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U.S. House District 9 Choose 1

Duties: Representatives share the responsibility with Senators for enactment of the nation s laws as provided in the U.S. Constitution. Laws that require payment of taxes are initiated in the House of Representatives.Qualifications: A Representative must be at least 25 years of age and a U.S. Citizen for at least 7 years. There are 435 Representatives based on Congressional districts reapportioned after each census. Michigan has 13 districts as of 2022.Term: 2 years

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Ray Pooley (Dem)

Biographical Information

Campaign Twitter Handle @Pooley4Congress
Occupation / Current Position CNC Machinist and Programmer
Education Hartland High, UM Flint, Oakland CC
Qualifications and Experience 3rs generation manufacturer, blue-collar machinist, chicken owner and homesteader, fighter for the working class because I am the working class.

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

I am a proponent of Medicare For All as I see it not only saving people's lives, but save us money as well. It's the fiscally responsible thing for us as a nation to do, the morally right thing to do, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Making sure we take care of our heath ensures a prosperous future for America.

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

We need to reward hard work again. For decades companies have seen yearly record profits, yet worker pay has stagnated far behind. An honest days work deserves an honest days pay, and by strengthening and empowering unions, small businesses, and the NLRB we can make that reality. Additionally, we must take bold action to put more money in people's pockets, lower costs for consumers, and build our nation up with long term investments and self sustainable practices. In terms of policies I would support, the Living Wage For All Act and the PRO Act would be a few examples.

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

As a homesteader and an advocate of green energies I'd like to see our country become more self sustainable, for us to conserve our planet better, and ultimately save money in the long run too. Protecting our planet isn’t just about saving butterflies and bees with a few solar panels or buying an EV; it’s about securing our livelihoods by creating sustainable good paying jobs, cheaper energy, keeping our great lakes great, and ensuring our kids can breathe easy. We don't need to choose between a healthy planet and a healthy bank account, we're America, we can have both! I would support legislation such as the Energy Bills Relief Act.

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?

All people deserve due process here in Michigan, and America as a whole, including noncitizens, as well as the fullest intent of the 1st and 4th Amendments. The moment we abandon these principles due to citizenship/ immigration status, or any other reason, is the moment we have abandoned "With liberty and justice for all", and have simultaneously created a two-tier system of justice.

Additionally, patriots aren't just born here in America, they are made by people all over this world who come here. I believe a speedy yet thorough immigration process is achievable if we increase our immigration judges, allowing proper yet timely vetting.

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Lisa McClain (Rep)

Biographical Information

Campaign Twitter Handle @@LisaForCongress
Occupation / Current Position Congresswoman, Michigan-09
Education Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University
Qualifications and Experience 3 terms in the US Congress, 1 full term as Chairwoman of House Republican Conference

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

I've been fighting in Congress to ensure healthcare affordability for all Michiganders for the 5 years & will continue to do so.

As House Republican Conference Chair, I support the fight vs. fraudulent spending in Medicare/Medicaid programs that takes resources from people who desperately need them. We've prevented tens of billions in fraudulent payments.

I helped pass the Working Family Tax Cuts (WFTC) which help seniors afford healthcare by reducing federal income taxes. WFTC deliver an average of $670 in annual savings per eligible senior. WFTC also provides $50B to strengthen rural hospital & expand healthcare access across Michigan.

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

I helped pass the WFTC, the largest tax cuts for working class families in US history. The WFTC put more money where it belongs: in the pockets of taxpayers. This past year, 97% of tax filers received a tax cut with $82B in total relief across the country.

I also helped pass No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, & No Tax on Social Security. 7.5M+ tax filers claimed No Tax on Tips with an average deduction of just more than $7,000. More than 29 million workers claimed a deduction under No Tax on Overtime with an average of $3,100+. 33.9 million seniors claimed a deduction under No Tax on Social Security (up to $6,000 deduction per filer).

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

I am a member of the Great Lakes Task Force. In Congress, I am wholly committed to protecting our Great Lakes & maintaining them for years to come.

The landmark WFTC opened more American land & offshore waters to oil, natural gas, & coal production while reducing energy costs. I helped spearhead legislation that expanded American coal production by making at least 4 million acres of federal land available for coal leasing. Republicans also reduced federal coal royalties from 12.5% to 7% through September 2034, making it less expensive to mine American coal.

We are committed to American energy to ensure we never rely on oil from overseas.

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?

