Kristen McDonald Rivet | |
|---|---|
.jpeg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's8th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Kildee |
| Member of theMichigan Senate from the35th district | |
| In office January 1, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Curt VanderWall |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kristen Lee McDonald (1970-07-11)July 11, 1970 (age 55) Portland, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Joseph Rivet |
| Children | 6 |
| Relatives | Karen McDonald (sister) |
| Education | Michigan State University (BA) University of Michigan, Flint (MPA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Kristen Lee McDonald Rivet[1] (/ˈrɪvɪt/; born July 11, 1970) is an American politician who has served as theU.S. representative forMichigan's8th congressional district since 2025. A member of theDemocratic Party, she previously served in theMichigan Senate for the35th district, where she was the assistant majority floor leader from 2023 to 2025. Her district, located inCentral Michigan, includesFlint and theTri-Cities metropolitan area ofSaginaw,Midland, andBay City.
McDonald Rivet was born on July 11, 1970, inPortland, Michigan,[2] where she was raised with her fraternal twin sister,Karen McDonald, and an older sister.[3] Her father was a construction worker, while her mother stayed home to raise the children.[4]
She went toPortland High School[5] and then earned aBachelor of Arts degree in history fromMichigan State University in 1992. She later earned a master's degree in public administration and education from theUniversity of Michigan–Flint in 2010.[4]
Before entering politics, McDonald Rivet served as the executive director ofMichigan Head Start.[6] She later worked in the Michigan department of human services[5] and as the chief of staff for State SuperintendentMichael P. Flanagan.[6]
She went on to become the vice president of the Skillman Foundation[6] and later served as president and chief executive officer of Greater Midlands Inc.[7] She also worked at the Michigan Health Improvement Alliance and Michigan Future Inc.[7]
McDonald Rivet's first elected position was as a member of the Charter Commission forBay City, Michigan.[8] She was subsequently elected to theBay City Commission, representing the city's 2nd ward.[9]
McDonald Rivet was elected to theMichigan Senate in November 2022, defeating Republicanstate RepresentativeAnnette Glenn.[10][11] She represented the state's35th district and was the assistant majority floor leader.[2] She served on the appropriations, economic and community development, education, energy and environment committees, and on several budget subcommittees.[2]
While in the state senate, McDonald Rivet sponsored legislation that expanded the state's Working Families Tax Credit from six percent to thirty percent of the federalEarned Income Tax Credit for 700,000 households.[12] She subsequently introduced the Child Care for All legislative package to expand access to affordable child care in the state.[13]
Earlier in her tenure, she sponsored and helped pass legislation requiring thesafe storage of firearms,[6] part of a broader legislative package in response to the2021 Oxford High School and2023 Michigan State University mass shootings.[14]
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In January 2024, McDonald Rivet declared her candidacy to run for theUnited States House of Representatives for Michigan's8th congressional district to replace the retiringDan Kildee in the2024 Democratic primary.[15] She campaigned on economic security and family-focused issues,[16] won the Democratic primary, and defeated RepublicanPaul Junge in the general election.[17] AlthoughDonald Trump carried the district by two points in thepresidential race, McDonald Rivet won by nearly seven points.[16]
McDonald Rivet took office on January 3, 2025, representing Michigan’s 8th congressional district.[7] She was appointed to theCommittee on Agriculture and theCommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure,[18] and was selected as the Freshman Leadership Representative for theNew Democrat Coalition.[7]
As a member of the Agriculture Committee, she co-sponsored thebipartisan Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act, which was designed to expand the authority of theCommittee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review foreign purchases of U.S. farmland, particularly those involving entities connected to China.[19] She also introduced the Susan Muffley Act of 2025 to restore pension benefits to 21,000 salaried retirees fromDelphi, an auto parts supplier with former operations inSaginaw, Michigan, which went bankrupt during the2008 financial crisis.[20][21]
In 2025, McDonald Rivet was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for theLaken Riley Act.[22]
For the 119th Congress:[23]
Kristen is married toJoseph Rivet, a former politician.[1] They have six children and live inBay City, Michigan.[2] She isCatholic.[24]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kristen McDonald Rivet | 217,490 | 51.3 | |
| Republican | Paul Junge | 189,317 | 44.6 | |
| Working Class | Kathy Goodwin | 8,492 | 2.0 | |
| Libertarian | Steve Barcelo | 4,768 | 1.1 | |
| Constitution | James Allen Little | 2,681 | 0.6 | |
| Green | Jim Casha | 1,602 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 424,350 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kristen McDonald Rivet | 62,105 | 53.4 | |
| Republican | Annette Glenn | 54,246 | 46.6 | |
| Total votes | 116,351 | 100.0 | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 8th congressional district 2025–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 408th | Succeeded by |
