LANSING, Mich. — Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt on Thursday blasted Senate Democrats for failing to deliver needed funding to ensure Selfridge Air National Guard Base secures the facility’s next-generation fighter mission.

“Today, Sen. Hertel and the Democrats failed the people of Macomb County and this entire state,” said Nesbitt, R-Porter Township. “Instead of passing a clean bill now to fund this needed runway expansion project, they chose to hold onto those dollars until it’s too late and squander more taxpayer dollars on their own pork-filled wasteful spending.”

Last month, the Michigan House approved a $152 million appropriation for runway upgrades at Selfridge to support a brand-new F-15EX Eagle II fighter mission that complements the base’s KC-46 Pegasus Refueling Tankers and replaces its aging A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron.

President Donald Trump announced the new mission while visiting Michigan in last year. Selfridge, which marks its 109th anniversary this year, supports an estimated 5,000 jobs and $800 million in annual economic impact for the state.

“The clock is ticking, and we can’t afford to gamble with the future of Selfridge and our state,” Nesbitt said. “The Legislature must do its part to guarantee this new mission has a home in Michigan before President Trump leaves office in 2028.”

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