The race for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District is one of the most competitive in the country. The two major-party candidates have both raised more than $2 million for their campaigns.
Gretchen Driskell, a former seven-term mayor of Saline and the a current member of the Michigan House of Representatives, is the challenger in the race. And although she’s running as a Democrat, she considers herself an independent.
“I was non-partisan for way longer than I was running as a Democrat,” she told us.
Her campaign to unseat incumbent Republican Tim Walberg has centered around economic issues -- and free trade in particular. While both candidates have come out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Driskell argues that her opponent’s history of support for past trade details reflects his true beliefs. “He’s voted for every trade deal put in front of him,” she said.
Driskell joined Stateside to talk about the race. Listen to the full interview above to hear Driskell’s stance on the Affordable Care Act, as well as her argument that Trump supporters in the 7th District’s could cross party lines and vote for her.
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