I am & have been supportive of legal immigration. We must bring the best & brightest innovators, workers, & students to our country legally. We cannot have mass illegal migrations pouring into our neighborhoods. As a senior Republican in Congress, I helped slam the border shut after hundreds of thousands of illegals streaming into the country every month under Biden. We've cut the flood of deadly fentanyl into our country. We now have the most secure border in modern US history.

All Michiganders must have access to free speech & the free exercise of religion. We must protect the right of every Michigander against illegal search and seizure.

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Kevin Vayko (Lib)

Biographical Information

Occupation / Current Position Environmental Engineer
Education Michigan Tech University
Qualifications and Experience Professional Pro Se Attorney (unofficial) & Legal Expert [10+ years]; Environmental Engineer [15+ years]; Hazardous Materials & Safety Inspector [8+ years]; Retail Operations [9+ years]

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

If the US can afford to subsidize Isreali healthcare and useless foreign conflicts, why not subsidize healthcare for its own citizens? Healthcare in the United States became a crisis once the food industry started contaminating our food with synthetic ingredients like artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup that the body was never designed to assimilate and digest along with contaminants in the air and water such as PFAS & microplastics. Naturally, it created toxicity in the body in a variety of ways that led to a deterioration of health. Simplifying healthcare to allow preventative care is critical to mitigate long term costs.

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

It is against economic principles to have a greater supply of housing & automobiles exceeding demand while still leveraging supply shortage demand pricing against the consumer. In both industries, there is a substantial supply that is being held hostage by predatory venture capitalist agencies to deprive Michigan residents of affordable rent/housing & vehicle ownership which can easily be dealt with. Reducing living costs is a core means to combat stagnation in living wages from companies concerned with rising costs of goods through wage increase. Eliminating tax loophole will also achieve goals of affordability through fair share of payments

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

I support the initiative of each household being able to provide their own supply of electrical power generation to reduce dependency on external systems, which residents continue to complain with DTE (chiefly) during severe weather outages. Tesla’s early initiatives regarding wireless power were not only environmentally-friendly, but financially-sound as a remarkable sustainable solution. Personal transportation can operate similarly. Unfortunately, venture capitalism is environmentally taxing through promotion of rare earth mineral market consumption. As a prominent engineer, this is another easy solution with all residents on board.

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?

Constitutional Amendment Rights apply to ALL humans within US jurisdiction. The language of the law is clear. Without probable cause of a common law violation, no person shall be subject to search by law enforcement regardless of immigration status. Any person accused of a violation of law is entitled to due process to defend against the charges with assistance of legal counsel to aid. Do not let bigotry and hatred against minorities & transgressors distort your valuation of these core Constitutional protections. Nazi Germany successfully evoked minority hatred to repeal these protections to Nazi Germany's ultimate utter demise & dissolution

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John Vlahos (UST)

Biographical Information

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

Candidate has not yet responded.

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

Candidate has not yet responded.

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

Candidate has not yet responded.

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?

Candidate has not yet responded.

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Destiny Clayton (Grn)

Biographical Information

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

Candidate has not yet responded.

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

Candidate has not yet responded.

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

Candidate has not yet responded.

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?

Candidate has not yet responded.

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Jim Walkowicz (WC)

Biographical Information

Occupation / Current Position Retired UAW Union Rep
Education BA, Michigan State University
Qualifications and Experience Elected by my co-workers to various union rep positions from 1981 until my retirement in 2022

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

Everyone is entitled to health care. This should be a basic right for all people. The United States spends over $1 Trillion a year on the military. One person in this country is now a Trillionaire. So the money is there to provide health care to everyone in this country.

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

Wages for those making the least amount of money, needs to go up. Everyone should receive a living wage. When inflation goes up, the wages of everyone should go up by an equal or greater amount.

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

The oil companies and their rich owners are destroying the planet in their quest for more and more profits. The decisions need to be taken out of their hands. The majority of the people in this country, the working class, need to decide how to protect the environment for ourselves and for future generations. Money should go to modernizing the infrastructure rather than as profits to the rich.

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?

The demonizing of immigrants has to stop. We are all either immigrants or descendants of immigrants. All human beings, no matter where they are from, should be treated with dignity, respect, and legal protections. The rich people use race, ethnicity, gender, etc as a way to divide the working class and keep us fighting among ourselves. The working class of the world should have no borders. Politicians use fear tactics to get elected and exploit that fear to hide the real problems the world faces.