Mary Waters on attack mailers: 'I support same-sex marriage'

Detroit Democrat Mary Waters has pushed back on mailers urging voters who support marriage equality to oppose her in the upcoming Aug. 6 primary for the 13th Congressional District, saying she supports same-sex marriage.

Waters and Democrat Shakira Lynn Hawkins are each running to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, in a primary race that will likely decide who will represent the solidly blue district for the next two years.

The mailers attacking Waters from Blue Wave Action — a recently formed Super PAC — claim she indicated her opposition to same-sex marriage on a candidate questionnaire. The mailers do not specify when Waters allegedly filled out the questionnaire and the super PAC did not respond to an email from the Free Press seeking the source of the information. Waters campaign consultant Sam Riddle said he has no idea what questionnaire the mailers cite.

Waters said they don't reflect her position. "I support same-sex marriage. I believe people should be free to love and marry whomever they want to," she said in a statement.

Riddle shared photos of Waters at Detroit's Motor City Pride festival and parade in early June before the super PAC attacking her registered with the U.S. Federal Election Commission. Thanedar has also stated his support for same-sex marriage. Hawkins told the Free Press she doesn't feel government has a role in deciding who someone should marry. "I support the freedom of people to live their life as they choose and that includes who they love and marry," she said.

Another mailer and ad from Blue Wave Action highlights Waters' 2010 guilty plea for filing a fraudulent tax return stemming from an investigation into a suspected conspiracy to bribe a Southfield City Councilmember.

While attacking Waters, Blue Wave Action has also sent mailers supporting Hawkins.

It's unclear who's behind the Blue Wave Action mailers and advertisements. The super PAC registered with the U.S. Federal Election Commission July 1 with an address at a strip mall in East Lansing. In the final three weeks leading up to Michigan's primary election, the super PAC has spent over $1.5 million on Waters-related mailers and media placements and nearly $42,000 on Hawkins-related mailers, according FEC filings.

Waters' campaign alleges Thanedar is responsible for the operation. "Who else benefits from it?" Riddle asked. "Who else has the money to do it in this campaign?" Thanedar is a millionaire who has largely self-funded his campaign, but he said he has nothing to do with Blue Wave Action. "I have absolutely zero ties to the independent spending done by Blue Wave Action and it is completely unfounded and inappropriate for the Waters campaign to suggest otherwise," he wrote in a text message to the Free Press.

Hawkins said she doesn't know who's behind Blue Wave Action either. She said she doesn't think Thanedar is connected to the group because of the mailers supporting her campaign to unseat him. But she expressed gratitude for whoever sent out the ones telling voters to back her. "I can't afford a mailing quite frankly," she said.

Michigan Elections:In 13th District, Shri Thanedar faces different primary challenge than expected

The 13th Congressional District includes parts of Dearborn Heights and Detroit along with all of Highland Park, Hamtramck, the Grosse Pointes and several Downriver communities. Thanedar was first elected to the U.S. House in 2022. No other current member of Michigan's congressional delegation faces such robust opposition from within their own party this election cycle.

Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.

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