Michigan State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh has officially launched her bid for the U.S. Senate seat that will become vacant due to the retirement of Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
According to The Detroit News, Pugh’s campaign is founded on a mission to change the non-existence of Black women in the upper chamber. The 52-year-old boasts an impressive track record as the only candidate vying for the seat to win two statewide races in Michigan. Last fall, Pugh won a second, eight-year term on the statewide Board of Education with over two million votes, according to The Detroit News.
However, she already faces a battle as Stabenow and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have thrown their support behind Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin.
Pugh has assured Michigan residents that she’s not dismayed by the road ahead. “The people of this state want someone who is a fighter. They want someone who they know knows their values, but also knows their struggles,” Pugh said. “We’ve heard from the people, and people are excited, as we are. We know that it’s going to be a tough race, but we are up for it.” And the former state House candidate knows that her campaign is about more than just a personal victory, it’s about course-correcting history and etching out a more equitable future. “There have been too few Black women—despite our experiences, our strengths, our qualifications—who have served on the U.S. Senate,” Pugh told The Detroit News.
The Saginaw native was also instrumental in pushing to get racism declared a public health crisis in Michigan and served as the chief public health adviser during the Flint water crisis. Currently, Pugh anticipates her campaign focus to be climate change, a quality education system, and “economic dignity.”