When my wife, Kristi, and I entered this race more than a year and a half ago, we knew a lot was at stake. The Michigan we grew up in felt almost unrecognizable. Our schools rank 45th nationally, utility bills are the highest in the Midwest, and rising housing costs and disappearing job opportunities are pushing young people to leave.
Michigan needs a senator who will stand up for working families and help get the state back on track. That’s why we began this campaign: to make housing more affordable, help children learn to read, and bring manufacturing jobs back. My commitment to put Michigan first has not changed.
But after the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, the race took on a larger meaning. It became a fight over the future of our state and our country, with more at stake than ever.
Michiganders are already facing steep costs. My Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, supports Green New Deal policies that I believe would make life even more expensive for working families. His proposed ban on gas-powered cars could cost auto workers their jobs, while his energy agenda could push up utility bills and gasoline prices.
His Medicare for All proposal could raise costs, too, while leaving people without their doctors or timely, quality care. El-Sayed has said his plan would give other people what you have and make your own coverage more expensive. He has also previously said it would eliminate the private insurance market, though he now says people could keep supplemental coverage through employers or unions. His earlier comments are clear, and I don’t believe Michigan families can afford his plan.
More than costs, though, this election is about values and trust. As a former Army officer and FBI agent, I never expected to run against someone who associates with people sympathetic to terrorists. El-Sayed invited someone to Michigan who has said that America deserved 9/11, and he accepted donations from people linked to terrorist organizations.
After the Hezbollah-inspired attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township in March, El-Sayed appeared to express sympathy for the attacker, saying, “hurt people hurt people.” When asked whether Iran or Israel posed a greater danger to the United States, he said both had been dangerous in their own way. Iran’s leaders chant “Death to America” and seek Israel’s destruction, even as Israel is our ally.
I served this country so El-Sayed, and every American, could practice their faith freely. But I believe his words and actions reflect an outlook that has no place in the United States Senate.
Your vote matters. Saving Michigan will take all of us, and I’ve tried to show my commitment by traveling across the state and meeting people in communities Republican candidates haven’t visited in decades. I want to represent all of Michigan. Rather than chase social media attention or build a movement around slogans, I’ve focused on listening to people and finding practical answers to the problems they face.
El-Sayed is focused on the West Bank; I’m focused on West Michigan. He talks about Hebron, while I’m focused on the Huron Valley. He looks to the Jordan River; I’m thinking about Downriver. El-Sayed wants to represent Palestine. I want to represent Michigan.
The choice is clear.
