Debbie Dingell

ANN ARBOR, MI — U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, faces five challengers for her Congressional seat in the Nov. 3 election.

Seeking a seventh two-year term, she’s up against the U.S. Taxpayers Party’s Michael Mickevicius, the Working Class Party’s Linda Rayburn, the Green Party’s Clyde Shabazz, Republican Heather Smiley and Libertarian Timothy Teagan.

Michigan’s 6th Congressional District is heavily Democratic, favoring Dingell. It covers all of Washtenaw County, including Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, Dexter and Milan, and stretches east to Downriver communities such as Grosse Ile, Trenton, Riverview, Woodhaven and Gibraltar.

It also includes communities such as Belleville, Canton, Plymouth, Northville and Novi.

MLive/The Ann Arbor News has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund to provide the Vote411.org voter guide. Dingell and Smiley participated in the questionnaire, while the others did not.

Note: All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties.

Website:

Dingell: debbiedingellforcongress.com

Smiley: smileyforcongress.com

Occupation / Current Position

Dingell: U.S. Representative

Smiley: Ford Motor Company Retiree; Global Strategy & Business Engagement Manager, Data Insight & Analytics

Education

Dingell: Masters of Science from Georgetown Univesrity

Smiley: Master of Science (MS), Business Administration, Management and Operations

Qualifications and Experience

Dingell: Elected to Michigan’s 12th District from 2014-2021, and elected to Michigan’s 6th district from 2022-now after redistricting.

Smiley: Leader & innovator with extensive global & multi-cultural business and data science experience involving a multitude of industry sectors/disciplines

HEALTH CARE: What specific steps will you take in Congress to address healthcare affordability, access, and quality for the people you represent?

Dingell:

I am the House lead of the Medicare for All Act because I believe healthcare is a right. Every person deserves access to comprehensive health care, without costly services or other hidden fees. I have long believed that programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security are fundamental lifelines for Americans. Millions depend on them every single day, which is why I strongly oppose efforts to cut, privatize or weaken them. Instead, I support strengthening and expanding them to ensure that everyone can access the care they need to live with dignity and independence. I will continue fighting to protect and improve these programs for all.

Smiley:

I advocate for lower healthcare premiums via free-market choice across state lines, amending/improving group health plans across sectors (incl. provisions for medical stop-loss insurances, , streamlined pharmacy benefits, cost transparency, etc.) that offer pre-existing condition coverage. Allow employers to offer Individual Coverage Health Reimbursem’t Arrangements that extend to full/part-time employees, and support equity/fairness in healthcare resource/treatment by restricting prices based upon Quality-Adjusted Life Years. Improve mental health availability/treatment, the ‘Right to Try’ & veteran care allowing private doctors w/VA funding

ECONOMY: What policy initiatives do you support for residents to earn a living wage and address the overall question of affordability across Michigan?

Dingell:

The cost of living crisis has spiraled out of control. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table, paying for housing, affording prescription medications, paying for child or elder care, or keeping the lights on. I strongly support policies that raise wages, strengthen workers’ rights, and make it easier for working families to succeed. This includes raising the federal minimum wage, expanding access to affordable child and elder care, taking action to tackle rising costs, and expanding access to affordable housing. Our economy is strongest when working people can afford to live, raise a family and retire with dignity.

Smiley:

I advocate for tax policies supporting working families & enabling businesses to thrive/hire, economic strength through capital formation, and protecting prudent investment of retirement savings. In favor of increased skilled trade programs, and explore why college tuition has consistently outpaced inflation, etc. I support a recissions reqmt to claws-back monies fraudulently gained to benefit taxpayers & help pay down national debt, and a middle-class borrower protection framework that restricts lenders from imposing loan-level pricing adj fees based upon the ratio of debt of the mortgagor to the income of the single-family mortgagor.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY: How would you approach ensuring energy reliability, consumer affordability, and environmental protection in Michigan?

Dingell:

Communities across Michigan deserve an energy system that is affordable, dependable, and sustainable. I support investing in modernizing our electric grid, strengthening infrastructure, and improving resilience to extreme weather. We must hold utility companies accountable for delivering reliable service and ensure that ratepayers are getting value for the costs they are asked to bear. Protecting our environment and resources is critical to Michigan’s future because our Great Lakes and public lands are central to our economy, our public health and our way of life. I support expanding clean energy production and lowering costs for consumers.

Smiley:

I advocate for US energy independence, right to choose inter-state energy provider (10-20% less). Given increased AI data center demand and traditional powerplant closures, there is a more urgent need for states to partner w/federal govt to devise/implement a strategic plan for improved powerplant & grid/infrastructure capacity, reliability (MI ranked 41), and security. Free-market/competitive energy combined w/ improved energy/fuel capacity & infrastructure will drive consumer costs down & concurrently improve reliability. Expanded geothermal energy use due to relatively short ROI & lower heating/cooling costs by 40% to 70% compared to trad.

IMMIGRATION: What is your position on due process, First Amendment, and Fourth Amendment rights for all Michigan residents, including noncitizens, and what changes, if any, would you support?

Dingell:

Every member of our community is entitled to the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including due process protections, freedom of speech and religion, and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. However, we’ve seen a disturbing trend of these rights being violated for both citizens and noncitizens. I believe we must do far more to guarantee that these constitutional protections are upheld consistently and fairly. No one should be detained, targeted, or deprived of their liberty without due process of law. Government actions must be transparent and accountable, and must respect the civil liberties of our democracy.

Smiley:

First-born American & advocate for the Constitution as written. The 1st Amdt protects/upholds religious liberty, protects free speech for people/groups, freedom of assn, free press (estd, ind, and individual on all platforms), and to peaceably assemble. The 4th Amdt fully protects people from unreasonable searches/seizures, and 14th Amdt protects both due process and equal protection under the law. I’m a strong believer in upholding both Constitutional & natural law & accountability for those that do not follow/enforce it. Also in favor of restricting federal employees from censoring private/lawful speech while acting in official capacity.

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