Kathleen Gray

Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will get a chance to see the water crisis in Flint firsthand when they come to the state for a March 6 debate, two days before Michigan’s presidential primary election.

The Democratic National Committee announced four more debates for the two candidates, including one being held in New Hampshire on Thursday. There will also be debates hosted by PBS News Hour on Feb. 11 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Univision debate on March 9 at Miami-Dade College in Florida.

"Our debates have set viewership records because of our candidates’ ideas, energy and the strength of their vision to build on the progress we’ve made over the last seven years,” DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.

More debates are expected to be held in April and May.

Hillary Clinton campaign: Let Dems debate in Flint

Details on the location and timing of the Flint debate haven't been worked out yet, said Brandon Dillon, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party.

"We’ll be working with the DNC and the campaigns to make sure all the logistics are taken care of," he said. "It’s very exciting. The issues that are important to Michigan are important to the country. This will be an opportunity for folks at the national level to really understand how we're going to address the Flint issue and make sure it never happens again."

Clinton, former secretary of state and first lady, called for a debate in Flint on Saturday to draw attention to the water crisis facing the city.

Hillary for America Campaign Chairman John Podesta called the crisis of high levels of lead being found in residents' tap water "unconscionable" and said that government must address it appropriately.

"It’s been going on for years, as the people of Flint repeatedly asked for help and were ignored by state government," Podesta said. "As Hillary has said, this would not have happened in a wealthy community."

Clinton has been talking about the Flint water issue on the campaign trail and in debates.

Sanders has said he thinks Gov. Rick Snyder should resign.

The Michigan Republican Party has accused the Democratic candidates of exploiting the Flint water emergency for political purposes and said the the debate announcement wasn't good news for Flint.

"The last thing that the people of Flint need is the political circus coming to town diverting resources from this crisis," said Sarah Anderson, spokeswoman for the Michigan GOP.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 517-372-8661, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal

Michigan has a long history of hosting debates

Oct. 19, 1992: Republican President George H.W. Bush, Democrat Bill Clinton and Independent Ross Perot appear at the Wharton Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing for the last debate of the 1992 election cycle. Quotable from Clinton: "I really can't believe that President Bush is still trying to make trust an issue after 'Read my lips.' "

Jan. 10, 2000: George W. Bush, John McCain, Steve Forbes, Orrin Hatch, Alan Keyes and Gary Bauer debate at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. Quotable from Forbes: "Let's assume you are the nominee in Philadelphia." Response from Bush: "I accept your premise."

Oct. 9, 2007: Republicans Sam Brownback, Rudy Guiliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo and Fred Thompson debate at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. Quotable from Romney: "It's like 'Law and Order.' It has a huge cast, the series seems to go on forever and Fred Thompson shows up at the end."

Nov. 9, 2011: Republicans Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Herman Cain, Ron Paul and John Huntsman debate at Oakland University in Rochester Hills. Quotable from Perry: “It is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone,” he said, beginning to lay out one of the staples of his stump speech. “Commerce, Education, and the — what’s the third one there? Let’s see. Commerce and, let’s see ... I can’t. The third one, I can’t. Sorry. Oops.”