We're back now with Congressman Haley Stevens, who's running for the U.S.

Senate.

Emily, please.

So Michigan landed a giant factory, data center for AI, estimated $7 billion investment here, but only creating 450 jobs.

We talked a little bit how we've seen AI and battery jobs falter.

What kind of industries would you be seeking to attract to Michigan?

That'll set us up to be economically successful 50 or 100 years from now.

Yeah, well, look, I can tell you that it's going to be in our industrial sector.

It's going to be in manufacturing.

And one of the things that we worked on coming out of the Great Recession that I was a part of in the Obama administration, was the diversifying of our supply chain.

I want to see us become a leader in critical minerals and processing and refining.

that is I actually something I was working on earlier this week.

I was visiting Service Solutions that recycles batteries and distills it back dow to their original mineral form, which is remarkable.

But one thing we know is that we have let processin and refining go over to China.

I want to see us lower cost bring jobs back here to Michigan and and certainly continue to innovate in that regard.

So this is why I have authore a 100 page bill called Unearth America's Future Activities, mirrored off of what we di with the Chips and Science Act.

This is real industrial policy, loan guarantees, tax credits and the like that would grow an industry like that here in Michigan and create a lot of jobs.

Back though, to a data center.

You know, one of the things that that we have seen is concern locally.

just in terms of costs of electricity, the amount of just water that needs to be used to keep the computers cool, like, is this the kind of, industry that Michigan should be going after?

What, you know, more so broadly speaks to, to, energy policy and infrastructure policy.

And I believe that the cues need to be taken at the local and the state level.

One of the question I had coming out of yesterday's announcement is how does the municipality feel?

How does the municipality feel about this?

And what I heard is they went door to door that this passed in a vote, that there is a cost saving measure.

And look, we're saddled with billions of dollars of legacy costs.

You know, I work really closely with the Great Lakes Water Authority that provide our, our water into our faucet.

And they're telling me, hey, we've got, you know, the 2030s coming right up around the corner.

And again, this speaks to leadership that we need at the lawmaking table for our state.

We've got, $1 billion, 100ft pipe problem.

So, you know, where di the funds get created for that?

Is there some sort of deal to cut?

Is there, you know, a fund that coul come out of some of these energy policy relationships?

Those are questions I have.

I but I do think they nee to start coming from the local and the state level and then let the, you know the feds and federal lawmakers, you know, take those requests from the bottom up.

Are your two opponent qualified to serve in the U.S.

Senate?

Well, look, I can talk to you about my qualifications.

I'm not here to.

Look I'm not her to get into the punditry.

Tim.

I'm going to leave that to you.

Well but if you don't answer the question, I got nothing.

Oh, okay.

Well, you know, we can continue to talk about the great bills I've written and some of the things that I'm working on for this week.

Okay.

What do you like about your opponents?

If anything?

Well, look, we there's a dedication to to service.

You know, I would I would certainly say that I think there's also a commitment to making sure that Mike Rogers doesn't get anywhere close to the United States Senate.

That' when I wake up every single day, you know, as a candidate focused on I certainly as a lawmaker, I'm focused on my my public service to this state.

And I would I would say this, look, I think I'm in the strongest and best position to defeat Mike Rogers next fall.

I'm out here earning the votes of Michiganders.

I spent this summer on, a made in Michigan tour, getting into the nooks and crannies of communities across the state.

You know, sitting down with our farmers, seeing how, frankly, with Republicans Well theyre doing the same stuff, they're doing the same thing.

Well, I'm focused on my race.

I mean, honestly, I mean, there's going to be analysis that's going on and determinations made and, you know, look, this this election is, you know, over 40 weeks away.

I mean, it' it's it's a long time from now we got to get on the ballot and we've also, you know, I I'm focused on earning the votes of Michiganders.

But you said your in the bes position to defeat Mike Rogers.

Do you have any concerns that there's a group of progressive voters out there?

I mean, we saw it happen in the presidential race last year who may not vote for you in a general election because of your stanc on what's happening in Israel?

Well, look, I'm focused on meeting Michiganders where they're at.

I've got.

But you had to have thought about this.

I mean, there's a block of voters and this is a very important issue to them.

And they disagree with you on it.

Well, I would say that you know, in every stretch and, and throughout this terrible war that, you know, we're in the early stages of a ceasefire that, we've wanted to see long term peace.

We've wanted to see a permanent and lasting ceasefire.

I have voted consistently, in every chance I've gotten to get aid into the t the region to get aid into Gaza.

I have called on the U.S.

and Israel, to continu to work together on that front.

And I've also played a role in terms of shining a light on the hostages that were held, in, in a really brutal way.

Some Americans for ove 700 days were obviously elated to see those individuals come home.

And I believe that, you know common sense and practicality.

I'm a transparent lawmaker, Craig.

I mean, I, I you know, I'm going to continue to meet people where they're at, and I'm going to talk about, the things that are on folks minds, which are also the cost of living.

One Follow-Up.

Sure.

Different angle.

Do you think Kamala Harris and Joe Biden handled that issue correctly in Michigan?

The way they campaigned on it, the way they see it, Trump was in Dearborn.

Trump was in Hamtramck.

He was campaigning there, set up an office.

Do you think they handled it correctly?

Well, I'm not here to play pundit to the past.

Oh look come on this matters to voters in the state.

I mean, this there's a group of voters out there that you will need to win this Senate race.

I mean, to Craig's point, we saw a diminished number of folks vote in Michiga for president over this issue.

And that could continue, yo know, next in this upcoming it.

Absolutely.

I mean, when you're talking about 100,000 voters, I mean that that matters.

Yeah.

