(WXYZ) — Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald is entering the race for Michigan Attorney General. She made the announcement in an exclusive interview with 7 News Detroit Anchor Simon Shaykhet.
See Simon Shaykhet's full interview with Karen McDonald in the video below
McDonald made national headlines after prosecuting the parents of the Oxford High School shooter. Both were convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, and they were the first parents convicted in a mass school shooting.
"I started out as a public school teacher and I did that because I wanted to go to where I felt I could make the most impact in the most important place, which was public education. That’s really what I’ve done my entire career," she said in an interview.
She was first elected Oakland County prosecutor in 2020 and served as a judge on the Oakland County Circuit Court before that. She was elected to the bench in 2012 and again in 2018 before running for prosecutor.
According to McDonald, she began her career as a high school English teacher in Midland, Michigan, before going to law school and working as an assistant prosecutor with the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.
During an interview with 7 News Detroit, McDonald said that if she were elected attorney general, she would continue to work on protecting kids and families from gun violence, protecting people from cuts to funding and grants, protecting women's rights and more.
"The attorney general is the backbone of upholding and protecting the rule of law and protecting the people. We have a tremendous authority and power to protect wellbeing, fairness, liberty, safety, in the state, and that’s what I want to do," McDonald said.
McDonald is the third Democrat to enter the race for Michigan AG. Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit also announced a run, as did Mark Totten, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
"I have a reputation for being fair, straightforward and strong. I will bring that to the office of the attorney general," McDonald said.
Current AG Dana Nessel is unable to run for reelection as she is term-limited.
In Michigan, candidates for attorney general are nominated by delegates at the state political party conventions in August and the winner at the convention becomes the respective party's nominee.
