As the race for the Democratic presidential nomination heats up, the remaining two candidates will square off tonight in Flint.
The debate will start at 8 p.m. at The Whiting Auditorium.
Break down of Democratic candidates prior to Flint debate
The debate will be hosted by CNN and moderated by the network’s own Anderson Cooper, with anchor Don Lemon serving as a questioner.
Hillary Clinton
Coming off seven Super Tuesday victories, Clinton is looking to build momentum in Michigan. She is currently leading in the state by nearly 18 percent, according to the most recent average of major polls collected by political site Real Clear Politics.
On March 3, Clinton stopped in Detroit to deliver a speech highlighting Michigan’s economic progress in the automotive and tech industries.
Clinton previously campaigned in Flint, calling the city’s water crisis “immoral” in a Feb. 7 speech delivered to a packed Flint church.
Look for Clinton to be on the defensive regarding trade policy.
Clinton’s previous support for the North American Free Trade Agreement, which some in organized labor believe made it easier to ship industrial jobs south of the US-Mexico border, has come under fire from the Sanders campaign in the days leading up to the primary.
Clinton has been able to rack up support from many key Michigan democratic leaders, including former governors Jim Blanchard and Jennifer Granholm, Flint mayor Karen Weaver and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) among others
Bernie Sanders
Undissuaded or perhaps motivated by his lagging position in Michigan democratic primary polls, Sanders campaign hopes to rebound in Michigan after a tough Super Tuesday by crisscrossing the state in advance of the primary.
Sanders’ campaign continues to aggressively court young voters, with the Vermont senator delivering speeches at MSU, Eastern Michigan University and most recently Grand Valley State University.
Sanders also made a March 4 stop in Traverse City.
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Like Clinton, Sanders also campaigned in Flint, delivering a speech to a local church on Feb. 25.
Sanders’ campaign also recently opened a Lansing office just down the road from Brody Square.
Be sure to follow the State News live blog and twitter coverage of the debate in addition to a story tomorrow morning recapping the debate.
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