And look, you know, you had the president, making commitments around manufacturing, and he's got erratic shoot by the hip tariffs, targeting candidate, creating all this job uncertainty.

creating this level of increased unemployment.

We have in some counties in Michigan, some of the fastest growing unemployment in the union.

So that's changed.

You know, his approval ratin is different today than it was when he he won the the election.

And if we're litigating the past, we're not looking towards the future.

Well, do you think that this is an active issue if the cease fire holds?

Look, I think we're all praying for peace and and and a commitment that I have, worked to make, you know, over and over again is that hope for a permanent and lasting ceasefire.

To see that achieve, to see the people of Gaza, Palestinian people living in peace side by side with the people of Israel.

That is the goal.

What percentage of your contribu You know I think the majority of my contributions, I believe, are coming from Michigan.

Someone just yesterday was telling me that I have a fair amount of, support coming from from Michigan.

They were pleased to see that, because here's the deal.

93% of my contributions to him are under $100 or less.

And they're coming from nurses.

They're coming from teachers, they're coming from grocery clerk workers, you know, police officers, the like.

So so what do you think of those candidates who go out to Hollywood and rub arms with the stars raising money?

What do you think about.

Well, I would say, why are you smiling?

Because I love rubbing.

you know, shaking hands and rubbing elbows with the people of Michigan running statewide her and, you know, all 83 counties.

And Michigan is a beautiful, remarkable thing.

You know, we've got a story to tell.

We sometime get underestimated in Michigan, and we absolutely need to stay focused.

So you think it's a bad look t go to Hollywood to raise money?

Look, I want to say that you've got to be focused on Michigan if you're running statewide in Michigan.

Speaking of running statewide, we're going to have something that's really remarkable, this, next year's election, which is this open U.S.

Senate sea and an open gubernatorial race, like two huge statewide seats.

you know we'll get through the primary.

We will have, a candidate who will be running for governor as a Democrat, most likely whoever's running as a Democrat for Senate.

There'll be some campaigning together.

and the answer can't be I'm focused on my own race.

Who would you like to campaign with as a fellow Democrats runnin for what I said was the answer.

No, no, no, wait a minute She doesn't want to be a pundit.

Okay?

Please.

You know, I love throwing a little tomatoes at me.

But, you know, you the viewers can see what I'm all about.

I'll tell yo this as as the only candidate, for for Senate in Michigan who's been endorsed by labor unions.

All right.

I am really geeked to be campaigning alongside organized labor.

I am really geeked to be out there with the Teamsters and the Pipefitter and people all across the state.

Were you geeked when the head of the UAW embraced Donald Trump's policies?

We had some conversations abou the tariffs and where they go.

I would give the UAW a lot of credit for, Or are you comfortable?

No no, let me let me finish.

Okay.

I would give the UAW credit for negotiating with Chrysler to bring jobs back here.

The UAW, and in particular, the light they are shining on plant closure this century is very important.

The question was th relationship with Donald Trump?

I don't see relationship with with him.

And you coul you can talk to them about that.

There have been announcements at the White House, you know, that they've had to put fake union members there, too.

I'm seeing the tariffs play ou in a way that we've lost a $50 million manufacturing investment in the metro Detroit area, that suppliers in my district, 450 layoffs in the last week.

This isn't funny.

The conversations I am having with people are very similar.

Eerily similar to the tim period of the Great Recession.

Except for this time.

This is a self-inflicted moment of uncertainty coming from Donald Trump.

Will you commit to doing a debat with Abdul and Senator McMorrow?

Well, we're certainly going to be setting all that up when the earcup is on.

Yeah.

You're going to do one?That's a yes?

Well, you know, you said youre going to set one up.

You know how you know, Craig, if you're hosting, you know, I mean, I don't know if you're moderating.

Excuse me I host debates.

Okay.

What would you be willing to do one here?

Look the discourse of democracy is certainly very important.

And I have had, many debates over my, time running for office.

And youd be willing to show up here with the other two?

We could certainly have that conversation.

Conversation is not the same as a yes.

I want to go back t relationships with Donald Trump.

We've seen certainly Democrats across the spectrum.

Governor Whitmer here has been, I think one of the more play bal with Donald Trump, approaches.

You know, we've seen her in the Oval Office.

We've seen her try to leverag that for things like suffrage.

y=You know, you've seen like a JB Pritzker on the other end of that spectrum perhaps being really combative, trying to fight Trump at every turn.

Where do you sort o see yourself on that spectrum?

Like how much are you willing to engage with Trump versus how much are you trying to come back?

Well, I'm certainly realistic that, bills need to get signed into law.

But the moment we find ourselves in right no is that this president is intent on governing throug the executive order and throwing the Constitution out, and it's not appropriate.

Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House, hasn't called us back, to, that to session, in the middle of this negotiation is how it works.

So if he called you to the Oval Office, you would not go?

Look, I'd go to talk about my critical Minerals bill.

I think it's a really good solution.

I'd go to talk about how to, tackle our debt and our deficit.

There could be some bipartisan solutions there.

I go to talk about standing up for the people of Michigan's health care.

I go to pressur on, unlocking emergency dollars to make sure SNAP benefits aren't missed and lapsed.

I mean, this is this is real.

We need functional, effective government.

We need government that people can trust.

This is one of the reasons I am running for United States Senate, because I believe that is me.

And that is how I spent my time in public service, and that is who and how.

I've been dedicated, dedicated to trust and dedicated to people as, voters.

Representative, thanks for doing our program.

Thank you.

No you're off to Sault Ste.

Marie.

Off to the races.

Lucky you.

See you next week.

For more off the record, folks.