The candidates vying to represent Flint, and the Tri-Cities in the U.S. House of Representatives took questions from a live audience and talked about issues at a candidate forum held at Saginaw Valley State University.
Republican former prosecutor Paul Junge and Democratic State Senator Kristen MacDonald Rivet are competing in a close race for Michigan's 8th Congressional District seat.
They are looking to replace the outgoing U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint).
The candidates discussed reproductive health with McDonald Rivet criticizing abortion restrictions passed after the repeal of Roe v. Wade. "Women were not dying at the rates that they are now. We have women in Georgia and in Texas who are bleeding out in parking lots because their states do not allow for abortion care," she said.
Junge clarified that he supports the results of Michigan’s abortion referendum, IVF and contraceptive access. “I appreciate this opportunity to again, help dispel some misinformation. That's the subject of a lot of TV, commercials, and social media. I too oppose a national abortion ban," Junge said.
The candidates clashed on a proposed electric vehicle battery plant near Big Rapids, owned by the Chinese company Gotion. The construction has received criticism from state and federal officials over the company's public ties to the Chinese Communist Party after the project received tax incentives approved by the legislature in 2023. McDonald Rivet said the plant will provide much-needed jobs to the area and disagreed with claims that the plant was a national security risk.
“That particular investment had absolute screening by the federal government. And I stand by it as I do the investments that we made,” she said.
Junge said that the plant does pose a national security risk and argued that taxpayer money should be spent on projects by American companies. “I don't think it's playing politics at all,” Junge said. “Sending $150 million or $175 million in Michigan taxpayer money to a Chinese company is a bad idea.”
Even on issues where the two candidates held some common ground disagreements arose. Both Junge and McDonald Rivet opposed increasing the age requirement for Social Security. McDonald Rivet argued that the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 would raise the age for the pension programs and that Junge supported it.
Junge insisted that he has “never read, never looked at,” Project 2025 and he had “no idea what she’s talking about.”
Both candidates opposed EV mandates. However, Junge said he also opposed subsidies and incentives for EVs, saying the free market should dictate consumer decisions. He suggested that McDonald Rivet would be bucking her party and its presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I would just like to remind my opponent that he’s not running against Kamla Harris, he’s running against me,” McDonald Rivet said in response.
Early in-person voting in Michigan opens statewide Saturday.
