An Indian-American physician is making a second attempt at getting elected to the U.S. Congress from Michigan’s 11th District.
Dr. Anil Kumar, who was unopposed in the Aug. 2 open primary in Michigan, may not have the best chance to win. Ballotpedia rates this district as “safely Republican.”
He is pitted against incumbent Republican David Trott, who won in 2014 with more than 55 percent of the vote. Libertarian Jonathan Ray Osment and Independent Kerry Bentivolio are also on the ballot come Nov. 8.
Kumar took advantage of the Oct. 7 release of Republican candidate Donald Trump’s vulgar comments about women caught on a hot mike in 2005. In an Oct. 8 Facebook entry, Kumar says this election is about women’s equality. “This election is about women: women’s healthcare, workplace equality and creating a culture of respect. I am the only candidate running in the 11th congressional district who supports equal pay for equal work,” Kumar said.
In an Oct. 9 interview published in the online news outlet Oaklandcounty115.com, Kumar said “People should vote for me because, one, I am not an established politician and the persons that are in office, including Congress, their favorability is less than 20%.” He also criticized the current healthcare system saying it had done nothing for seniors and people were paying higher premiums. “They have done nothing to change their lives.”
Improvements can be made to Obamacare, he says. “I’ve seen how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has changed healthcare for the better for my patients, especially those with pre-existing conditions or financial concerns. I also see how the ACA can be improved so it fully lives up to its purpose of expanding access to quality healthcare,” Kumar says.
Kumar’s campaign website indicates his priorities are ensuring that education is prioritized for students in his district and enhanced for its teachers by preventing further budget cuts; Increasing jobs for the middle class is something he says his experience as a small-business owner equips him to deal with.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, as of July 13, Kumar had total receipts of $742,581 and cash on hand equalling $487,065. Trott’s total receipts were $952,587 with cash on hand standing at $676,065.
Kumar did not return calls by press time.
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