WGVU’s Decision 2020 candidate profiles continue with the U.S. House of Representatives race in Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District. Democrat Hillary Scholten and Republican Peter Meijer are the only candidates in the race filling the seat held by Independent, Justin Amash.
Grand Rapids' Democrat Hillary Scholten is a wife and mother of two sons and a Civil Rights lawyer. She tells me this was the time to take action after speaking with people who can’t afford their medications, are concerned about water quality and, in general, struggling to make ends meet.
When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, she explains it begins with controlling the virus spread. She doesn’t believe it’s a one-size-fits-all response for the entire country, but there should be guidance at the national level.
“The federal government has to step up and provide resources to state and local governments for contact tracing, sufficient PPE equipment. We can’t even begin to understand how to get this economy back on track until we’ve stopped this pandemic in its tracks.”
Grand Rapids' Republican Peter Meijer is a fourth generation West Michigander. An Iraq War veteran, Meijer is involved with humanitarian aid programs.
When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, the country must contain its spread.
“Continuing a lot of the state level efforts we’ve had to slow the spread. Again, those have to be a little bit more tailored to what concerns and what the realities are on the ground within certain localities. To get us between here and there on the economic side, I mean, continuing the stimulus package that we’ve already seen. I’ve said before I’m a much bigger proponent of direct cash payments to folks rather than some of the convoluted ways we’ve structured them in the past. And then continuing programs to give liquidity to especially small and medium-sized through extensions of the Paycheck Protection Program.”
To watch our Decision 2020 candidate interviews in their entirety, log on to WGVU.org/politics.