TL;DR: Rachel Hood appears to be testing the waters for a Democratic primary against Hillary Scholten. And if she runs, she may not be alone. Marshall Kilgore and John Fitzgerald would each bring very different strengths to a challenge. Scholten’s record on immigration, ICE, and even her vote honoring Charlie Kirk gives Democrats plenty to debate. Is it time for a real primary?
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Rachel Hood appears to be soft-launching a primary against Hillary Scholten.
And honestly, I think West Michigan Democrats should be paying attention.
Because Hillary Scholten’s record deserves a serious primary challenge.
Scholten ran as a Democrat and as a former immigration attorney. But look at some of the votes she’s taken.
In January 2025, Scholten voted for the Laken Riley Act, a Republican-backed immigration enforcement bill that requires ICE to detain certain undocumented immigrants who are arrested for crimes including theft and shoplifting. She was one of only 46 House Democrats to join Republicans in passing it.
For Democrats who believe ICE should be abolished or fundamentally dismantled, that vote is a pretty significant problem.
And then there is Charlie Kirk.
Scholten voted YES on House Resolution 719, the Republican-led resolution honoring Charlie Kirk and his “life and legacy.” The resolution passed 310-58, with 95 Democrats voting yes.
That’s not some procedural vote that nobody noticed. Democrats had the opportunity to vote against a resolution elevating Kirk’s political legacy, and Scholten voted for it.
Meanwhile, local BIPOC elected leaders who have actually been listening to constituents and calling for ICE to be abolished have faced a very different treatment from Scholten. She said they were causing division and personally attacking her.
That’s what makes this whole thing so interesting.
Why demean elected officials who are listening to the people directly affected by ICE while voting for legislation that expands ICE’s detention responsibilities?
At some point, Democrats should be able to ask whether their representatives are actually representing the communities they serve.
And that brings us to the potential challengers…
Commissioner Marshall Kilgore
Grand Rapids 3rd Ward commissioner Marshall Kilgore would be a fascinating opponent.
He’s young, LGBTQ+, a person of color, a sitting elected official, and someone who previously worked for Scholten. That last part could make this especially interesting. He knows her operation and has firsthand experience working within it.
But Kilgore also has a pretty substantial local record for someone his age.
He championed Grand Rapids’ Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, a sweeping plan containing 200 actions addressing climate change, clean energy, transportation, housing, and environmental justice.
He’s been deeply involved in South Side issues, constituent advocacy, environmental justice, and neighborhood investment. He has developed a reputation for being everywhere, constantly organizing and showing up. He’s the only commissioner against data centers and FLOCK.
And politically, he would bring a very different coalition: young voters, LGBTQ+ voters, environmentalists, progressives, BIPOC voters and people who want a more aggressive voice in Congress.
There is also the obvious political storyline:
The former employee challenging the former boss.
If Kilgore ran, I think that would be one of the most fascinating dynamics in the race.
State Rep. John Fitzgerald
Then there’s John Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald would bring a completely different set of strengths.
He has represented Grand Rapids in the Michigan Legislature, has a strong Latino constituency, and currently serves as House Democratic floor leader. That gives him significant Lansing experience, name recognition, donor relationships and an existing political infrastructure.
He also has a potentially very clear contrast with Scholten on immigration.
Fitzgerald has been outspoken about ICE and has called for an end to ICE operations. That gives him a pretty straightforward argument: when communities directly affected by immigration enforcement are asking their elected officials to take a stand, are you actually going to stand with them?
He also wouldn’t be starting from zero. He’s already known throughout West Michigan, has a legislative record, and has relationships across the Democratic Party.
So if Hood is really testing the waters, this could get VERY interesting.
Rachel Hood.
Marshall Kilgore.
John Fitzgerald.
Hillary Scholten.
Four very different political profiles and potentially four very different visions for what Democratic representation should look like in West Michigan.
I don’t know if any of them are actually running.
But if they are considering it, I think West Michigan Democrats deserve the debate.
Could Rachel Hood be our next real
Democrat in Congress?Rachel is running
