(Source: MIRS.news, Published 01/19/2024) (ACME) -- U.S. Senate candidate Hill Harper claimed Friday that the Democratic Party is putting “their thumb on the scale and choking out competition” by steering “establishment dollars” to a single candidate as opposed to encouraging a competitive multi-candidate primary as the one unfolding on the Republican side.
Speaking at a U.S. Senate forum hosted by the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance, Harper said since the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United, money has rolled into political campaigns to the extent that it “makes it almost impossible for most people to compete.”
Harper, the only Democratic candidate on the stage, was asked his opinion on the expanded Republican U.S. Senate field – which would swell to as many as 13 candidates if former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash jumps in – while the Democratic field shrunk to three active candidates when former Rep. Leslie Love dropped out Thursday.
Target Insyght’s polling of 600 likely Democratic voters conducted for MIRS and the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance found U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin leading the Democratic field with 65 percent support. Harper was at 7 percent, Love at 2 percent and Nasser Beydoun at 0 percent.
Slotkin raised more than $11.7 million in 2023, a record-setting haul for a U.S. Senate campaign in Michigan. She enters the year with $6 million banked. Slotkin did not attend the forum, citing a possible conflict with session. The U.S. House was scheduled to meet Friday, but ended up not meeting.
“It’s a shame that Michiganders are being told who they should choose in the Democratic primary rather than being able to really take a look at multiple candidates and make their best choice,” Harper said.
Joining Harper on stage were Republican candidates Michael Hoover, Peter Meijer and Nikki Snyder, all of whom recorded more than 1 percent in the Target Insyght polling of 600 likely Republican voters.
James Craig, Mike Rogers and Sandy Pensler were all invited to attend, but did not.
“It’s extremely important for people who want to represent you to be here,” Snyder said. “I think that’s extremely important to consider.”
Harper had raised eyebrows earlier in the policy conference when answering a question about the World Economic Forum when he said in a seemingly offhanded way that “DTE Energy's costs are among the highest in the country and also among the most unreliable.” DTE's head lobbyist was seen talking to Harper after the forum.
On the issues, the candidates were asked if they would support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as was endorsed by the European Union on Thursday.
Meijer said there was a ceasefire in place that Hamas broke on Oct. 6. If the terrorist organization in charge of Gaza surrenders tomorrow and returns around 100 civilian hostages still presumed alive, a new ceasefire can happen. Until then, he was a no.
Snyder and Hoover also opposed a ceasefire while Harper supported one. He said Israel has one of the greatest military capacities in the world and “there’s no reason that taking out Hamas, a terrorist organization, couldn’t happen with precision, just like we took out Osama bin Laden.”
Harper also differed from his Republican colleagues when he said he would not encourage the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to speed up the permitting process for the underground tunnel for a new Line 5 under the Straits of Mackinac.
He said the natural gas line needs to be shut down to protect the Great Lakes and that union jobs can be created on new clean energy projects as opposed to building a tunnel.
Hoover said it’s “laughable when you hear somebody talk about getting rid of oil or fossil fuels. It is the reason we’re all here today.” Natural gas is a necessary heating source for so many lower-income people.
“We need more natural gas, more renewable gas, more oil,” he said.
On a question regarding the factors a candidate would use when determining whether to confirm a president’s judicial appointment, Hoover said, “I would want to make sure they can answer: ‘What is a woman?’” The reference is to a question posed to now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson during her confirmation hearing in which Jackson responded, “I can’t.”
Snyder opened up about being prescribed an off-label drug during her pregnancy that she believes led to one of her children being born with a cleft palate and the other with only one arm. Her point was she did not have patience for “bloated” bureaucracies that siphon off taxpayer dollars as opposed to money going to the “buddies” of the system.
In response to the record number of encounters at the Southwest border, Snyder said, “We need to take military action” if the government is not going to adequately support the laws on the books.
Harper said both political parties are to blame for the crisis because neither party in Congress wants to give the other party a political win.
“So, we can’t solve this problem,” he said. “It’s yet another example of not putting people first.”
Craig, Rogers and Pensler have all supported Donald Trump in the presidential primary. Hoover said he is endorsing the former president in the 2024 primary. Meijer said he’s staying out of the primary game and Snyder said she will endorse whichever candidates Michigan’s GOP delegates select at its March 2 convention.
Harper said he’s supporting President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary.
Asked what they felt was one issue the U.S. Senate should put on the front burner that is not at the moment, Hoover said the national debt. Harper said the “health care crisis” in that its driving people into bankruptcy. “GoFundMe” is not a health plan, he said.
Snyder also said health care but from an expanded global view that addresses potential pandemic-evolving viruses. Meijer said getting a handle on medical costs and the impact its having on the national debt.
The event was collegial, with Harper, Snyder, Meijer and Hoover all posing for a joint selfie after the event.
“It’s sad to think that this is probably the only time this is going to happen,” Harper said about appearing on stage with the Republican candidates.
