Michigan Primary 2024 Voter Guide: 6th Congressional District
Learn more about the candidates running for Michigan’s 6th Congressional District in 2024.
The 2024 Michigan primary takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
The state’s 6th Congressional District incumbent, Democrat Debbie Dingell, runs unopposed on her party’s side. Republican Heather Smiley also faces no one in the August primary and will meet Dingell in November’s general election. Green Party candidate Clyde Shabazz won his party’s nomination and will be on November’s ballot.
Related: 2024 WDET Voter Guide
The 6th Congressional District includes Washtenaw County cities like Ann Arbor and Dexter, a few Oakland County cities such as Northville and the majority of Novi, and Downriver communities including Flat Rock, Trenton, Woodhaven and more.
WDET distributed surveys to local, county and congressional candidates in key races on the August primary ballot to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
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Democratic Candidates
Name: Debbie Dingell
Age: 70
Current job: U.S. Representative
Education: B.S. Foreign Services, M.S. Liberal Studies from Georgetown University
Tell us about yourself in 200 words or less.
Before being elected to Congress, Dingell – a self-proclaimed car girl – worked in the auto industry for over three decades, where she was President of the General Motors Foundation and a senior executive responsible for public affairs. She was also Chairman of the Wayne State University Board of Governors and to this day continues to fight for affordable and accessible education in Congress. She chaired the Michigan Infant Mortality Task Force, the Children’s Leadership Council of Michigan, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, the Baby Your Baby public education campaign that reduced infant mortality rates in Michigan, and has served on the board of Michigan’s Children, a statewide independent voice advocating for public policies in the best interest of children of all ages.
Why are you running for Michigan’s 6th Congressional District?
I love this district, I love the people I represent, and I love my job. It’s important that people have their voices heard and have a seat at the table as policy is being developed. I know the importance of building coalitions, listening to different perspectives, and bringing everyone to the table to try to find common ground. I care about solving problems and addressing issues for the people I represent, and care deeply about the casework we do every day that makes a real difference in people’s lives.
What are the top 3 priority issues that the 6th Congressional District faces and what action would you, as its representative, take regarding each of them?
- Cost of living and inflation. I spend my weekends speaking with workers and families at union halls, farmers markets, senior gatherings, veterans events, and other community events, and know many are struggling to make ends meet. I am working in Congress to bring down everyday costs for working families from health care and prescriptions to groceries, housing, child care, senior care, and energy.
- American jobs and strengthening our supply chain. I am fighting in Congress to invest in American jobs and workers, strengthen and support our unions, and bring supply chains back to this country. We must diversify the economy in Michigan and ensure our auto industry remains strong, competitive, and the global leader. It is critical to keep the United States and Michigan at the forefront of innovation and technology. We are competing in a global marketplace. We put the world on wheels and I will continue to do everything I can to keep us the leader in this industry.
- Environment. The transportation industry accounts for 30% of all carbon emissions, which is why I’ve worked closely with the administration, auto manufacturers, labor, and environmental groups to support the transition to electric vehicles. We must address the transportation sector to meet our climate goals. As we continue working to confront the climate crisis and transition to a clean energy future, investing in our electric vehicle charging infrastructure and making EVs more affordable and accessible to consumers remains a priority. I also support investing in research and development for alternative energy sources and technology, like hydrogen and fuel cells.
What is your stance on gun reform in the U.S.?
Congress has a responsibility to protect Americans from the devastating waves of gun violence upending communities across the nation. I am supportive of legislation to ban assault weapons, strengthen background checks, and improve safe storage of firearms. I have also led efforts to narrow the boyfriend loophole, which puts survivors of dating violence at risk every day, and currently have introduced legislation to close it once and for all. I am a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and remain committed to working on comprehensive solutions to reduce gun violence and save lives.
What is your stance on abortion rights?
Separation of church and state is a fundamental American principle. Reproductive health decisions – like all health decisions – should be made between a woman, her doctor, her family, and her faith, not politicians. The federal government has a critical role in ensuring women have the freedom to make these deeply personal healthcare decisions by protecting women’s right to make her own health care decisions.
