Mike Bouchard Jr., the Republican nominee for Michigan's 10th Congressional District, won Tuesday night's GOP primary and says he expects voters in November to reject far-left policies despite recent progressive victories in Democratic primaries across the state.
Bouchard secured the Republican nomination after running on a platform focused on public safety, border security, and economic opportunity. He will face Democrat Christina Hines, a former county prosecutor, in the general election to replace Rep. John James, who is running for governor.
The primary results come as Democrats in Michigan are navigating internal divisions following Abdul El-Sayed's narrow victory in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary last week, winning by less than one percentage point over establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens.
Bouchard, a Bronze Star recipient who served as an infantry officer in the 101st Airborne Division and an intelligence officer in the 82nd Airborne Division, spoke with Fox News Digital about what El-Sayed's victory signals for Michigan voters.
What the Left Is Saying
Christina Hines, Bouchard's Democratic opponent, pushed back on his characterization of her record. In a statement to Fox News Digital, she said: "Mike Bouchard Jr has never put a predator behind bars, and he's never lived in Macomb a day in his life. I spent my entire career working with law enforcement to put serial rapists, child predators, murderers, and traffickers in prison. I'm running for Congress to protect the families in my community, and to fight against the corruption that's rampant in DC."
Hines has faced criticism from Republican opponents on crime-related policies during her career as a county prosecutor. Her campaign did not respond to additional requests for comment about Bouchard's broader comments on socialism.
Abdul El-Sayed's campaign was contacted by Fox News Digital for this story but did not provide a statement before publication.
What the Right Is Saying
Bouchard argued that while progressive candidates have won some Democratic primaries, Michigan voters remain pragmatic and will ultimately reject socialist policies at the ballot box. "The people in Michigan are hard workers," he said. "They work hard, they love their families, and you know what? They're moderates. They go back and forth. They look at Democrats, they'll look at Republicans. They don't want partisan politics. They want someone who's going to deliver results for them."
Bouchard contrasted his military background with what he called far-left positions on public safety. "Abdul El-Sayed stands for defunding the police," Bouchard said. "And it's been really interesting to see how my opponent, who's soft on crime, works with El-Sayed when he's trying to tear this country down. I want to build this country up."
On foreign policy and national security, Bouchard referenced comments attributed to Hasan Piker, who campaigned with El-Sayed before the primary. "America deserved 9/11" — a claim associated with Piker in the article that has not been independently verified by Political Bytes. "Tell that to the thousands of people who died in 9/11 and the thousands of American military who died abroad defending this country," Bouchard said.
Bouchard also invoked historical comparisons when discussing socialism. "When the Berlin wall came down, which way did the people run?" he asked. "Did they run towards a communist Soviet union, or did they run towards freedom in America? Socialism doesn't work. It's been proven time and time again."
What the Numbers Show
El-Sayed won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary with less than one percentage point margin over Rep. Haley Stevens — a razor-thin victory that suggests division within the Democratic Party rather than unified support for progressive policies.
Bouchard won Tuesday night's Republican primary in Michigan's 10th Congressional District to face Hines in November. The district's partisan lean and voter registration figures were not available at time of publication.
El-Sayed was backed by over $100,000 from dozens of members of a group with alleged terror ties, according to reporting cited in the Fox News article — an allegation that has not been independently verified or adjudicated in court.
Hines served as a county prosecutor throughout her career. Bouchard has no legal background but brings military and national security experience to the race.
The Bottom Line
The November matchup between Bouchard and Hines will test whether Michigan's 10th Congressional District voters prioritize public safety and economic messaging or align with Democratic prosecutors' approaches to criminal justice reform. Bouchard's campaign aims to link Hines to El-Sayed and broader progressive policies, while Hines is positioning her prosecutorial experience as a qualification for protecting families.
The race is one of several competitive contests in Michigan that will determine control of the House of Representatives. Both candidates are working to define themselves ahead of what is expected to be a high-spending general election campaign.