Today, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes and Congressman Andy Levin held a virtual press conference highlighting the damage done to Michigan by Trump’s failed COVD-19 response. At the presser, they discussed how Trump’s failure to contain the deadly pandemic has decimated Michigan’s economy and how he has put attacks on health care before fighting COVID-19. They also encouraged Michiganders to vote early in-person for Joe Biden, Gary Peters, Bridget Mary McCormack, and Elizabeth Welch.
“We’ve seen time and again that one of Donald Trump’s top priorities has been to repeal the ACA and strip health care from hundreds of thousands of Michiganders,” said MDP Chair Lavora Barnes. “It’s a goal he put in front of just about every other priority. Even during the middle of a pandemic, he has fought to roll back the Affordable Care Act and gut protections for pre-existing conditions. Even as unemployment benefits expired for laid off workers, and small businesses exhausted their PPP loans, Donald Trump put appointing his Supreme Court pick first. As we speak, Michiganders are voting early in person, and Democrats are voting in huge numbers for candidates up and down the ticket. They’re voting for Gary Peters, who is up against a candidate who supports Donald Trump 2,000%. They’re voting for Elizabeth Welch and Bridget Mary McCormack, two incredible candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court. And they’re voting to flip the Michigan House to give Governor Whitmer the allies she needs in Lansing. And, of course, they’re voting for Joe Biden. Election Day is already here in Michigan, and I urge voters to make a plan to vote early in person, or on November 3rd. There couldn’t be more at stake.”
“So many Michiganders are already voting and here comes Donald Trump again to our state,” said Congressman Andy Levin. “I’m overwhelmed with what a disaster he has been to the state of Michigan. We have 57,000 fewer manufacturing jobs than we did at the beginning of his term. His failed COVID-19 response has shuttered factories and sent our unemployment rate skyrocketing. Earlier this week, his party adjourned the Senate without passing critical assistance for workers and small businesses. We passed the Heroes Act on May 15th and a revised Heroes Act on October 1st, and Republicans in the Senate haven’t passed anything at all. I can’t be any clearer: there’s no fixing the economy without fixing the pandemic. The good news is that Joe Biden has a plan to address the pandemic in Michigan and build our country back better. I’m a big supporter of his Build Back Better plan, including a part aligned with my EV Freedom Act to build high speed charging infrastructure throughout the national highway system. So, in these last days, we have to get to the polls. Even if you’ve never registered, you can register and vote right at your clerk’s office from night now right through Election Day.”
