Incumbent Dan Kildee Faces off Against Republican Challenger Tim Kelly In 5th District U.S. House of Representatives Race

    icon Oct 08, 2020
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This year all of the United States Congressional Districts are holding elections on November 3rd and one of the more important battles involves Democrat incumbent Dan Kildee, who was first elected to his seat in 2012, and will be facing Republican challenger Tim Kelly. Additional challengers for this race include James Harris of the Libertarian Party and Kathy Goodwin from the Working Class Party.

Michigan’s 5th Congressional District is located in the Mid-region of the lower peninsula and includes Arenac, Bay, Genesee, and Iosco counties, as well as parts of Saginaw and Tuscola counties.

REVIEW: What are the personal qualities and professional background that you feel qualifies you for this position and distinguishes you from your opponent?

Dan Kildee:  I was born and raised in Flint and have called the Fifth Congressional District home for my entire life. I love this district and am grateful for the trust voters have given me to represent our community in Congress.

At the age of 18, I was elected to the Flint School Board and got my first job as a social worker at Whaley Children’s Center. Later, I served as a member of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners and then as the Genesee County treasurer, where I helped to found the county land bank to help bring economic development to mid-Michigan.

After, I founded and then served as the president and CEO of the Center for Community Progress before being elected to Congress in 2013. My local government experience and time running a national non-profit organization prepared me to work in Congress, where getting results requires working collaboratively with other legislators. I am proud of my record in Congress, working with Republicans and Democrats, to bring home much-needed resources to mid-Michigan.

Tim Kelly:  As a former state representative, a county commissioner, and someone who has worked for two different gubernatorial administrations, I have developed a vast array of experience and practical knowledge directly related to helping the citizens of Michigan's 5th congressional district.

My opponent can claim a similar collection of experiences that qualify him to continue beyond the 43 years his family has already occupied this seat, but his knowledge and experience comes from failed policies and practices that have contributed to the decades-long decline of cities like Saginaw and Flint. 

My plan is to reverse those failed policies and to renew America's faith and confidence in providing opportunity, equality, and justice for all. My goal is to restore America's faith and confidence in Congresses' ability to solve big problems and rebuild the American economy by bringing back critical medical manufacturing and telecommunications jobs from China.

REVIEW:  What are the three biggest priorities that need to be addressed in Michigan and how will your involvement at the federal level impact and advance improvement of the 5th District?

Tim Kelly:  In addition to the three priorities of Renew, Restore, and Rebuild listed above, we must get beyond the lockdowns and shuttering of businesses that have wreaked nothing but havoc and confusion on our economy and our lives. 

The science tells us that survival rates, if infected by Covid-19, are 99% for most age groups, 94% for people over 70.  While certain populations seem more vulnerable than others to the disease, let's focus on their protections and not subject the larger populace to continued restrictions.

Dan Kildee:   Helping rebuild our economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, lowering the cost of health care premiums and prescription drugs, and ensuring clean drinking water are my top three priorities.  My record demonstrates that I will work with anyone - Republicans, Independents or Democrats - to get things done.

I have worked to pass multiple COVID-19 relief packages in Congress to provide direct cash assistance to families, fund vaccine efforts, support for small businesses and extended unemployment insurance for Michiganders of work. The House also passed my legislation, H.R. 3, to help lower prescription drug prices. As the co-chair of the bipartisan PFAS Congressional Task Force, I have successfully secured millions in new funding to more urgently clean up dangerous PFAS chemicals, to protect our drinking water and the Great Lakes.

REVIEW:  What is the most pressing issue that the 5th Congressional District faces over the next four years?

Dan Kildee:  It's long past time for us to invest in our infrastructure and have "Made in America" manufacturing and trade policies that allow our workers to compete on a level playing field. Our biggest economic competitors, including China, are spending way more as a percentage of their GDP than we are on critical investments such as roads, bridges, water systems, the electric grid and electric vehicles.

Rebuilding our infrastructure will make us more competitive in the global economy and create millions of good-paying American jobs. Investing in twenty-first century technologies, including investing to transform our electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy and help promote electric vehicles, will also help to re-imagine our nation’s transportation infrastructure.

I am proud that the House passed a national infrastructure plan to address our country’s infrastructure needs, including my legislation, H.R. 2256, to help consumers buy electric vehicles. I am ready to work with anyone, including the President, to get this legislation passed.

Tim Kelly:  The most pressing issue facing the 5th congressional district currently, and over the next four years, is that we can no longer accept the disparities of a public school system that continuously and habitually delivers an inferior education to most minority communities in our country. 

If you're a person of color, and live in the remnants of once great cities, you're getting a lousy education.  Not from a lack of spending, mind you, because these schools are some of the highest funded in the nation.  It's because you cannot direct your own taxes toward an education that suits your needs and desires, and not those of the system.  Students and families should be able to attend any school of their choice, public or private, charter or traditional, in any manner they choose.  Perhaps by providing quality choices in their schooling today, our children will make better choices in the future and learn to live more amicably and successfully amongst a diverse population of people who may on occasion disagree. 

Let's start there.

 

 

 

 

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