Candidate Profile: Julia Pulver For State House

Julia Pulver, a West Bloomfield resident is running for State House District 39.

Age: 37
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:I have four children in public school: Nora (13), Sadie, (12), Avery (11) and Alice (8). My husband of 15 years, Ben Pulver, is a chef.
Occupation:I have been a Registered Nurse for 14 years.
Previous elected experience:N/A
Family members in government:No.
Campaign website: https://www.juliapulver.com/

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
The single most pressing issue facing our state is Healthcare/Economy. Whether we’re fighting COVID-19, chronic illnesses, or injuries, we can’t keep pretending that our economy and our collective public health are separate issues. No matter how anyone tries to spin it, our people ARE our economy, and our government should do everything it can to keep us healthy. Jobs come and go, but we only have one body, one life, and we must protect our health if we want to have a thriving economy. I’m proud to be endorsed by my fellow nurses at the Michigan Nurses Association as well as prominent labor groups such as the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council and SEIU Michigan as we all agree that while we have an outstanding duty to address our current crisis, we also have an opportunity to fix our healthcare system and protect our workers going forward.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I have been a public health advocate for over a decade and I understand how viruses spread. I have also been trained about how to handle a public health emergency. What we needed from the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic was a robust national testing and tracing system. Unfortunately, we’ve lost that opportunity. In fact, as a country we still lack rapid result tests and there are still healthcare workers without adequate PPE. But right now the most effective thing we can do is work to stop the spread. A bare minimum is wearing a mask, washing hands, and limiting gatherings of people. My opponent downplayed COVID-19 from the beginning, has been without a mask on the House Floor, and is focused on suing Governor Whitmer and "unlocking Michigan" rather than combating this virus that has already killed thousands of Michiganders.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
As a nurse, I understand the multitude of challenges and competing priorities that need to be addressed when taking peoples’ lives and interests into my hands. My experience as a nurse, from bedside to boardroom, a mother of four, and an organizer has taught me not only how to multitask and prioritize, it has taught me how to negotiate and coordinate with multiple interested parties, and how to bring people together for the sake of getting things done.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
The first thing the state government should do is listen to small business owners and employees. It is unlikely that the economic recovery assistance needed will work with a “one size fits all” approach. Above all, it’s important to remember that economic recovery won’t and can’t happen without the end of this public health emergency. This will only come with everyone doing their part. We need a national strategy for testing and eventually immunization. We need a state strategy for how to continue to buy time until we can have rapid-result widely available testing and only have to isolate those exposed as opposed to everyone. And we need everyone, especially our leaders, to do their part to stop the chain of infection -- which means not only abiding by safety protocols, but providing education to the public and encouraging everyone to follow their example. Our economy has suffered because our people have been sick and dying -- our workers and our customers. We can’t fully recover until our people are healthy and feel safe again. It is disingenuous to pretend that Michigan’s economy is being harmed because of the shut downs and restrictions that literally saved people’s lives. Michigan’s economy is suffering because there is a public health emergency that we can’t pretend will just go way like a miracle.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
Like any problem, ignoring racism solves nothing and makes things worse. We cannot keep dismissing the very real racial inequities that exist in this country. I believe that black lives matter and that black voices need to be heard. I will always be a supporter of racial justice and will propose and support legislation that addresses this society wide problem. While I’ve never been a police officer, as a nurse I know what it’s like to endure constant threats of violence in the workplace and the need to make life or death, split second decisions, about my life and others’. Even given chaotic, scary, and tense situations, I knew it was essential that I remain calm, work to keep my patient safe, and de-escalate the situation so we could all get back to the job at hand: helping the patient. I know that we are right to demand more from those in whom we place enormous trust to make the right call in tough situations, including police officers and others trusted to ensure public safety.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
Public Education
Unions and Workers' Rights
Civil Rights
Protecting Michigan's Natural Resources
Clean Drinking Water
Repairing and updating our infrastructure as an investment in our future

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I began my campaign long before the pandemic struck as I saw the needs we had in our community related to healthcare, education, and our environment continue to go unaddressed. But every one of those concerns has been magnified during the last six months, and our lack of an adequate social safety net has been made abundantly clear how fragile our whole system really is. The next two years are going to be crucial for not only our recovery, but also the long term plans needed to ensure we are adequately prepared for any future disasters. I am ready to go to Lansing to do this work.