Andy Levin, Haley Stevens clash in contentious debate ahead of closely watched primary

Democratic incumbent members of Congress, Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens, who share similar positions on many issues from abortion rights to gun control, tried to highlight their differences during a debate Tuesday ahead of a closely watched primary in a newly drawn district in Oakland County.

Levin, of Bloomfield Township, and Stevens, of Waterford, sparred over the course of the 90-minute debate attended by about 400 at Oakland University in Auburn Hills.

The debate was the second one between the candidates.

The two clashed over a range of issues from reforming the Supreme Court to addressing the student debt crisis.

Levin didn't hesitate to call for expanding the Supreme Court while Stevens said she was open to changing the court but didn't specify which reforms she would support.

Stevens has taken a more moderate approach on some economic and health care issues in contrast with Levin's more progressive stances.

That divide was clear on the issue of student debt when Levin said he opposes means testing for student debt relief that would take into account students' socioeconomic status. Stevens took a different stance, calling on lawmakers to address the issue by expanding financial aid to more middle class students in Michigan.

"Jeff Bezos' kids do not need to go to college for free," she said.

"I don't think Jeff Bezos' kids would be going to community college," Levin responded.

The two had tense exchanges even on issues on which they agree.

Levin tried to make the case that he has been more active on protecting abortion rights than Stevens, issuing a rebuttal to her answer on the topic in which he detailed legislative actions he has taken.

"Was that just the sound of another 60-something year-old white man telling me how to talk about choice? I think my position is clear," Stevens said.

"I don't know where that came from," Levin said after the debate. "I think maybe it was a prepared line or something because I wasn't telling her how to talk about choice."

The debate kicked off with reflections on the nation's latest gun massacre at an elementary school in Ulvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed at least 19 children and two adults, according to officials.

Stevens called it a "break glass moment" and said she called the White House before the debate began to urge Biden to call for a national emergency.

Levin said that both he and Stevens have backed gun control legislation that has stalled in the Senate. "We have to end the filibuster in the Senate so we can pass things by majority ruling," Levin said, citing polling that suggests a majority of Americans support common sense gun control measures.

Stevens later joined Levin in stating that she also supports eliminating the filibuster, characterizing it as an impediment to taking legislative action on issues including voting and women's rights.

Levin said Stevens' stance on filibuster marked a sudden change in her position "in the heat of this campaign," prompting Stevens to say that she signed a letter last year calling for the end of the filibuster.

"I'm looking forward to reading the letter," Levin said.

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Divides on health care, fundraising

Stevens helped lead the auto task force that helped save General Motors and Chrysler in 2009. Levin is a former labor union organizer and leader who comes from one of the most well-known political families in Michigan.

Levin highlighted his own labor background in making the case that he should be reelected at a time the country has seen a surge in unionization efforts.

"It's my life. I'm the union organizer in Congress," he said.

He suggested that his opponent, meanwhile, represents corporate interests, stating that Stevens has received contributions from the Amazon PAC, contrasting that with his own support of Amazon workers' unionization campaign in Alabama.

Stevens responded that her votes "are not bought and paid for" and that Levin only made the decision to stop taking money from corporate PACs last week.

"It's never too late," Levin said, acknowledging that only recently made the decision. "You can join me. I only did it last week. Do it this week," he said, prompting laughter and raucous applause.

Health care reform also emerged as a key divide between the two.

Levin has also pushed for a Medicare for All system to replace private insurance and said Tuesday that his own congressional bid was inspired to advocate for single-payer health insurance as a two-time cancer survivor.

During her 2018 campaign, Stevens advocated for Medicare but campaigned instead on a public option two years ago.

During the debate Tuesday, she called for a public option, a government-sponsored program that would be available alongside private plans through the Affordable Care Act's exchanges.

"We would have millions of people in this country without health insurance. Millions and millions of people," Levin said of a public option.

Candidates discuss decision to primary one another

The pair are the only incumbent members of Congress in the Democratic Party running against each other in Michigan. Other sitting Democrats either moved to avoid primary challenges against each other or resigned.

The upcoming Aug. 2 primary will likely decide whether Levin or Stevens will represent the newly drawn 11th Congressional District in Oakland County that includes Troy, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, Royal Oak and surrounding communities. President Joe Biden won the solidly Democratic district with 60% of the vote in the 2020 election.

While Stevens has previously suggested that she is a better fit for the new 11th Congressional District, she took a more muted tone on the debate stage Tuesday, calling the primary between her and Levin "unfortunate."

"No one asked for this," she said.

"In ten months, we are not going to be colleagues and that is not good. That is not good for Michigan. That's not good for the Democratic Party. It's not good for the country," she told reporters after the debate.

Neither Levin nor Stevens necessarily has a de facto claim on the new 11th Congressional District. The new district encompasses more of Stevens' than Levin's current district.

However, Levin has lived in the new district most of his life while Stevens only recently moved into it from Rochester Hills, which falls in the new 10th Congressional District.

Three Republican candidates have filed petitions to run in the new 11th Congressional District: Mark Ambrose of Bloomfield Township, self-described conservative businessman Matthew DenOtter of Waterford and Gabi Grossbard of Southfield whose campaign website detailing a professional background in real estate and the auto industry.

Clerks will begin mailing absentee ballots to voters in a few weeks.

Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Andy Levin, Haley Stevens clash at Democratic House primary debate