Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders made last bids for support in Michigan’s Democratic primary Tuesday, with both arguing they would be able to navigate the gridlock in Washington that’s spawned anger among voters of both political parties.
In back-to-back appearances at a town hall hosted by Fox News in Detroit, the two candidates picked up where they left off after Sunday’s debate in Flint, Mich., answering questions on the economy, national security, abortion rights, education and working with Republicans.
For the most part, Clinton and Sanders passed over questions designed to pit them against each other. Asked whether he’s more trustworthy than Clinton, Sanders said, “I will let the people of the United States make that decision.” Clinton, asked whether she views Sanders as an opponent or an ally, called the Vermont senator an ally.
“If I am so fortunate, I hope to work with him because the issues he has raised, the passion he has demonstrated, the people he has attracted are going to be very important in the general election, but equally following the election to try to get things done,” she said.
Asked if he would be willing to become Clinton’s running mate, Sanders said he is “talking about running this campaign to win.”
Sanders is running out of opportunities to challenge Clinton’s lead in the Democratic presidential race.
He needs a major score in the next round of delegate-rich primaries: Tuesday in Michigan and Mississippi and contests one week later in Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio.
Sanders is emphasizing his opposition to free-trade accords that he says have led to the decline of manufacturing jobs, a potentially potent issue in the state that is home to the U.S. auto industry.
On Monday, Sanders was on the offensive about his vote for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the bailout of the financial industry that also provided $85 billion in relief to the automobile industry.
He told an audience in Kalamazoo, Mich., that he voted for the auto bailout when it came before the Senate as a separate bill that ultimately failed, and later voted against TARP.
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