McDonald Rivet, Buttigieg, Kildee make final case to voters in Midland | WCMU Public Radio

Michigan candidates are making their final case to voters. On Saturday, Democrat state Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet, who's running for congress in the district that represents the Tri-Cities and Fint, spoke in Midland.

She’s running against former Republican criminal prosecutor Paul Junge. Polling shows that race is a toss-up, and it could be crucial to deciding which party wins the U.S House.

She spoke at Midland’s Central Park, speaking at its band shell, she was joined by Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Democratic Representative Dan Kildee, who Rivet looks to replace in Congress.

“On the day that I decided I was not running for congress I called Kristen McDonald Rivett,” Kildee said.

At the event, McDonald Rivet touted her support of policies that she says will bring down the cost of living.

"We have to expand the child tax credit. We have to lower the cost of prescription drugs. We have to address the cost of housing. Things that are really important to every person in our community,” she said. “Not only did we make sure that every kid in public school gets free breakfast and lunch. But we have restored our teachers’ right, to collective bargaining and their ability to do what they needed to do in the classroom.

McDonald Rivet also touted her record as a state Senator. "The first thing I did is author largest tax cut for working families in Michigan's history,” she said.

“Not only did we make sure that every kid in public school gets free breakfast and lunch. But we have restored our teachers right, to collective bargaining and their ability to do what they needed to do in the classroom,” she added

Buttigieg backed MacDonald Rivet calling her a “extraordinary and worthy successor,” to Kildee.

He also stumped for Vice President Kamala Harris saying she would restore normalcy. Buttigieg said America needs leaders like Harris “who say if you disagree, I’m going to make sure you have a seat at the table, that’s how you actually get things done.”

The 8th district includes the Tri-Cities and Flint and holds over 700,000 people.