Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed discussed rural health care, federal funding and workers’ rights at Lake Superior State University’s Arts Center in Sault Ste. Marie on Oct. 16, according to SooLeader’s event coverage.
SooLeader described the auditorium as full and reported that this was his third campaign visit to the eastern Upper Peninsula. The question-and-answer session covered health care, federal funding, collective bargaining and El-Sayed’s Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers.
When an audience member asked why rural communities must compete with larger cities for limited resources, El-Sayed argued the problem is distribution, not scarcity, SooLeader reported.
“There are enough resources for the Eastern UP and the east side of Detroit,” he said.
A local physician received a standing ovation before questioning the value of Medicare wellness visits, according to SooLeader. Medicare explains that its yearly wellness visit is not a routine physical examination. El-Sayed, a physician himself, said medical decisions should rest with patients and their doctors, not insurance companies.
On labor, El-Sayed said he supports legislation protecting collective bargaining for federal workers, including the right to strike, according to SooLeader.
A 10-year-old audience member asked El-Sayed why voters should choose him over Rogers. El-Sayed answered through an analogy about elementary school line leaders and the responsibilities of power, SooLeader reported.
El-Sayed also campaigned in Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Northern Michigan University’s Vandament Arena in Marquette, where more than 1,200 people turned out, WNMU reported. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined El-Sayed at those stops.
Michigan’s required early in-person voting period runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. Some communities offer additional days; voters can check their locations and schedules through the Michigan Department of State. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
