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Michigan swamped with presidential campaign visits in final days before Election Day

Trump in Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 7th
Cheyna Roth
Trump in Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 7th

Michigan is getting battleground state attention from the presidential campaigns. Republican nominee Donald Trump paid a visit to Macomb County, and former President Bill Clinton toured the state to support Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump talked jobs and the economy at his Sterling Heights rally, but he also attacked opponent Hillary Clinton -- who is scheduled to be back in Michigan Monday.

Speaking to a cheering crowd, Trump said, “and when Hillary comes, and when Hillary walks onto the stage and talks to you for about eight minutes because that’s what she’s got left.”

During his speech, Trump made clear that he was determined to take Michigan and break Michigan’s streak of going to Democratic presidential candidates since the 1980’s.

Trump has been to the state numerous times since accepting his party’s nomination and he told the crowd that Clinton should quit now.

“Now you know they’re worried because now Hillary is going to come out tomorrow, and she’s going to come out again,” he said. “I told her – you know what I told her via television – stop, you’re wasting your time. The people are too smart.”

Former President Bill Clinton stopped by two churches in Flint before addressing a packed union hall in Lansing, where he exhorted Democrats to get out and vote and vote for the former First Lady, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State.

Clinton said the race appears to be tightening up.

“Look, it’s close to the election, and I believe Hillary will carry Michigan if we turn out,”’ he said to the cheers of people crowded into United Auto Workers union hall. ‘

Polls suggest Michigan could be very close on Election Day, even though Democrats have carried the state in every presidential race since 1992. Clinton said he thinks the race would not be so close if there were more attention on issues.

“Because this is an election where the coverage has been dominated by the absolute conviction that anger is better than answers,” he said. “But it isn’t! That resent is better than empowerment, but it’s not.”

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both have Michigan visits planned today of campaigning before Election Day.

Copyright 2016 Michigan Radio

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R