Sanders sets first Michigan campaign stop for Monday

Renegade Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders will campaign at Eastern Michigan University on Monday in his first campaign trip to Michigan, his campaign said late Friday.

The U.S. senator from Vermont defeated Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary by double digits and lost by a whisker to her in the Iowa caucuses.

The campaign said the democratic socialist would “discuss a wide range of issues, including his plan to make public colleges and universities tuition-free, the need to grow and strengthen America’s middle class by taking on Wall Street and raising the minimum wage, ensuring universal healthcare for all and fighting against a corrupt political campaign finance system to restore our democracy.”

The rally is set for EMU’s Convocation Hall, 799 N. Hewitt in Ypsilanti. The doors open at 12:30 p.m. but no official start time has been scheduled.

While the event is free and open to the public, RSVPs are strongly encouraged, according to the campaign. Admission is first come, first served.

Sanders has called for Gov. Rick Snyder to resign because of the lead-contaminated water crisis in Flint as well as the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the Flint area that may be linked to the switch to river water in April 2014. The city is now back on Detroit’s water system.

By contrast, Clinton has not called for Snyder’s resignation but has called the situation in Flint “immoral.” She has raised the issue several times in debates and television interviews in the past month, and visited Flint last Sunday.

The Sanders campaign opened field offices in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids this week and plans a fifth office in Lansing.

clivengood@detroitnews.com