Michigan’s candidates for governor had their final debate in Detroit days before the election. The standoff was nothing short of tense.
The two fired back against each other regarding some of the hot topics affecting the state.
“When I’m governor of Michigan, there will be no sanctuary cities and Gretchen Whitmer, she has her way, Michigan will be a sanctuary state,” Republican, Bill Schuette, said.
“Don’t listen to that nonsense,” said Democrat, Gretchen Whitmer. “This is a desperate campaign that is flailing to stay alive.”
One of the main concerns with this election is getting young voters to understand the importance of this election and that their vote counts. In 2016’s presidential election, 53% of Michigan’s 18-24 year olds were registered to vote and only 36% of them actually went to the ballots.
MSU junior, Elizabeth Eastman, wasn’t even aware that there was a gubernatorial debate.
“I don’t totally know the candidates are. I didn’t even know there was a debate occurring,” said Eastman.
But she does recognize that organizations and even the university is doing more to get students to be more active in elections.
“My class is cancelled on Election Day with the intentions that we will go home and vote if we need to or we will go to the nearby polls if we’re registered in East Lansing,” she said.
While some students aren’t so involved in politics, there are some that are. The president of MSU College Republicans, Aleks Oslapas, was tuned into the debate.
“I watched it, but I think that politicians all say the same thing. You know, just saying what they have to say on camera,” he said.
But that’s not stopping Oslapas from getting behind the Republican nominee Bill Schuette.
“I think we’re definitely all supportive of Bill Schuette, I mean there’s people on the fringe who obviously may not like him, but I think we can all get together as Republicans for this upcoming election,” he said.
Whitmer currently leads Schuette by 8.2 points.