20 African-American leaders across Michigan endorse Slotkin for US Senate

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing) speaks at a forum with U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in Lansing, Mich. on Nov. 1, 2022. (Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) on Friday released a list of 20 African-American elected officials and community leaders from across Michigan who have endorsed her run for U.S. Senate. 

The list of new endorsements follow an event held last week in Grand Rapids, in which she further discussed her Opportunity Agenda, which was initially rolled out in March, to eliminate barriers to economic opportunities in Michigan’s urban communities. 

According to a campaign release, Slotkin’s Opportunity Agenda was the result of “dozens of meetings and conversations with leaders from communities of color across Michigan over the last year.”

The latest list of endorsements of Slotkin are among more than 40 by community leaders and elected officials in Detroit, and over 200 elected officials, community leaders, and faith representatives from across Michigan, who have backed her in the U.S. Senate race.

The release also follows Thursday’s Zoom press call by her Democratic opponent in the Aug. 6 primary, actor Hill Harper of Detroit, in which Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell accused Slotkin of being “radio silent” on a demand by her and other Black elected leaders that a since-canceled debate “excludes Black women from having a seat at the table,” due to a lack of an “African American woman journalist,” being included.

Slotkin’s campaign said she had been “prepping in earnest,” for the debate, but planned to “instead continue to directly engage voters in Detroit and across the state.”

Republicans running for the nomination on Aug. 6 are former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake), former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (I-Cascade Twp.) and Dr. Sherry O’Donnell.