The 7th Congressional District in Michigan includes seven counties, including western Washtenaw County. Republican Tim Walberg, who is currently in his sixth term in Congress, is being challenged for the third time by Democrat Gretchen Driskell, who served two terms in the state House and as the city of Saline's first female mayor for 14 years. WEMU's Lisa Barry reached out to both candidates to talk about the election. Only Driskell responded and talks about why she decided to run again and what issues she believes need addressing in Congress.
7th District Congressman Tim Walberg is seeking reelection next week, and his challenger’s name may sound familiar. This is the third time former state representative and mayor of Saline Gretchen Driskell has run against Walberg, and she says she feels confident that the third time’s the charm!
Driskell said she felt compelled to run again because she believes things are really broken for so many people in the district which encompasses several counties including parts of Washtenaw County. She says Walberg is "not doing the job for the people in the district." She cites what she sees as a lack of investment in infrastructure, schools, and clean water and says she is running again in hopes of unseating the six-term congressman because "things are really broken."
Driskell also points to affordable health care, high prescription drug costs, as well as income inequality, as troubling issues she believes need addressing. She says she has bipartisan support and vows to work to better address the pandemic and social justice issues, if elected.
WEMU reached out to Walberg and his staff multiple times to participate in this election preview but received no response.
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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu
