Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald on Tuesday joined a growing field for the Democratic nomination for Michigan attorney general.

McDonald, who was elected county prosecutor in 2020, is a former teacher and judge who gained widespread attention in recent years with her successful prosecutions of the Oxford High School shooter and his parents. His parents were charged with involuntary manslaughter, the first time a parent had been tried in the United States in connection with a mass shooting by his or her child.

On Tuesday, the 54-year-old Birmingham resident said she would build on a track record of “protecting freedoms, upholding the law and keeping communities safe.”

“Right now, our state is facing major threats on everything from public safety to the rule of law,” McDonald said in her announcement. “From gun violence and human trafficking, to threats to our fundamental freedoms and federal overreach — the stakes have never been higher. Michigan needs an attorney general ready to take on these tough fights, protect our freedoms, uphold the law and keep our communities safe.”

In addition to McDonald, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit and former U.S. Attorney Mark Totten have said they are running for the Democratic nomination. Defense attorney Kevin Kijewski is the only Republican who has announced for the office so far.

The winner of the 2026 attorney general race will replace Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is term-limited.

McDonald, who is the twin sister of Democratic U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City, is married and has raised five children with her husband. She started her career as a high school English teacher in Midland, where she was part of the teacher’s union, before moving into law. She served as an Oakland County Circuit judge from 2012 through 2019.

In a video announcing her candidacy, McDonald billed herself as a “fighter” for the rights of Michigan residents.

“When a mass shooting devastated our community, I tried the case myself, secured a landmark victory and advanced the movement for gun violence prevention,” McDonald said in the video. “Because I told the victims’ parents I’d fight for them as if they were my own. That’s how I’ll serve as your attorney general.”

In a Wednesday interview with The Detroit News, McDonald said the state needs to do a lot more than prosecute an individual to combat gun violence.

“We have to address what is causing this and that requires approaching it like what it is, which is a public health,” McDonald said.