Hillary Scholten

Hillary Scholten is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 3rd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first Democrat to represent the Grand Rapids-area district in nearly five decades. Her election flipped a seat previously held by Republican Peter Meijer and she serves on the influential House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Early life and education

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Scholten was raised in a family with deep roots in the West Michigan community. She pursued her undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she developed an interest in public service and social justice. Following her graduation, Scholten earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law, focusing her legal studies on immigration and civil rights law. Her academic background provided a foundation for her subsequent career in public interest law and federal government service.

Legal career

Before entering electoral politics, Scholten built a career as a public interest attorney, primarily in the field of immigration law. She worked as a legal fellow and staff attorney for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, advocating for vulnerable immigrant communities across the state. Scholten also gained federal experience as a judicial law clerk for judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and later served as a senior attorney in the Office of the Solicitor General at the United States Department of Justice during the Obama administration. Her legal work often involved complex appellate litigation and defending federal agency actions.

U.S. House of Representatives

Scholten was elected to the United States House of Representatives in the 2022 election, defeating Republican John Gibbs in a competitive race for Michigan's 3rd congressional district. Her victory was notable for reclaiming a district that had been represented by Republicans like Peter Meijer, Justin Amash, and Vern Ehlers for decades. Upon taking office in the 118th United States Congress, she was assigned to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Natural Resources. In a closely divided House of Representatives, she has focused on bipartisan legislation related to Great Lakes conservation, infrastructure investment, and supporting military families.

Political positions

Scholten positions herself as a pragmatic Democrat, emphasizing issues of economic opportunity, environmental protection, and governmental integrity. She is a strong supporter of the Inflation Reduction Act and has advocated for policies to lower prescription drug costs through measures like empowering Medicare to negotiate prices. On environmental issues, she is a proponent of protecting the Great Lakes from threats like PFAS contamination and supports investments in clean energy. Scholten has taken a moderate stance on some issues, expressing concern over the American Rescue Plan Act's state and local tax deduction provisions and emphasizing border security as part of comprehensive immigration reform. She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Labor Caucus.

Electoral history

In her first campaign for Congress in 2020, Scholten was the Democratic nominee but lost to incumbent Republican Peter Meijer. She ran again in 2022, following redistricting by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and Meijer's defeat in the Republican primary by John Gibbs. In the general election, Scholten defeated Gibbs, winning by a margin of approximately 13 percentage points. Her victory was part of a broader Democratic performance in Michigan that cycle, which also saw reelection for Governor Gretchen Whitmer and United States Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan Category:American women lawyers Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Category:University of Maryland School of Law alumni