DETROIT — The major topics at Tuesday night’s debate were healthcare, immigration and the shifting state of the Democratic party.
But in the midst all of that, Michigan was brought up several times.
CNN moderator Dana Bash directed a question from someone in Birmingham, Michigan to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Bash asked how Klobuchar would ensure another Flint Water Crisis wouldn’t happen again.
“I was just in Flint,” said Klobuchar. “And they are still drinking bottled water in that town and that is outrageous.”
Klobuchar then said she was the first Democratic candidate to develop an infrastructure plan.
“It’s a bread and butter issue for people that are caught in traffic jams,” she said.
The senator then made a call-out to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her 2018 campaign slogan.
“I think the Governor here in Michigan smartly ran on the slogan, ‘fix the damn roads,’ and it is an issue for union jobs,” said Klobuchar.
Whitmer made infrastructure and fixing Michigan roads a priority during her campaign. As governor she has introduced a 45 cent gas tax to help pay for the roads, but that measure continues to meet road blocks.
Klobuchar then said she would put $1 trillion toward infrastructure, and she would get the funding from raising the capital gains tax.
“And I would take that money and put it in to rural broadband and green infrastructure so you won't have what you just saw in Detroit with the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, the African neighborhood -- that was African-American neighborhood that was most-hit when you had those recent rainstorms,” said Klobuchar.
She continued with her answer before running out of time and getting cut off by a moderator, but her last two cents on the issue might resonate with Midwest voters.
“And climate change, you need a voice from the Heartlands.”
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