised by two opponents. Cook Political Report attributes her success, in part, to her strong support in Macomb County.

A former prosecutor in Wayne and Washtenaw counties, Hines focused her campaign on lowering costs, expanding access to affordable healthcare and fighting corruption, including by banning members of Congress from trading stocks . She also sought to tie her opponent to Trump, who endorsed Bouchard.

The GOP hopeful, a former Army paratrooper, is the son of longtime Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, who won reelection in 2024 by more than 20 points. The Republican focused his campaign on supporting domestic manufacturing and auto jobs in the district, securing the southern border and addressing inflation.