Democratic House candidate addresses past comments on Black lawmakers

William Lawrence, a progressive candidate in Michigan's Democratic primary for the U.S. House, issued a statement Saturday addressing criticism of remarks he made on his podcast in 2024. " In his statement, Lawrence said the comments were made during a conversation with a Black anti-war organizer and were directed at Democratic leaders' support for aid to Israel.

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The winner will face incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Barret in November. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district a toss-up. Lawrence has received endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Rep.

Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Maxwell Frost, and Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. In the same statement, Lawrence said he has been "deeply inspired by the Black liberation struggle" and called for cooperation across racial lines to prioritize domestic spending over military aid.