Through the primary election on August 7, on every Tuesday and Thursday on the MLC Blog we will be highlighting races for which the primary is the key race due to the voter base.  Candidate’s website and professional information is listed when available.

District Overview

The 13^th Congressional District is in Wayne County in Southeast Michigan, including a portion of the City of Detroit. The district has an 82% Democratic base.

Commentary

This seat is open following the resignation of former Congressman John Conyers, who has held the seat since 1964. This race is crowded and includes state senators, former members of the Michigan House of Representatives, and the former seat holder’s son. This race is for the term beginning January 1, 2019, there is a special election being held to fill the seat through the end of 2018.

The Wayne County Clerk found that John Conyers, III, didn’t turn in the required number of signatures to be placed on the ballot. He can appeal this decision to either the Michigan Secretary of State or the Circuit Court. If he chooses not to appeal or his appeal is unsuccessful, he will not be on the primary ballot in August.

Democratic Candidates:

• Ian Conyers – State Senator
• John Conyers, III – Consultant
• Shanelle Jackson – Former state Representative
• Brenda Jones – President of the Detroit City Council, small business owner
• Kimberly Hill Knott – former Capitol Hill intern, former legislative assistant to Congressman John Conyers, policy director at Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, owns a consulting business
• Rashida Tlaib – Former state Representative, attorney at the Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice
• Bill Wild – Former City Council member, Westland Mayor
• Coleman Young, II –  State Senator, former state Representative

Republican Candidates: No eligible candidates

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