What is your solution to fight the current inflation crisis in the U.S.?
I remain committed to lowering every day costs and identifying ways to improve Americans’ quality of life. We have passed historic legislation that is saving Americans money by negotiating lower prescription drug prices, and capping the cost of insulin, and we’re at the lowest core inflation in 3 years. I remain focused on bringing down the costs that have the greatest impact on American families’ budgets, including housing and child care costs, and I will continue working to invest in American manufacturing, jobs, and workers, and bring home our supply chains.
What actions/decisions by your challenger have you disagreed with and how would you do things differently?
I disagree with my challenger’s decision to share disreputable and misleading news sources on her social media platforms. She has shared content perpetuating the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, and sowing distrust in our electoral institutions. It is more important than ever to fight against disinformation and misinformation, support a free and independent press, increase transparency in public office, and restore public confidence in our government and democratic institutions.
I believe we need to work together as Republicans and Democrats to address tough issues that require solutions. Of late, there have been too many messaging bills with misleading names that do nothing or would actually complicate current law, potentially harm people, increase costs, and take away freedoms. An area where this comes up frequently and bothers me the most is public safety. Everyone wants to live in a safe community and we all support our law enforcement. I work closely with first responders, police officers, and firefighters in all my communities. We have brought people together in tough times to fight hate, division, and at times the potential for violence together with community leaders. As someone who has been targeted with threats, these men and women are who keep us all safe. Using them for political reasons is unacceptable.
Republican Candidates
Name: Heather Smiley
Age: 60
Current Occupation: Ford retiree (32 years), Manager of Strategy & Business Engagement, Global Data Insights & Analytics
Education: MS, Central Michigan University
Tell us about yourself in 200 words or less.
I am a Christian mother of two children who has been married for 30 years. I attended public schools, and was the first in my family to attend college, earning both a bachelor and master degree from Central Michigan University. My father is a legal immigrant that served in the USAF who retired as both an engineer and medical first responder. My mother is a retired school bus driver.
I recently retired from Ford (UAW & salary) with over 32 years of service. My roles included those within product development, strategy and planning, business reengineering and transformation, customer service and analytics. I worked on location in Europe and in partnerships throughout the globe. I can apply my real-world experiences involving multi-million-dollar projects, leveraging data and analytics to make strategic, data-driven decisions to improve our government.
I have been active in my community and throughout the state in various volunteer roles for my entire adult life; First responder/practitioner and instructor/trainer volunteer, youth program leader, and hands-on support of various emergency preparedness agencies and local charities.
Why are you running for Michigan’s 6th Congressional District?
After retiring from Ford, I had more time to dig deep and learn the extent that the government has been progressively gone astray. Similarly, some of our elected representatives have been voting in ways that I could never have imagined. I have contacted my representatives, but my concerns were seemingly overlooked or disregarded. Some votes/actions have been misaligned with the Constitution (as written), and many no longer represent my values or priorities and those of my neighbors/community.
I am a life-long problem solver who applies my real-world experience, common sense, and understanding of cause & effect nuances to work smarter, save money and overcome issues. With my unique qualifications and the support of my family, it was agreed that I should step up and help restore the America that we know and love.
What are the top 3 priority issues that the 6th Congressional District faces and what action would you, as its representative, take regarding each of them?
Civil Rights
Author and support legislation to ensure our Constitutional rights are upheld and enforced, and restore confidence in our election processes
Fiscal Responsibility
Author and support legislation that eliminates excessive & wasteful spending, increases and protects reciprocal trade, and unleashes the free market as a means to stimulate the economy.
National Sovereignty
Author and support legislation that restores border security, brings back jobs that were outsourced to other countries, strengthens our domestic manufacturing and food chain, restricts foreign ownership of land, prioritizes cyber security, and restores our military.
What is your stance on gun reform in the U.S.?
As part of the foundation for our Constitutional Republic, the 2nd Amendment states the “right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Many existing gun laws are not being enforced or equally applied, and gun reform has progressively been enacted over many years — most recently with President Trump’s 2017 ban on bump stocks.
