The 2018 election is still a ways away. But that hasn’t stopped plenty of hopeful candidates from throwing their hats in the ring.
In a downtown Lansing brew pub, a Democrat with eyes on Michigan’s 8th Congressional District announced her candidacy Monday.
Elissa Slotkin hopes to unseat Republican Mike Bishop. Bishop is expected to run for a third term.
Slotkin said she wants to focus on solutions and a clear plan.
“That message from Washington that we just need to point fingers at the other guy is not effective in a place like Michigan where people care about results,” said Slotkin, who plans to run on a platform of health care and the economy.
The 8th District includes Ingham, Livingston, and parts of Oakland counties.
Nancy Schwartz was at Slotkin’s announcement in Lansing. She says she’s frustrated with Bishop because he isn’t in Ingham County enough and doesn’t represent his constituents.
Schwartz likes that Slotkin says she won’t focus so much on political parties.
“We have not had that kind of thinking in Washington D.C. for at least two decades,” she said. “And our country’s lack of progress is the result and we just gotta change course.”
This is Slotkin’s first time running for office. She said she’s an outsider with experience.
“People have been constantly been looking for change,” Slotkin said. “They’re looking for something different out of Washington and they have not been getting it.”
Slotkin previously worked for the CIA and the Pentagon in national security. She said she’s running, in part, because not enough politicians realize their first job is public service.
Darlene Domanik has also declared her candidacy for Democratic candidate in the 8th District. She’s an environmental law attorney.
This post has been corrected to reflect that the 8th includes parts of Oakland County.
