Controversial Ties Surface in Michigan’s 10th District Election Race
The race for an open seat in Michigan’s 10th District is heating up as two Republican candidates face scrutiny for their connections to a prosecutor embroiled in scandals. As the primary approaches, the spotlight intensifies on candidates Mike Bouchard Jr. and Robert Lulgjuraj due to their associations with Peter Lucido, a figure mired in allegations of misconduct.
Mike Bouchard Jr.’s candidacy has benefited from financial backing by Lucido, while Robert Lulgjuraj has direct experience working under him in the Macomb County prosecutor’s office. The affiliations with Lucido came into question as both candidates maintained their connections even after Lucido faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment.
Back in 2020, when Lucido was a member of the Michigan Senate, he was questioned by reporter Allison Donahue concerning his involvement in a Facebook group that issued violent threats against Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In response, Lucido made a remark involving a group of visiting male students, suggesting that Donahue could “have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you!” The comment reportedly left Donahue feeling “objectified and humiliated.”
Shortly after, Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who now seeks a U.S. Senate seat, lodged an official complaint against Lucido. She alleged that during their first meeting, Lucido touched her inappropriately and suggested her electoral success was due to her appearance. “It was deflating after running a campaign for a year and a half,” McMorrow recounted to WLNS. “In that moment, I felt like a piece of meat. It implied you won because of what you look like.”
Similar accusations arose from lobbyist Melissa Osborn, who told Michigan Advance about an encounter where Lucido allegedly placed his hands on her hips while commenting on her hair. A Senate investigation deemed these claims credible, resulting in Lucido’s removal as chair of the Senate Advice and Consent Committee in March 2020.
Additional allegations emerged from County Judge Lisa McCormick in 2021, accusing Lucido of inappropriate conduct during a 2019 meeting.
Despite these controversies, Lucido was elected Macomb County prosecutor in November 2020. In 2022, a law firm was hired to investigate new harassment claims against him, which included derogatory remarks about women and racially insensitive comments about Black constituents.
The following year, Lucido was reelected, and Lulgjuraj, who had supported Lucido’s campaign, was appointed as an assistant prosecutor.
In July 2025, Lucido played a role in launching a super PAC backing Bouchard, and later in March gave his official endorsement to Bouchard’s campaign. Bouchard expressed his gratitude on X: “Grateful to have the support of Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido! Pete has spent his career protecting families across Macomb County. Together, we’ll keep fighting to make Michigan’s 10th District the best place to live, work, and raise a family, and we’ll always put Michigan first.”
Bouchard and Lulgjuraj are set to face off in the August 4 primary, with Democratic contenders including former Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel and prosecutor Christina Hines.
