Traveling the State, Benson and Brinks Remain Focused on Protecting Access to Affordable Healthcare

This week, Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for Governor Jocelyn Benson and her running mate, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, traveled across Michigan – from Southfield to Marquette – to highlight their plan to bring quality, affordable healthcare to every zip code in the state. 

Just as she did as Secretary of State, Jocelyn will also expand services to ensure the communities hit the hardest by John James’ hospital closures and funding cuts are not left behind. While Jocelyn is focused on lowering costs, James voted to kick hundreds of thousands of Michiganders off their healthcare, passing the largest cut to Medicaid in history, and forcing the closure of life-saving medical facilities. 

In case you missed it…

WLUC-TV — Marquette, MI: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson spoke in downtown Marquette today alongside health officials to discuss current issues facing the Upper Peninsula and Michigan as a whole. She is making affordability and healthcare major points in her campaign. Her press conference today in Marquette covered many of the healthcare issues specifically facing the Upper Peninsula: “Their stories, their voices, shape my work and our policies in Lansing, because Michigan deserves a governor who will fight to make healthcare work for the people who need it most. That’s who I am, that’s who I’ve always been, and that’s who I will be as the next governor of Michigan.” 

WZMQ-TV — Marquette, MI: Democratic governor candidate Jocelyn Benson visited Marquette this afternoon to discuss her vision for the future of U.P. health care. Benson was joined by 109th district Democratic candidate Anna Rink as well as healthcare providers and residents outside of the former planned parenthood building. The group criticized outcomes of the One Big Beautiful Bill and its effect on rural hospitals. Benson then introduced plans to bring mobile health care systems around the up and to allocate funds to try and rebuild the region's loss to its providers: “I'm seeing it all across northern Michigan and we cannot accept a future where your zip code determines whether you can see a doctor. That is why, as governor, I will work to make sure every Michigander can access quality, affordable health care in every zip code in this state.” Benson also discussed plans for an independent prescription drug affordability board and a requirement for hospitals to showcase care costs up front.

WEMU 89.1 — Ypsilanti, MI: Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson laid out her healthcare priorities during a stop in Marquette on Thursday. Benson says residents in the Upper Peninsula shouldn't have to travel hundreds of miles to receive care because clinics or hospitals have closed. She wants to make sure every Michigander can access affordable health care in every zip code in the state. She says her opponent, Republican congressman John James, can't say the same: “His actions speak for themselves. He voted three times, three times, to kick Michiganders off their health care, helping Donald Trump pass the largest medicaid cut in American history.”  Benson says she also wants to create an independent prescription drug affordability board and $5,000 caregiver tax credits.

WWJ-TV — Detroit, MI: In the race for governor, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Candidate Winnie Brinks is criticizing Republican John James over his votes for President Trump's budget. Brinks says President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill cuts Medicare and Medicaid while allowing Affordable Care Act tax credits to expire. She argues that the changes are taking health care away from Michiganders and raising costs for others: “This bill is bad for Michigan, but it's good for John James' relationship with Trump. As always, James puts himself and Trump first. And with that vote James betrayed Michiganders, and he did it enthusiastically, even leading the charge on the disastrous effort.”

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