Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08)

Elissa Slotkin

Elissa Slotkin is challenging the right wing conservative incumbent U.S. Representative Mike Bishop of the 8th District of Michigan. Having dedicated her life to national service, she believes that the central function of elected representatives is to improve the lives of their constituents and aims to offer the citizens of Michigan’s 8th district a back-to-basics approach of listening, planning, and executing initiatives in concrete ways.

Background and Achievements

Elissa received her B.A from Cornell University and went on to graduate school at Columbia University where she was recruited to join the Central Intelligence Agency as an analyst for multiple countries. She later deployed to Iraq where she served three tours. After working for President Bush as a member of his national security staff she was asked to stay on when President Obama took office. Elissa worked in a series of leadership roles at the Defense Department, oversaw policy at the Pentagon on Russia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense. Her role was vital in negotiating some of the Pentagon’s most sensitive national security matters. Elissa supports Common Sense Gun Safety Legislation. She stands for preventing terrorists, domestic abusers from obtaining guns. “Mass shootings and gun violence threaten the security of our families, safety, and our schools.”

 

Elissa is also one of the few Jewish women running for a position in the House of Representatives.

Positions on Key Issues

  • Supports the Affordable Care Act and healthcare for all
  • Supports combating the Opioid Epidemic
  • Supports regulation to push for affordable prescription drugs
  • Supports investing in education
  • Wants to ensure retirement security
  • Supports climate change legislation and preserving the environment
  • Wants to defend and advance equality among Americans
  • Supports the legalization of recreational and medical marijuana
  • Pro-choice and supports abortion
  • Pro-unions
  • Champion for accessible healthcare and reproductive rights
  • Advocate for women's reproductive rights

Prospects & Opponents

Elissa Slotkin won the Democratic primary by over 40 percent on August 7. Her general election opponent, Republican incumbent Mike Bishop, is notoriously known for working to exempt banks and the top 1% at the expense of the middle and working class. Elissa Slotkin is dedicated to work on bipartisanship in an increasingly divisive political climate in order to focus on saving the middle class. Mike Bishop was also one of the Republican representatives to vote to repeal most of the Affordable Care Act. The Republicans’ attempts to repeal the ACA is what initially inspired Elissa to run for office. She has also out-raised her opponent despite his seniority.

Endorsements