Leaders calling for election to fill empty Senate seat as 8th District congresswoman sworn in

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) - A swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected 8th District congresswoman took place on Monday, Jan. 27.

Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet took the oath of office Monday after the November election where she was voted in to replace the retiring Dan Kildee.

“There’s far more that unites us than divides us. We all want good schools where our kids can grow to their full potential, to have safe neighborhoods and clean water,” she said.

McDonald Rivet touched on her priorities in Washington, such as protecting reproductive rights and lowering costs for Americans.

“There are people who are, frankly, a little bit scared right now. The thing that we have to focus on is what we are good at, and that is creating community, supporting one another, and making sure we’re focusing on the real things that are important. And that is bringing down everyday costs for working families, making sure our retirements are protected, making sure that people can actually get to the middle class and stay there. That’s our focus,” she said.

In her first three weeks in office, McDonald Rivet joined the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“We all know that our roads are in terrible shape and we have a lot of projects in this region that are really, really important, not just for the infrastructure, but also for jobs that those create. So, I got to work immediately and we are working to make sure that’s protected,” she said.

The congresswoman also briefly addressed potential ICE raids in mid-Michigan as President Donald Trump ordered a crackdown on immigrants who are illegally living in the U.S.

“It’s still very early days and I am in regular communication with law enforcement. I think that right now we’re trying to see how all of this plays out,” she said.

While she is in Washington for work, McDonald Rivet said she’ll continue to be present here in mid-Michigan.

“Most of the time I am right here in the district and that is attending events and going to different churches, I go to a different church every weekend, and being able to be with community all the time, not just when I’m at the podium making a speech,” she said.

If people want to get in touch with her, McDonald Rivet said her district office has opened and is up and running in Flint.

Local leaders are now calling for representation to fill the vacant 35th District State Senate seat.

The Bay Area and Saginaw County Chambers of Commerce, along with the Midland Business Alliance are asking Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to call for a special election.

The 35th District represents Bay, Saginaw, and Midland counties, but they’ve been without a senator in the Michigan legislature since the start of this year.

“The constituents, families, hard-working families in Bay, Saginaw, and Midland deserve to have representation in the state Senate that right now, there’s about 265,000 residents that don’t have representation right now,” said State Sen. Aric Nesbitt (R).

Nesbitt, Michigan Senate minority leader, is urging Whitmer to call for a special election to fill the Senate seat that was previously held by McDonald Rivet.

“She has not responded to my letter to my knowledge, and I’ve made several calls over the last six weeks to make sure that we get scheduled and get it on the books,” he said.

Also urging for a special election to be called is the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, penning a letter to Whitmer with the Midland Business Alliance and Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce.

“We knew this seat was going to be vacated when the election happened in November, and it’s important for us that, now here we are on Jan. 27., there’s lot of legislation happening on the Senate floor and we want to ensure that the voice of the Great Lakes Bay region is heard,” said Magen Samyn, president and CEO of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

She said the chamber works on a regular basis with elected officials, and she wants to make sure those in the Great Lakes Bay Area have an advocate in Lansing.

“When we look at the earned Sick Time Act and the tip credit that is happening right now and that is on the Senate floor, the House advanced those bills last week, and we want to ensure the Great Lakes Bay region has representation,” she said.

When TV5’s Zain Omair asked Nesbitt why he thinks an election for the seat is still in limbo...

“I’m not sure whether this is a political game she’s playing because it’s a truly 50-50 seat. It’s something where it’s both sides are gonna find the seat competitive but at the end of the day, it’s not about which party wins it. It’s about making sure the people in mid-Michigan have representation,” he said.

Both Nesbitt and Samyn are hoping for resolve sooner rather than later.

“You know, there’s still time to get something scheduled this spring and my hope is that she goes ahead and calls it,” said Nesbitt.

“We deserve to have somebody sitting in that seat,” said Samyn.

TV5 reached out to the governor’s office for comment and is to hear back.

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