Hillary Scholten Bio
Hillary Jeanne Scholten (born February 22, 1982) is an American attorney and politician who has represented Michigan’s 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first woman and the first Democrat to represent the district since 1993, and the first Democrat from Grand Rapids to serve in Congress since 1977. Before entering politics, Scholten built a career as an immigration attorney in both government and private practice. Her district is centered on Grand Rapids and much of West Michigan’s urban core.
Early Life and Background
Hillary Jeanne Scholten was born on February 22, 1982, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up in Hudsonville, a suburb of that city. Her mother worked as a public school teacher, while her father was a sports journalist for The Grand Rapids Press. Scholten’s great-great-grandparents emigrated to West Michigan from the Netherlands, and her parents raised her in the Christian Reformed Church, a Calvinist denomination with roots in the Dutch Reformed Church.
She attended Unity Christian High School before enrolling at Gordon College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2004. After college, Scholten worked as a social worker focused on housing advocacy for the AIDS Action Committee. She later did immigration work for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. She then returned to school and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2011.
Path to US Politics
Following law school, Hillary Jeanne Scholten clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, specializing in immigration law. She went on to serve as an attorney adviser for the Board of Immigration Appeals at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2013 to 2017, working on federal immigration policy during the Obama administration. She then returned to Michigan, where she became a staff attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center and later worked in private practice.
In July 2019, Scholten announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Michigan’s 3rd congressional district. She ran as a Democrat in the 2020 election but lost the general election to Republican nominee Peter Meijer. Her loss was a close one, as she received the highest share of the vote for a Democratic candidate in the district since 1982. The experience helped her build a stronger campaign organization for her next run.
Hillary Scholten Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
Hillary Jeanne Scholten entered electoral politics in 2019 with her first congressional bid in Michigan’s 3rd district. She was unopposed in the 2020 Democratic primary and lost the general election to Peter Meijer. Even in defeat, she came closer to winning the district than any Democrat had since 1982, signaling her potential in a changing political landscape.
She ran again in 2022, once more unopposed in the Democratic primary. She was preparing for a rematch against Peter Meijer, but Meijer lost his Republican primary to a considerably more conservative challenger, former Trump administration official John Gibbs. After redistricting pushed the seat westward to include a large portion of the Lake Michigan shoreline, including Muskegon and Grand Haven, the district became more favorable for Democrats.
Congressional Breakthrough (2022–2024)
In the 2022 general election, Hillary Jeanne Scholten defeated John Gibbs 55% to 42%, winning election to the 118th United States Congress. The victory made her the first woman and the first Democrat since Howard Wolpe left office in 1993 to represent the district. It also made her the first Democrat to represent Grand Rapids in Congress since Richard Vander Veen left office in 1977.
Scholten was sworn into office on January 7, 2023. She ran for reelection in 2024, facing only token opposition in the Democratic primary and winning 91% of the vote. She then won the general election with 53.7% of the vote against a Republican opponent, demonstrating continued strength in her West Michigan district.
During the 119th Congress, Scholten serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In 2024, she joined calls for Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic presidential nominee, becoming the first member of Michigan’s congressional delegation to do so. She also drew attention during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on March 4, 2025, when she wore pink, together with other members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, as a form of protest.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hillary Jeanne Scholten’s 2022 victory stands as her signature electoral moment, ending a decades-long Republican hold on Grand Rapids’ representation in Congress. She has since established herself as an active voice on immigration, infrastructure, and women’s issues, and her 2024 reelection with 53.7% of the vote confirmed her standing in a once-competitive district.
Hillary Scholten Career Wins
Hillary Jeanne Scholten has won two general elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. Her first congressional victory came in 2022, when she defeated John Gibbs by a 55% to 42% margin, and her second came in 2024, when she secured 53.7% of the vote against a Republican challenger.
U.S. House of Representatives Highlights
Scholten’s first win in 2022 marked the first time in nearly three decades that a Democrat represented Michigan’s 3rd congressional district. Her 2024 reelection, in which she won 91% of her primary vote before going on to claim 53.7% in the general election, reinforced her grip on the seat. Together, these victories represent the only congressional general election wins of her career to date.
Other Wins and Achievements
Beyond electoral politics, Scholten built a respected legal career as an attorney adviser at the U.S. Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals from 2013 to 2017. Her early legal and social work experience laid the foundation for her later transition into public service and electoral politics.
Hillary Scholten Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Hillary Jeanne Scholten comes from a West Michigan family with deep Dutch roots. Her great-great-grandparents emigrated from the Netherlands, and her parents raised her in the Christian Reformed tradition. Her mother worked as a public school teacher, and her father was a sports journalist for The Grand Rapids Press.
Scholten is married to Jesse Holcomb, a journalism professor at Calvin University, a Reformed Christian institution. The couple has two sons. Scholten is a member of LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, where she serves as a deacon.