Navigating the day as always was Terry Campbell, a member of Stabenow’s team for more than 10 years. ![]() “When it comes to Michigan, if it’s a good idea I don’t care who comes up with it,” Stabenow said, before finishing a bowl of soup and heading out the door to our next stop. Debbie Stabenow, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry speaks to the concerns of group of urban and rural farmers gathered in a Detroit neighborhood, Aug. She’s also sponsored or co-sponsored many more created by colleagues on both sides of the political arena. Hundreds of bills that she has authored over the years have become law including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which continues to protect a vital resource for Michiganders. Two of the state’s last three governors have been women. Women also hold the top three statewide elected offices including the governor. Today, there are 44 women serving in the State House and 15 in the Senate including the Senate Majority Leader. “If there’s not three or four others you are just a token” she said. I feel like I have,” she said, adding what’s really important is not being the first of your kind but one of many who come after you. “I hope I’ve been opening doors for women. ![]() I figured she had to since there were only eight women serving in the State House and none in the State Senate or top statewide offices when she ran for the State Legislature in 1978. Campbell has been part of Stabenow’s team for more than 10 years and is likely to retire when she does. Terry Campbell, far right, a former Corporate Operating Officer for Eastern Market talks to some of the urban farmers listening to U.S. “It opened up a whole new world for me,” she added during a chat over a cup of coffee.ĭuring one of these breaks, between traveling from the studio in Southfield to the Michigan Food and Farming Systems Field Day in Detroit and Macomb County Community Mental Health in Clinton Township I asked Stabenow if she considered herself a trailblazer. She could see everything she was interested in doing for others could be done on a broad basis as an elected official. Debbie Stabenow, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry speaks to the concerns of group of urban and rural farmers and the progress being made during a gathering in a Detroit neighborhood. So she did and at the age of 26 and despite having no experience won the race that launched her career as a politician. Other women joining in the fight saw the fire in her eyes and convinced her to run against the man trying to shut the facility down. But a fight to save a county medical care facility from being shut down ignited a fiery desire to solve problems for people in need that’s still burning. GINA JOSEPH – THE MACOMB DAILYĪs a young woman growing up in the small town of Clare where her family ran an Oldsmobile dealership, Stabenow was known for her love of Michigan and as a student of Michigan State University planned on working for the state’s criminal justice system or in social work. “I just want to make sure we have someone who loves Michigan as much as I do.” Talking to residents about their concerns including this Detroit urban farmer are among the tasks done during a typical day with U.S. “My plan is to let them duke it out,” Stabenow said. Then he asked her if she would if it became a close race? ![]() “They are lining up on both sides of the aisle for your political seat,” Stokes said. GINA JOSEPH – THE MACOMB DAILYĪfter sharing a little history between them the conversation moved on to more pressing matters like who Stabenow is hoping to pass the torch onto when her term is up in January of 2025. ![]() When are you coming back?’ I’ve always been indebted to her for that,” Stokes said. Something wasn’t plugged in,” said Stokes, who then had to call the Senator and explain why he and his crew would need to return for a second time. When they returned to the studio they discovered all they had was a great video, with no audio The interview went well or so it appeared. “That was the year she became the first female from Michigan elected to the United States Senate,” said Stokes. Debbie Stabenow addresses questions regarding her retirement during a taping of “Spotlight on the News” with Chuck Stokes. He and his television crew traveled through a snowstorm from Detroit to Lansing to do the interview for Spotlight’s Newsmaker of the Year in December of 2000. Warming up the interview and before getting to the heart of her decision to leave politics he recalled an incident that could have been detrimental to his career.
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