Governor Rick Snyder is holding firm to his vow to stay in office amid growing calls for his resignation.
Both Democratic presidential candidates called for Snyder to resign during their debate in Flint. It was the first time former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said he should step down over Flint’s water crisis.
The governor says that’s not going to happen.
“I’m not resigning, I’m going to solve this problem,” Snyder told reporters after an appearance in Detroit on Monday.
“I said I was sorry and I’m going to fix it.”
The governor took issue with the way the Democratic candidates characterized the situation in Flint, the decisions that led to the crisis, and his role in it. For example, his office says elevated lead levels were caused directly by a decision not to use proper corrosion control to keep lead from leaching from aging water pipes, not because of an attempt to save money by switching water sources.
Snyder says, for the candidates, “it’s all about politics.”
“As you see the primary come and go, they’ll be moving on to other states. I’m focused on staying right here and making Flint a better place,” he said.
Snyder is also not endorsing any candidate ahead of Michigan’s presidential primary elections on Tuesday. But he continues to say he would like to see a governor win the Republican nomination. Ohio Governor John Kasich is the only candidate remaining that fits that description.
