Haley Stevens is holding a meet and greet event with South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn at a Teamsters building on Trumbull in Detroit. State Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to be here also.
Salig Sharma from Detroit tells me Stevens is the first candidate he has ever canvassed for.
Farmington Hills Mayor Pro Tem Jackie Boleware says she reached out to Stevens after she was booed by party members at the state convention. She says she’ll support the Democratic ticket no matter who’s the candidate.
Farmington school board member Angie Smith says she’s backing Stevens because she believes she will represent everyone, “not just one race… You have to know how to work the room, don’t just come in here speaking Arabic, don’t come out with your Arabic music on.”
I’ve seen Wayne County Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch, candidate for 1st state Senate Justin Onwenu and Macomb County Commissioner Michael Howard here at this Haley Stevens event.
Press is being penned away from the room where supporters are gathering ahead of remarks in this much smaller room.
Here is Clyburn and Stevens.
“Mike Rogers knows that I will beat him in November by talking about kitchen table issues, talking about Michigan manufacturing, something I work with this guy on, and standing up to abuses of power,” Stevens says.
“I know how to energize Democratic voters, I know she has what it takes to energize Democratic voters,“ Clyburn says of Stevens.
A full crowd made up of Stevens supporters, union members. Teamsters Local 243 President Scott Quenneville says Stevens in Congress saved members pensions.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer says Stevens knows how to get things done.
Also here is state Rep. Tyrone Carter and Inkster Mayor Byron Nolen, who’s challenging Rep. Rashida Tlaib in the 12th District. Detroit City Council member pro tem Coleman Young also just walked in.
“When she was with the Obama administration, she was there on behalf of the critical auto industry, not just to Michigan, but to many other communities and states across this country, including my home state of South Carolina,“ Clyburn says.
“I had Jim Clyburn and Gretchen Whitmer, our great governor, behind the stage helping me roll up my sleeves because we got a job to do,” Stevens says.
I asked Congressman Clyburn about the generational divide in the race, clear at today’s event, which was attended mostly by much older voters than what we’ve seen at El-Sayed rallies: “That’s great, that’s our future,” he said.
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