The race in the 8th Congressional District has been interesting this year.
First, Melissa Gilbert, the former child star of TV’s Little House on the Prairie, became the Democratic challenger to incumbent Republican Mike Bishop. Then, Gilbert dropped out and the Democrats had to pick a new candidate. They chose a Macomb County assistant prosecutor, Suzanna Shkreli.
Shkreli joined Stateside to talk about her campaign and what she hopes to bring to the voters in the 8th District.
According to Shkreli, her experience as a prosecutor is what motivates her to run for public office and she feels like her lack of political experience is a positive. She criticizes her opponent, Bishop, for being a career politician who is "beholden to special interests."
Shkreli is focusing her campaign on creating jobs as well as protecting jobs from leaving due to "bad trade deals" that she says that Bishop has voted for. Her other issues include protecting Social Security and Medicaid from being privatized, and making college more affordable.
She has raised a lot of money recently and also received the endorsement from President Obama.
Listen to the full interview above to hear what she feels are the biggest policy differences between her and Bishop, and why she thinks she can win despite getting a late start in the process.
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