Former U.S. Ambassador To Ukraine Running In CD-7

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/18/2025) Bridget Brink, 55, the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine with a 29-year history in foreign diplomacy, announced Wednesday she is running for Congress in the politically competitive 7th District, currently represented by freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte).

Brink is nationally known for abruptly resigning her post in April after three years of working in a war zone in Ukraine after she disagreed with President Donald Trump's direction of giving more deference to Russia and being told to stop calling Russia the “aggressor” in the conflict.

In May, she said she picked up her family – her husband (foreign service officer Nick Higgins) and two kids – and moved to Lansing. Public records show she closed on an historic house in the same Moores River neighborhood as the Governor earlier last week. She said in an interview on Wednesday she is excited about fixing it up while she runs for congress full-time.

“If you're going to run for Congress you have to be committed," she told MIRS. “I'm all in.”

The team she's bringing in would be a testament to that. Brink has hired as her lead consultant nationally known political consultant John LAPP from Ralston Lapp Guinn (RLG), the longtime consultants to gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. They also partnered with EMILY's List on U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham)'s successful 2022 primary.

Brink has also brought in Deliver Strategies – who has done work with the House Democratic Caucus, the Michigan Democratic Party and Voters Not Politicians -- to help with the direct mail. Her pollster is Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, who has done polling for U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Oakland County), U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and independent expenditure work for other members of Congress. New Blue Interactive is doing her digital. They've done work for various members of congress along with abortion access ballot initiatives and the Democratic-nominated Supreme Court candidates.

Brink also has a launch manager and campaign manager.

Brink grew up with her single mother in Grand Rapids and West Michigan before heading to college at Kenyon College in Ohio and then joining the state department in 1996. She said her decision to move to Lansing after leaving her position in Ukraine came from falling in love with the house they purchased in Lansing and her maternal family's deep family roots to the area. Her ancestors settled in Eaton County in the mid 1800s, she said.

As far as her reason for running for Congress, Brink said she's concerned the Trump administration's foreign strategy will be “detrimental to our influence overseas.” On domestic policy, she said the “reckless tariffs” are increasing costs for Michiganders and the Republicans' budget is “taking away health care for hundreds of thousands” of Michigan residents.

She fears the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE's) “slash and burn” approach is hurting services to seniors and other constituencies.

“I'm very concerned about the course of our country and our ability to protect the basic rights, freedoms and democracy upon which the country is founded,” she said. “We need to stand up and fight for our principles.”

MIRS has learned Brink doesn't enter the race as the anointed pick of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), although she could receive their support depending on how her campaign does and how the field shakes out.

Others looking at the seat include retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam, of Ann Arbor, who once carried the “nuclear football” for President Barack Obama. He's apparently a favorite of U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly). Former House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski, of Scio Township, is also apparently taking a look at it, but like Maasdam, doesn't live in the district.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) hasn't ruled it out, while Senate Majority Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) is seen as a formidable candidate if he were able to get into the race, but he's made no signs that he's interested.

Brink is already facing rhetorical fire from political adversaries as a “carpetbagger” who Washington, D.C., parachuted into the 7th District to take out an incumbent Republican member of Congress. It's the same formula used in 2018 when Slotkin beat then-U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop.

Republican consultant Scott Greenlee wrote on Facebook that Democrats don't have anyone who actually lives in the mid-Michigan-based 7th District who can beat Barrett, so “they import someone who has never lived in the District but has had a ‘flashy’ title to try and take him on.

“I am confident this won't work because first, U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett is an EXCELLENT Member of Congress who really takes care of his constituents and second, because voters don't want a DC person with all those special interests representing them,” Greenlee wrote. “She will get a lot of national money for a lot of reasons, but at the end of the day, voters in MI-07 will realize a carpetbagger has no place here vs. our very own Congressman Barrett!”