Friday, August 25, 2006

State Convention Preview

Both Republicans and Democrats are going to hold their state conventions this weekend. Barring any last minute surprises, the slate of nominees for the Republicans appears set. Meanwhile the Democratic nominees for several major offices, including Attorney General and Secretary of State, remain undecided. Democrats appear to be fighting over everything from abortion to race to the 2005 Detroit mayoral race to electibility. From the Detroit News:

Democrats, who will be meeting at Detroit's Cobo Center on Saturday and Sunday, appear likely to face at least one floor fight Sunday and possibly more.

Both Detroit lawyer Amos Williams and former judge M. Scott Bowen of Grand Rapids want to win the nomination to take on Republican Attorney General Mike Cox. Williams appears to have won the backing of labor unions, making it likely he'll win the nomination.

But Bowen said the powerful United Auto Workers union had not yet made a decision and said reports that it had are untrue. He said again Thursday that he will take his fight for the attorney general nomination to the convention.

"They have not made a decision," Bowen said in a phone interview while his campaign picked up "Going with Bowen" T-shirts for the convention. "Did (the UAW) put out a press release? They haven't."

Democrats still are discussing their choice for a secretary of state and for a second Michigan Supreme Court nomination besides incumbent Justice Michael Cavanagh. Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh is considered to have a better chance at the secretary of state's nomination than state Rep. Mary Waters of Detroit, but Sabaugh has not publicly said she wants to run.

Some say Bowen would be a good Supreme Court nominee if Williams gets the attorney general bid and if Bowen is interested.

But there may be some infighting going on among Democrats who do not want to nominate candidates who oppose abortion, as Bowen and Sabaugh reportedly do, and those who say those are the best candidates regardless of their abortion stance.
Detroit Mayor is trying to sabotage Mary Waters because she supported his opponent in the 2005 mayoral race. He has been accused of trying to sabotage Bowen and nominate a weaker candidate because he likes Republican Mike Cox.

1 comment:

A.J. said...

The Hotline has also reported the Mayor Kilpatrick would support DeVos against Granholm due to his rocky relationship with the Governor. However, those within Kwame Kamp have denied this. Should be interesting to she how this shakes out as we near November.