Four vying to be Dem‘s candidate for governor take part in A2 forum

Deputy Editor

Four Michigan gubernatorial hopefuls stopped by Ann Arbor for a forum hosted by the Washtenaw Democrats to answer questions on policies they would enact if elected governor of Michigan.

With 2,700 people marked as interested on the official Facebook event, the Feb. 3 event quickly filled up to the 250-people capacity of the event space at the Washtenaw County Learning Resource Center. In addition to the 250-seating capacity there were probably 20 people in the hall and around two or three dozen people that had to be turned away, according to Chris Savage, the Washtenaw County Democratic Party chairman.

Questions for the candidates were submitted in writing in advance to reduce disruption as well as to consolidate topics to those with the most interest, as all questions couldn’t be addressed.

The Great Lakes, water quality and environment were popular topics with all of the candidates. They all discussed the need to shut down Enbridge’s line 5, which is a 645-mile, 30-inch-diameter pipeline that travels through Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas and under the Straits of Mackinac. The pipeline provides Michigan with light crude oil, light synthetic oil and natural gas liquids that are refined into propane, according to Enbridge’s website.

Critics of the pipeline argue that Enbridge has failed to report signs of degradation and have recently increased the volume and pressure of oil through the pipelines. That puts the Great Lakes and millions of people’s drinking water at risk if the pipeline were to leak, critics say.

“We must shut down that time bomb, Enbridge’s Line 5 immediately,” said candidate Shri Thanedar, an Ann Arbor businessman. Thanedar lead a chemical service company after receiving his Ph.d in polymer chemistry.

Reproductive rights and a woman’s right to choose were another topic of discussion. Again, the candidates were all in agreement on giving women the choice to an abortion. They also said they supported comprehensive family planning and reproductive healthcare.

“I not only believe in the responsibility to empower a woman’s choice, I believe in the responsibility to empower a woman’s choice across the continuum of when that choice happens,” said Abdul El-Sayed, former director of Detroit’s Health Department and physician. El-Sayed helped to rebuild the department when it was privatized after the city declared bankruptcy.

Gretchen Whitmer introduced herself as being one of the most progressive Michigan legislators during her 14-year tenure there. Included in that progressive agenda was writing a plan for high school graduates to have the opportunity to go to college and graduate debt-free as part of her Michigan 2020 plan.

Bill Cobb talked about education as central to Michiganders’ financial stability. Cobbs was born and raised in Detroit, attended Detroit Public Schools and is a former executive for Xerox Corporation.

The final question at the forum was posed to all candidates and asked whether each of them would support the eventual Democratic candidate. In a show of support for the party. each candidate answered with a resounding, “yes.”

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