State Rep. Tyrone Carter and Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero. Photo: Samuel Robinson
The incumbent council member and her challenger spoke to District 6 voters Thursday evening at a candidate forum at the Hispanic Development Corporation on Trumbull.
The race in District 6 features incumbent Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero and state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit. Write-in candidate Anita Martin, a community activist, also participated in Thursday’s forum hosted by BridgeDetroit.
Carter brings thirty years of legislative experience to the race, Santiago-Romero is decades younger and represents Southwest Detroit as the lone Hispanic member of Detroit City Council.
While the state lawmaker and incumbent city council member mostly agree on issues like environmental racism and supporting ordinances that make it harder for immigration enforcement to deport noncitizens, their answers on corporate influence underscore the difference in their political philosophies.
Throughout his career, Carter has accepted money from companies like DTE and Consumers Energy, Comerica Bank or Marathon Petroleum. Santiago-Romero has refused money from corporate PACS, and has made it a sticking point of her campaign.
Carter said it’s insulting when voters insinuate politicians who take corporate money owe them something in return.
“Who you accept money from means you’re bought and paid for — it’s an insult to almost anybody running,” Carter said. “The biggest contributor to any campaign that I’ve ever had was me… How do you represent the poorest district, you’re not rich. Where do you get the money from? I love this stuff about, ‘I’m not taking corporate money.’ I’m in Lansing, yes, I’ve taken money from DTE, but I call DTE every week and say, ‘What’s the update?'” It’s not about someone taking money and a quid-pro-quo. At the end of the day, I don’t need this job to pay my bills. My job is to make sure the people I represent get what they need.”
Carter said when he raised more than $200,000 last year as the chair of the regulatory reform committee, it went to some colleagues who said they don’t take corporate money.
“I won’t be taking corporate PAC money because I believe you should be accountable to the people,” Santiago-Romero said. “People do have money, there are rich people with money in District 6 — we cover Corktown, downtown, Midtown, Woodbridge, with very wealthy people who are able to donate. I also get donations from across the state and across the country because my vision and passion to serve goes beyond this city. I have already been offered PAC money that I will not take and will not accept, because I can continue working with Rocket Mortgage without taking their money. I already work with DTE, meet with them consistently without taking their money.”
Santiago-Romero said politicians don’t need to take money from corporations to have a working relationship with them. She said she agrees with Carter that fundraising is incredibly difficult, but said it takes hard work.
“I ask people over and over and over again, can you please give me five? Can you please give me $20? Do you know someone who can give me $100? Can you please max out because I know you own a business and you’ve got the money… I just do not agree with taking PAC money.”
Santiago-Romero assumed office in Jan. 2022. Her current term ends Jan. 1, 2026.
Carter ran for the seat in 2017 and lost to incumbent Raquel Castaneda-Lopez by 400 votes.
While the public will have a clearer picture of both candidate’s coffers after a July campaign finance reporting period, Santiago-Romero’s latest campaign filing report shows $13,381. Carter’s most recent report for his active state campaign committee shows $37,733.
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