Kristen McDonald Rivet

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Kristen McDonald Rivet
BornKristen Lee McDonald
11 7, 1970
BirthplacePortland, Michigan, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationPolitician
Known forU.S. Representative for Michigan's 8th congressional district
EducationMichigan State University (BA)
University of Michigan–Flint (MPA)
Spouse(s)Joseph Rivet
Children6
Website[mcdonaldrivet.house.gov Official site]

Kristen Lee McDonald Rivet (born July 11, 1970) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 8th congressional district since January 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she represents a Central Michigan district that encompasses Flint and the Tri-Cities metropolitan area of Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City. Before her election to Congress, McDonald Rivet served in the Michigan Senate representing the 35th district from 2023 to 2025, where she held the position of assistant majority floor leader.[1] She succeeded Dan Kildee, who did not seek reelection, and won the 2024 general election for the congressional seat in a closely watched race.[2] Her political career has centered on issues affecting working families and communities in mid-Michigan, and she is one of the few members of the 119th Congress representing a politically competitive district.[3]

Early Life

Kristen Lee McDonald was born on July 11, 1970, in Portland, Michigan, a small city in Ionia County in the central part of the state.[1] She grew up in a Michigan family with roots in public service; her sister is Karen McDonald, who later became the Oakland County prosecutor.[1]

Details about McDonald Rivet's childhood and upbringing in Portland remain limited in publicly available sources. Her mother, Kathryn McDonald, was a figure in the Lansing-area community.[4] McDonald Rivet eventually settled in the Bay City area, where she raised her family and became involved in civic life and local governance before entering elected politics.

Education

McDonald Rivet holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing.[1][5] She later earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Michigan–Flint.[1] Both institutions are public universities in the state of Michigan, and her graduate education in public administration provided a foundation for her subsequent career in government and policy work.

Career

Early Career and Local Government

Before entering the Michigan Legislature, McDonald Rivet was active in local governance and community affairs in the mid-Michigan region. She served on the Bay City Commission, the governing body for the city of Bay City.[6] Her involvement in municipal government gave her direct experience with local policy issues, including infrastructure, economic development, and public services in a region that has faced economic challenges related to the decline of manufacturing.

Michigan Senate (2023–2025)

McDonald Rivet ran for the Michigan Senate in the 2022 general election, competing for the newly drawn 35th district. The district was created following Michigan's redistricting process and encompassed portions of central Michigan. She faced Republican candidate Bill G. Glenn in the general election.[7]

McDonald Rivet won the 2022 election, defeating Glenn to secure the seat.[8][9] She succeeded Republican Curt VanderWall in the seat, as the redistricting had significantly altered district boundaries.[1]

McDonald Rivet took office on January 1, 2023, as part of a Democratic majority in the Michigan Senate — the first time Democrats had controlled both chambers of the Michigan Legislature in nearly 40 years. Within the caucus, she was appointed assistant majority floor leader, a leadership position that involved helping to coordinate legislative strategy and manage floor proceedings.[1] Her tenure in the Michigan Senate, while relatively brief due to her subsequent run for Congress, placed her within a legislative body that pursued an ambitious agenda including gun safety legislation, labor law reforms, and expanded civil rights protections during the 2023–2024 legislative session.

The Bridge Michigan news outlet identified the 35th district race as one of the key contests to watch in the 2022 election cycle, reflecting the competitive nature of the district and the broader significance of control of the Michigan Senate.[3]

2024 Congressional Campaign

In 2024, McDonald Rivet announced her candidacy for Michigan's 8th congressional district following the decision by incumbent Representative Dan Kildee not to seek reelection.[10] The open-seat race in a competitive district attracted significant attention from both parties. The 8th district encompasses a wide swath of Central Michigan, including the cities of Flint, Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City — a region with a mix of urban centers, rural communities, and economic diversity spanning manufacturing, agriculture, and the chemical industry.

McDonald Rivet won the November 2024 general election, securing the congressional seat for Democrats.[2] The results were certified by the Michigan Secretary of State's office.[11] Her victory was considered a significant result for Democrats, as Michigan's 8th congressional district was one of the most competitive House races in the country during the 2024 election cycle.

U.S. House of Representatives (2025–present)

McDonald Rivet was sworn into office on January 3, 2025, as part of the 119th United States Congress.[12][13]

Committee Assignments

Upon entering Congress, McDonald Rivet was appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.[14] Both committee assignments are relevant to the economic interests of her district, which includes significant agricultural production and transportation infrastructure needs in the mid-Michigan region.

Legislative Activity

In one of her early legislative votes, McDonald Rivet was among a group of House Democrats who voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act, an immigration enforcement bill that garnered bipartisan support in the House.[15] The vote placed her among a subset of Democrats representing competitive districts who crossed party lines on the measure.

In February 2026, McDonald Rivet joined a coalition of Democratic members of Congress pushing an affordability agenda aimed at lowering costs for consumers. The initiative focused on everyday expenses affecting working families.[16]

McDonald Rivet also announced guests who would join her at the 2026 State of the Union address delivered by President Donald Trump, reflecting the customary practice of members of Congress inviting constituents and community figures to the event.[17]

Political Positioning and Controversies

As a Democrat representing a competitive district, McDonald Rivet has faced scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has targeted her with opposition messaging, criticizing her for taking credit for federal funding allocated through spending bills that she voted against.[18] The practice of legislators celebrating community project funding from bills they opposed in final votes has been a recurring point of partisan contention in Congress, with Republicans labeling it a "vote no and take the dough" strategy.[19] In late January 2026, McDonald Rivet held a press conference celebrating $866,000 in federal funding she had secured for her district, according to the National Review report.

