In the upcoming midterm elections, The Michigan Daily is endorsing Debbie Stabenow for U.S. Senate and Debbie Dingell for U.S. House of Representatives. The Debbie duo has been working tirelessly to take care of all their citizens, from families, to students, to immigrants, to workers. The two have also worked to protect the Michigan economy and what it has been founded on: the Great Lakes.
Debbie Stabenow has been a Democratic senator since 2001, graduated from Michigan State University and was the first Michigan woman senator elected. Debbie Stabenow is a lifelong Michigan native, and her top priorities are creating jobs in Michigan by growing a diverse economy, banning oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, and taking care of agricultural and rural communities.
Stabenow supports the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, the Keep Families Together Act, and comprehensive immigration reform to make sure the federal immigration system supports families, workers, businesses and farmers. She considers health care a human right and has been campaigning to increase children’s health care insurance, such as her Quality Care for Moms and Babies Act to improve maternity and infant care. She strongly believes full time jobs should provide living wages and is working to promote job opportunities in skilled trades and technical careers. As a native Michigander, she recognizes how important the Great Lakes are to our economy and way of life. She is committed to creating clean energy jobs and reducing our fossil fuel use. She has frequently voted for stricter restrictions on guns and is pro-choice. Stabenow has consistently worked to make the voting process, as well as the government, as transparent as possible.
Debbie Dingell, a Democratic representative for Michigan’s 12th congressional district in the U.S. House, studied at Georgetown University, and was first elected in 2014. She has many similar policy priorities to Stabenow. Her top priorities include ensuring every American has health insurance through her protection of the Affordable Care Act, working to reduce the cost of medicines, strengthening the economy by supporting manufacturing, protecting the environment and improving workers’ pensions.
Dingell is a strong advocate for immigration reform, announcing in a joint statement with Michigan Reps. John Conyers Jr., Dan Kildee and Brenda Lawrence, that we are “a Nation of immigrants,” and will support the DREAM Act. An environmentalist and activist, she relates economic advancement to the importance of all families having access to clean air and water as well as affordable housing, and — listen up college students — affordable higher education. She also believes in raising the minimum wage, another bonus. She is a huge supporter of renewable energy and is an opponent of Trump’s decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan and withdraw from the Paris Accords. Like Stabenow, Dingell places great emphasis on the importance of the Great Lakes in our economy and has detailed plans to protect these great Michigan assets. She is pro-choice and is endorsed by Emily’s List, an organization dedicated to helping pro-choice candidates run for office. She is an advocate for government transparency as well and constantly works toward making elections free, fair and non-discriminatory.
Stabenow and Dingell have been taking care of Michiganders and Americans for the past few years, providing health care, jobs and a stable economy to all their constituents. Now it is our turn. We must take care of our fellow students and Michiganders and vote to keep Debbie Stabenow and Debbie Dingell in office. Students hold a powerful role in the upcoming election. We have the power to stand up for what is right and turn this nation around, but only if we vote responsibly. Vote for the two Debbies in the midterms.
For a full list of The Michigan Daily Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2018 midterm elections, click here.