Four candidates — Michael Bouchard, Steffan Demetropoulos, Justin Kirk, and Robert Lulgjuraj — are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan's 10th Congressional District on August 4, 2026. Bouchard and Lulgjuraj lead in polling, fundraising, and media attention.
Incumbent John James (R) announced in 2025 that he would not seek re-election and would instead run for governor of Michigan. Democrats are targeting the district, which covers southern Macomb County and portions of Oakland County, as a potential pickup opportunity in the 2026 midterms. The race is rated Lean Republican/Toss-up by independent race raters.
Inside Elections' Jacob Rubashkin wrote that despite entering the race months later than Lulgjuraj, "Bouchard begins with a clear advantage thanks to his name and political connections. After 28 years as sheriff, eight years in the legislature, and statewide runs for Senate and governor, his father is among the best-known Republicans in the state." Bouchard said, "I absolutely love the support my father and some of our lifelong friends have brought," and that "the majority of our donors are new to supporting a Bouchard, and I think that's because I'm the only one in this race with the experience that I bring to the table." Lulgjuraj said, "I thank the family for their service, but I am the best qualified academically, resume-wise, and my strong MAGA conservative values to represent this district well, and I'm from here."
Bouchard is a U.S. Army captain. He graduated from Michigan State University's ROTC program and served in the Army's 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. He earned a Bronze Star for his work on a joint task force fighting ISIS.
Bouchard is running on a platform of security, economic growth, and education, saying: "My family taught me that service isn't a slogan, it's a duty. I've worn the uniform of our nation and faced America's enemies abroad. Now I'm ready to fight for our people here at home — to keep our families safe, our jobs local, and help make our country strong again."
Lulgjuraj is a Macomb County assistant prosecuting attorney. He earned his undergraduate degree from Holy Cross College and his law degree from the University of Detroit. He worked as a prosecutor in Wayne and Macomb Counties and served on the Sterling Heights Ethnic Community Committee. If elected, Lulgjuraj would be the first Albanian-American to serve in Congress since former U.S. Rep. Joseph DioGuardi (R) represented New York's 20th Congressional District from 1985 to 1989.
On his campaign website, Lulgjuraj says he is running because he believes "every American child deserves that same chance to pursue their dreams," and that this "can only be achieved by getting government out of the way of people seeking to advance their upward mobility." In a campaign video, he said, "I am not the hand-picked candidate of the establishment or someone who's riding the name of a career politician. I'm the son of a waitress and a maintenance man who instilled in me the importance of hard work and getting the job done."