The NRCC also criticized McDonald Rivet regarding her position on a Chinese-owned battery plant in Michigan, framing her support for the facility as alignment with Chinese Communist Party interests.[20] The battery plant issue has been a subject of debate in Michigan politics, involving broader questions about foreign investment in American manufacturing and the transition to electric vehicles.

From the opposite direction, some constituents have criticized McDonald Rivet for cooperating with Republican policy initiatives. A letter to the editor published in the Midland Daily News criticized her for supporting a mineral development initiative associated with the Trump administration and for backing certain corporate interests in Michigan.[21]

Her vacated Michigan Senate seat prompted a special election, with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee investing $250,000 in the race — underscoring the significance of the seat for control of the Michigan state Senate.[22]

Personal Life

McDonald Rivet is married to Joseph Rivet, and the couple has six children.[1] The family resides in the Bay City area of Michigan.[10] Her sister, Karen McDonald, serves as the prosecutor for Oakland County, Michigan, and gained national attention for her prosecution of school shooting cases.[1]

McDonald Rivet identifies as a person of faith. She was included in the Pew Research Center's 2025 report on religious affiliations of members of the 119th Congress.[23]

Her birth name is Kristen Lee McDonald; she uses the hyphenated surname McDonald Rivet professionally following her marriage.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Kristen McDonald Rivet".Ballotpedia.https://ballotpedia.org/Kristen_McDonald_Rivet.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "McDonald Rivet wins Michigan's 8th Congressional District race".Detroit Free Press.November 6, 2024.https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/06/mcdonald-rivet-wins-michigans-8th-congressional-district-race/76010099007/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Michigan Legislature grabs: These are the races to watch on Election Day".Bridge Michigan.https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-legislature-grabs-these-are-races-watch-election-day.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Kathryn McDonald Obituary".Dignity Memorial.https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/lansing-mi/kathryn-mcdonald-10042557.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Kristen McDonald Rivet Bio".LegiStorm.https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/442516/Kristen_McDonald_Rivet.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Here are the elected members of Bay City Commission".MLive.November 2017.https://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/2017/11/here_are_the_elected_members_o.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Glenn, McDonald Rivet race for 35th District state Senate".Midland Daily News.https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Glenn-McDonald-Rivet-17468072.php.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "McDonald Rivet defeats Glenn for 35th District state Senate seat".Midland Daily News.https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/McDonald-Rivet-defeats-Glenn-for-35th-District-17571416.php.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "2022 General Election Results".Michigan Secretary of State.https://mielections.us/election/results/2022GEN_CENR.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Kristen McDonald Rivet announces run for Congress".Midland Daily News.https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/kristen-mcdonald-rivet-congress-18588058.php#taboola-4.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Certified Election Results, November 5, 2024".Michigan Secretary of State.https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "McDonald Rivet, Kristen Lee".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/M001237.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Kristen McDonald Rivet".C-SPAN.https://www.c-span.org/person/?142296.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "McDonald Rivet Appointed to Agriculture and Transportation & Infrastructure Committees".Office of Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet.https://mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/media/press-releases/mcdonald-rivet-appointed-agriculture-and-transportation-infrastructure.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "The Full List of House Democrats Who Voted to Pass the Laken Riley Act".The New Republic.https://newrepublic.com/post/190569/list-house-democrats-vote-pass-laken-riley-act-immigration-bill.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "McDonald Rivet joins congressional coalition for affordability agenda".WJRT ABC12.https://www.abc12.com/news/politics/mcdonald-rivet-joins-congressional-coalition-for-affordability-agenda/article_f0cc10f5-8ac0-454e-a6ca-65bf7cf442c0.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Guests to join mid-Michigan lawmakers for State of the Union address".WNEM.February 24, 2026.https://www.wnem.com/2026/02/24/guests-join-mid-michigan-lawmakers-state-union-address/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "KMR Took Credit for Funding She Voted Against… Multiple Times".National Republican Congressional Committee.February 23, 2026.https://www.nrcc.org/2026/02/23/kmr-took-credit-for-funding-she-voted-against-multiple-times/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "'Vote No and Take the Dough': House Dems Take Credit for Community Projects After Opposing Spending Bills".National Review.February 23, 2026.https://www.nationalreview.com/news/vote-no-and-take-the-dough-house-dems-take-credit-for-community-projects-after-opposing-spending-bills/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "KMR = Great Ally to Chinese Communist Party-Owned Company".National Republican Congressional Committee.February 23, 2026.https://www.nrcc.org/2026/02/23/kmr-great-ally-to-chinese-communist-party-owned-company/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "LETTER: Kristen McDonald Rivet goes to work for Trump, corporate interests".Midland Daily News.https://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/letters/article/kristen-mcdonald-rivet-goes-work-trump-corporate-21360057.php.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Democrats launch $250K investment ahead of Michigan special election".The Hill.https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5746965-michigan-democrats-special-election/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 119th Congress".Pew Research Center.January 2, 2025.https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/12/pr_2025-01-02_faith-on-the-hill_member-list.pdf.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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