The new congressional district map has resulted in more competitive seats for Democrats in Michigan, including a potential flip in the state’s 3rd district, where the PVI moved from R+5 to D+1 and the GOP nominated election-denier John Gibbs.
Hillary Scholten is running for Congress in MI-03 because she’s got the experience and the vision to lead West Michigan forward for all. A former DOJ attorney, a wife, and a mother of two, she is laser-focused on advancing common-sense solutions for the most pressing problems facing us today.
Scholten will be facing John Gibbs, a far-right extremist who says he’s “100% pro-life in all cases” and who called the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade “great news for women” – a position far out of step with the vast majority of Michiganders. Gibbs has also repeatedly pushed the Big Lie that the election was stolen and downplayed the deadly violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6., He said he wouldn’t hesitate to silence Michigan voters should he not like the results of the election
Scholten’s great-great-grandparents emigrated from the Netherlands to build a better life in Grand Rapids; those West Michigan roots have shaped Scholten and inspired her to always think critically and stand up for what’s right.
That’s why Scholten says she went to law school, clerked for the U.S Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and later worked for the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Obama Administration. At the DOJ, the goal was to create strong, fair, and moral immigration policies. But when President Trump was elected, chaos took over. Carefully crafted policies that focused on keeping Americans safe were overruled by late-night tweets. As DC dissolved further into hyper-partisan bickering, Scholten joined the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center to handle the growing immigration crisis, protect Michigan families, and defend the Constitution. She also served as a volunteer attorney for Times Up Legal Defense Fund, an organization that provides legal services to women who face sexual harassment in the workplace.
Scholten believes that the choice of when and how to become a mother or how to handle a complicated or life-threatening pregnancy belongs with women themselves and not politicians. She says it is a kitchen table issue, a worker’s rights issue, a child welfare issue, and a healthcare worker protection issue.
Scholten comes from a long line of conservationists who camp, hike, and fish. In Congress, she’ll work to protect drinking water from PFAS and other toxic chemicals, fight to curb climate change before it’s too late, and lead the charge to invest in a new energy economy with tax credits for renewable energy innovations to create good paying jobs while reducing reliance on foreign oil and lowering the cost of energy.
Scholten says that “as a mother of two young boys, I won’t accept this new normal of active shooter drills in our schools and senseless gun violence in our country.” She has been recognized by Moms Demand Action as a Gun Sense Candidate for her commitment to common-sense gun safety reforms like universal background checks, safe gun storage laws, and red flag laws.
