Benson, James pitch tariff remedies, business boosts & data center limits at Detroit Economic Club
At the Detroit Economic Club, Republican John James and Democrat Jocelyn Benson each pitched fixes for tariffs the Trump administration has imposed, particularly against Canada. Benson proposed negotiating subnational agreements directly with Canadian partners to protect jobs, costs and electricity supply; James touted a forthcoming congressional bill to redirect tariff revenue toward offsetting the costs those tariffs create.
James distanced himself from blaming Trump directly, instead citing Michigan's low national rankings in infrastructure, economy and education, all under the same president he declined to name as the cause. Benson, by contrast, tied Michigan's problems squarely to federal policy and cast herself as the leader willing to stand up to Washington.
The two found more common ground on data centers, both favoring local control and guardrails on privacy and environmental impact, and on the need to overhaul the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to compete with neighboring states.
The full dispatch is available from the source below.