Lawrence stands out on Gaza, Line 5, universal health care At MI-7 forum 

Whether he was calling Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip “genocide,” calling for the closing of Line 5 or promoting “Medicare for All,” Democratic MI-7 candidate William Lawrence used a forum hosted by Latino community leaders Tuesday night to draw some of the sharpest yet distinctions between his primary opponents. 

The “Conversation with the Latino Community” forum, held at UAW Local 602 in Lansing, brought together Lawrence, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former U.S. Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam for the right to challenge first-term U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte)in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts. 

All three candidates criticized President Donald Trump, opposed recent immigration enforcement tactics and called for lower health care costs. But Lawrence repeatedly separated himself from the field by advocating more progressive positions and once directly challenging the sources of his opponents’ campaign funding. 

On whether Israel’s military action in Gaza constituted genocide, Brink called for essentially a two-state solution while Maasdam gave a nuanced answer about expecting the United States’ foreign partners to “hold themselves to the same standards that we hold ourselves.” 

Lawrence was the last to tackle the question. “The answer you haven’t heard up here is yes … My heart is pounding. It is dispiriting how many people are willing to name that basic truth.” 

A capacity crowd at the union hall burst into applause, one of many lines Lawrence heard throughout the night. It’s tough to know how many attendees came into the room as Lawrence supporters, but WLNS told MIRS two audience members the station talked to reported being uncommitted before the event, and leaning Lawrence by the end. 

On health care, Lawrence was the only candidate to endorse a single-payer “Medicare for All” system.

“My principle is simple: every one of us in this room should be covered for life, and our families too,” said Lawrence, arguing that universal coverage would reduce costs and eliminate uncertainty surrounding employer-sponsored insurance. 

By contrast, both Brink and Maasdam backed expanding access through a public option and extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are scheduled to expire. Brink, who discussed her recent battle with breast cancer, said her treatment generated roughly $100,000 in medical bills despite having insurance coverage. 

The revelation, early in the forum, may have been Brink’s defining moment, showing her first-hand experience with the current health care system and humanizing her to the capacity crowd.

Economic issues also highlighted philosophical differences

While all three candidates blamed Republican policies for rising costs, Lawrence argued Democrats must also confront corporate influence. 

“We’ve got to be clear that far too many Democrats in Washington, D.C., are also taking campaign contributions from the CEOs, lobbyists and executives of the multinational corporations that are the ones squeezing us all,” he said. 

That critique became pointed when each was asked, “Where do your campaign funds come from?” 

Lawrence said his campaign was funded primarily by individuals and claimed he had raised more money from within the district than his opponents combined. He encouraged attendees to review Federal Election Commission filings and examine reports detailing contributions from Silicon Valley and Wall Street donors. 

“Who you take money from is who you will be accountable to when you’re in office,” he said. “I’ll be accountable to the working people of this district.” 

Both Brink and Maasdam defended their fundraising operations while also supporting campaign finance reforms and criticizing the influence of money in politics. Brink said 95 percent of her donations were $100 or less. She called for overturning Citizens United. Maasdam similarly emphasized small-dollar donations and his endorsement from an anti-dark-money organization. 

Foreign policy provided another point of separation

A former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Brink focused largely on lowering costs and defending democracy. Maasdam, a retired Navy SEAL, emphasized congressional oversight of military action. 

Lawrence, however, made opposition to war a centerpiece of his campaign, calling for reductions in military spending and opposing U.S. involvement in conflicts in Iran and Gaza. 

“Only in Congress could I vote no on the outrageous Department of War budget,” he said. 

Data centers and environment 

Brink said data center proposals should be evaluated locally with environmental safeguards. Maasdam stressed the strategic importance of competing with China in artificial intelligence; Lawrence embraced an outright moratorium on new data centers. 

Citing local fights in Lansing, Mason, Howell Township and Lyon Township, he accused technology companies of negotiating behind closed doors and argued residents should determine their communities’ futures. 

He noted that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has endorsed his campaign and said he supports a federal moratorium on new data centers. 

On Line 5, Lawrence called for the pipeline to be shut down entirely, arguing that it’s not needed and that it’s an “ecological catastrophe in waiting.”  

Brink also described Line 5 as a danger to Michigan’s environment but stopped short of explicitly calling for its closure. Brink said she supports efforts to prevent environmental harm from the pipeline and grouped Line 5 alongside PFAS contamination as major environmental challenges facing the state.  

Matt Maasdam focused more on risk management than on shutting the pipeline down. He stressed the importance of ensuring Upper Peninsula residents maintain access to propane. He argued that because litigation surrounding Line 5 could remain unresolved for years, policymakers should pursue immediate steps to better protect the pipeline while the courts continue to sort out its future. 

All three candidates pledged stronger engagement with Latino residents than what they said incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, and they criticized Barrett being allegedly inaccessible to constituents. 

Maasdam’s arguably strongest moment was when he called out federal immigration officials for shooting two people in Minneapolis. 

“As a SEAL who spent thousands of hours of my life making sure I didn’t shoot the wrong person and my guys didn’t shoot the wrong person, it almost made me throw up, and I was enraged at the same time. I couldn’t stand it,” he said. 

Maasdam said a Navy SEAL involved in a similar incident would face severe consequences. 

“If a SEAL had done that, that SEAL would be in jail for sure, all of the people in the group would be fired from their job, and all of the people in the chain of command of that SEAL would have been fired from their job for allowing that situation to even exist.”