Detroit Free Press Editorial Board: Roberson, Tlaib are best choices in Democratic congressional primary
“Tlaib takes constituent service seriously, more so than nearly any other officeholder. She has deep connections to the communities she serves… She brings a unique mixture of passion and pragmatism to the Democratic caucus…”
Redistricting and the unexpected retirement of U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield, upended two Michigan congressional races, creating an open seat in Michigan’s reconfigured 13th District and changing the electoral map for incumbent U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib. …
[Check out the article for more about the new 13th district.]
… The 12th Congressional District has also been substantially redrawn to encompass parts of districts previously represented by the retiring Lawrence and incumbent U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, who faces no primary opposition in a similarly redesigned 6th Congressional District that encompasses all of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.
Two-term Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is challenged by Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey, Lathrup Village Mayor Kelly Garrett and former lawmaker and lobbyist Shanelle Jackson.
We’ve frequently criticized Winfrey’s ability to run elections, and we worry that she would be out of her depth in the U.S. Congress. Garrett is well regarded among her peers, and we encourage her to run again. Jackson would inspire more confidence if she had not spent years working for the Moroun family, persistently at odds with the public interest.
Tlaib’s fiery style, disdain of the status quo, and penchant for salty language turn off some voters. We get that. But she is much more than the sum of her occasionally inflammatory public comments. Tlaib takes constituent service seriously, more so than nearly any other officeholder. She has deep connections to the communities she serves. The new 12th District puts Tlaib in front of voters she’s never had to win over, but she’s one of the finest retail politicians in Michigan, and she has demonstrated repeatedly a knack for finding common ground with her political opponents.
She brings a unique mixture of passion and pragmatism to the Democratic caucus, and seems destined to play an increasingly important role as she accumulates seniority and experience in the House.