Another Republican has joined the race to fill Michigan’s open 8th Congressional District seat.
Nikki Snyder is a member of the state Board of Education. She had been running for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Debbie Stabenow.
But Snyder is switching to run for the Congressional seat that represents Flint, Saginaw, Bay City and Midland.
“I’m a strong female candidate in the Republican party that’s qualified and capable and ready to go,” Snyder said, just before holding a town hall with voters in Flint Township Friday morning.
What Snyder is not is a resident of the 8th District. She lives in Dexter. Snyder says she plans to move to the district.
There is only one month until candidates have to submit signatures needed to qualify for the August primary. Despite her late entry in the congressional race, Snyder is confident she has the support to qualify.
Snyder joins 2022 Republican nominee Paul Junge and trucking company owner Anthony Hudson in the GOP field.
A large number of Democrats are also running in the 8th Congressional District.
State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet, Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley, State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh, Environmentalist Dan Moilanen and former Flint Mayor Matt Collier are each vying the Democratic Party nomination.
Last year, incumbent Rep. Dan Kildee announced he planned to retire from congress after his current term. Kildee has spent ten years in Washington representing the mid-Michigan district. His uncle Dale Kildee held the seat for decades before him.
Kildee’s announcement came after the congressman had undergone treatment for cancer. He is now cancer-free. Also, just this week, the Kildee family suffered a personal tragedy, when the congressman’s brother was allegedly shot and killed by the congressman’s nephew.
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