SOUTHFIELD — Mayor Brenda Lawrence recently announced her candidacy for the 14th Congressional District, which stretches from Pontiac to southwest Detroit.

Lawrence.

In 2001, Lawrence became both the first female and African-American mayor of Southfield. She has served as mayor for more than a decade. In 2012, she unsuccessfulyy ran for congress in the 14th district.

Lawrence is president of the National Association of Democratic Mayors, and she was also the Democratic Lieutenant Governor nominee in the 2010 gubernatorial race. 

“In Congress, I’ll fight for working families and demand a higher and fairer minimum wage, as well as paycheck equity for women. As a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, I’ll work tirelessly for common sense gun safety laws. I’ll fight for jobs and a strong educational system to ensure the futures of our children-one that doesn’t leave them with debt they can never repay. Finally, I will never allow Medicare or Social Security to be weakened, but I will work to stabilize them both,” Lawrence said.