Editor’s note: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump-era ban on bump stocks in a 6-3 ruling in June 2024.
What is your stance on abortion rights?
The Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS) overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 which transferred jurisdiction to the states. As a candidate for U.S. Representative in Congress (not the State of Michigan), my personal stance on abortion rights is not germane because it is no longer within the scope of the U.S. Representative role. Furthermore, the U.S. Senate approves SCOTUS nominees (not the House), and therefore further removes any involvement from the role as a Representative.
What is your solution to fight the current inflation crisis in the U.S.?
At a high level; eliminate excessive and wasteful spending, pay off the debt and balance the budget, protect and increase global trade relations and ensure nothing less than bi-directional fairness, unleash the free market, in-source jobs that were previously offshored, and restore energy independence.
What actions/decisions by your challenger have you disagreed with and how would you do things differently?
Much too numerous to list, several recent/key legislative decisions are as follows:
Civil Rights/Protections
- HR 8281 Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (requires voters to provide proof of citizenship) <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation. It is incumbent upon our elected officials to ensure and uphold and represent our rights as U.S. citizens to individually vote our conscious, and to ensure voting integrity.
- HR 7511 Laken Riley Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation. It required the Secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody non-citizens who have been charged in the United States with theft. What this the motivation for anyone to vote to reward a thieff?
- HR 7700 Unaffordable Dishwasher Stds Act, HR 7637 Refrigerator Freedom Act & HR 6192 Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of all of this legislation. Essential appliances are becoming unaffordable for the non-wealthy because unelected bureaucrats are prescribing regulations that require manufacturers to use emerging and/or costly technologies that exponentially increase costs that get passed-on to consumers.
- HR 6918 Supporting Pregnant & Parenting Women and Families Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because it provides a choice to individual states to decide whether or not they want to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding for pregnancy centers that offer resources and services to mothers, fathers, and families, including relationship counseling, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy testing, diapers, baby clothes.
- HR 6678 Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because Social Security funding for U.S. citizens is already at risk. This would have required the deportation of non-citizens that knowingly committed fraud to collect Social Security benefits.
- HR 615 Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because it provided for documented environmental exceptions, and prevented governmental agencies from banning or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or waterways.
- HR 485 Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because it prohibits federal health care programs (including Medicaid) from coverage & pricing discrimination based upon quality-adjusted life years (government decides value of a life based on disability, age or terminal illness).
Safety/Security
- HR 8774 Department of Defense Appropriations Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because it funds the salaries of our military personnel (all branches), operational maintenance costs, counter-ISIS training and equipment, etc.
- HR 8752 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because funding our Intelligence, Analysis & Situational Awareness, Border Protection, Coast Guard, Secret Service and related agencies is paramount to ensuring safety and security in our country and its citizens.
- HR 8580 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation because it funds VA Medical Centers (including the familial-named John D. Dingell Medical Center in Detroit), and also included; Military family housing maintenance (all branches), National Cemetery Administration & cemeterial expenses, Armed Forces Retirement Home and more.
- HR 8146 Police Our Border Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation. Existing immigration laws exist but they are not being followed. Whether northern or southern borders, suspected terrorist entry is up 2,500%, fentanyl deaths and human trafficking are now an epidemic, and all types of non-citizen crime is skyrocketing.
- HR 7343 Detain & Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation. If the offender would attack an officer, what would they do to defenseless citizens? What this the motivation for anyone to vote to reward an offender that attacked someone in law enforcement that protects and serves U.S. citizens?
- HR 5921 No U.S. Financing for Iran Act <Voted NO>
- I would have voted in favor of this legislation. Iran is a known state sponsor of terrorism and this would have prohibited certain actions related to exports, imports and financing.
- HR 8070 Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement & National Defense Authorization Act <Failed to vote>
- I would have showed up for work and voted in favor of this legislation because it funds military pay, health care and operational maintenance, national cyber security (90% cite urgent action required including software anomalies), nuclear facility defense/safety, matters relating for foreign nations, etc.
Green Party Candidates
Name: Clyde Shabazz
Clyde Shabazz did not respond to WDET’s questionnaire request and does not appear to have an official campaign website.
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