For the first of the 14 times that Fred Upton has run for Congress, he has been endorsed by Michigan Right to Life. Just two years ago, in 2010, MRTL endorsed former state rep. Jack Hoogendyk. They also endorsed Dale Shugars over Upton in 2002.
Upton has claimed to be pro-life in the past, but has not filled out their survey. So why didn't MRTL endorse Upton before? Well, there are these votes, whose descriptions come from the American Conservative Union.
1987: Abortion- Vote on a Dornan (R-CA) amendment to prevent the use of any funds in the D.C. appropriations bill to pay for abortions in the District of Columbia. Passed 191-l81, 6/26/87. ACU supported the amendment.
1988: Abortion - Vote on a Dornan (R-CA) amendment to prohibit the use of any funds in the District of Columbia Appropriations Bill to perform abortions. Passed 222-186, 6/28/88. ACU supported the amendment.
1989: Abortion - Vote on a Dornan (R-CA) amendment to the Fiscal Year 1990 District of Columbia Appropriations Act to prohibit the use of any funds - federal or city - to pay for abortions, except in instances when the mothers life is in danger. Amendment rejected 206-219, 8/2/89. ACU supported the amendment.
1991: United Nations Population Fund - Vote on a Kostmayer (D-PA) amendment to preserve the $20 million in funding for the United Nations Population Fund, which promotes abortions including the forced abortion program in communist China. Amendment adopted 234-188, 6/12/91. ACU opposed the amendment.
1993: Parental Notification - Vote on a Bliley amendment to mandate written parental notification and a 48-hour waiting period, with certain restrictions, before abortions could be performed on minors by entities receiving federal funds. Vote failed 179-243, 3/25/93. ACU supported the amendment.
1995: MEXICO CITY ABORTION POLICY. Smith amendment to codify the Mexico City policy, which prohibits U.S. funding of any public or private foreign entity that directly or indirectly performs abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is endangered; to require foreign organizations receiving U.S. aid to certify that they do not violate or lobby to change abortion laws; and to withhold money from the U.N. Population Fund unless the president certifies that the fund has terminated all activities in China or that for the past 12 months there have been no coercive abortions in China. Approved 243 187, June 28, 1995. ACU supported the amendment.
1995: FEDERAL FUNDING OF ABORTION. Greenwood amendment to provide $193 million for "family planning" projects under Title X of the Public Health Service Act, the bulk of which would be distributed to Planned Parenthood. Approved 224 204, August 2, 1995. ACU opposed the amendment.
1995: LATE TERM ABORTIONS. Adoption of the Rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill to ban partial birth abortions, in which the person performing the abortion partially delivers the fetus before performing the abortion. Approved 288 139, November 1, 1995. ACU supported the bill.
2001: Family Planning Funding HR 1646 (Roll Call Vote No. 115 )
Hyde (R-IL) amendment to the State Department Bill maintaining President George W. Bush's restrictions on funding for international family planning groups that provide abortion services, counseling or advocacy. The bill was passed (218-210). ACU supported this bill.
2005: Embryonic Stem Cell Research – Passage. HR 810 (Roll Call 204)
The House passed a bill that would allow the use of federal funds in research on embryonic stem cell lines derived from surplus embryos at in-vitro fertilization clinics, but only if donors give their consent and are not paid for the embryos. ACU opposed the bill, which passed 238-194 on May 24, 2005.
2006: Embryonic Stem Cell Research
HR 810 (Roll Call 388) The House failed to override President Bush’s veto of legislation providing taxpayer funds for embryonic stem cell research. ACU opposed the effort to override the President’s veto, which failed on a vote of 235-193 on July 19, 2006. Although a majority of the House voted to override, a two-thirds vote is required to override presidential vetoes.
2007: Stem Cell Research
HR 3 (Roll Call 20). The House passed a bill mandating federal funding of embryonic stem cells derived from surplus embryos at fertilization clinics. ACU opposed this bill, which passed 253-174 on January 11, 2007.
2007: Planned Parenthood Support
HR 3043 (Roll Call 684). The House defeated an amendment to the Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill that would have withheld taxpayer funds from Planned Parenthood. ACU supported this amendment, which failed July 19, 2007 by a vote of 189-231.
2009: Planned Parenthood. HR 3293 (Roll Call 643). The House defeated an amendment to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill that would have eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood family planning services, which includes abortion services. ACU has always opposed Planned Parenthood and federal involvement in this area as unconstitutional, but the amendment was defeated July 24, 2009 by a vote of 183-247.
That's fourteen major pro-abortion votes. And that's just the ones picked by ACU to score. Upton can't even claim the position taken by many libertarians that abortion should be unaffected by the state, since he has repeatedly voted for federal government funding for programs and organizations that perform abortions. This funding is also unconstitutional, in case anyone cares.
Now, an endorsement of Upton could still be justified IF Upton has publicly renounced and apologized for his pro-abortion votes and vowed to vote the opposite way in the future. He has not done so.
So what changed? Certainly not his opponent, Jack Hoogendyk, who is just as pro-life as ever. Jack has been endorsed by MRTL in all his previous races. He ran a crisis pregnancy center and he and his wife have worked for pro-life organizations.
The only thing that changed is that Upton became chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. I can only presume that either Upton promised votes on legislation that MRTL cares about, or that they were concerned that he would spike that legislation if they didn't endorse him.
Michigan Right to Life should be ashamed.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Trouble in Texas
The Gazette has a good article about the conflict in Texas Township. Supervisor Dave Healy has had conflicts with the rest of the township board and the township staff for several years.
Texas Township election focusing on conflict over supervisor position
The conflict seems to be based on personality, not ideology. Earlier this year, the board created a township administrator position to manage the township and reduced the Supervisor to part-time status, along with mostly eliminating his salary. Now there are slates of candidates supporting the board and Healy. The Gazette doesn't make it clear who they are, so this blog will.
Board slate:
Supervisor: Greg Pendowski
Clerk: Linda Kerr
Treasurer: Paul Cutting
Trustees: Steven Bosch, Donald Boven, Erin Hoogendyk, Joyce Neubauer
Healy slate:
Supervisor: Dave Healy
Clerk: Tracy Kinney
Treasurer: none
Trustees: Wendy Mazer, Trish Roberts, Tim Rogowski, Jeffrey VanderRoest
Texas Township election focusing on conflict over supervisor position
The conflict seems to be based on personality, not ideology. Earlier this year, the board created a township administrator position to manage the township and reduced the Supervisor to part-time status, along with mostly eliminating his salary. Now there are slates of candidates supporting the board and Healy. The Gazette doesn't make it clear who they are, so this blog will.
Board slate:
Supervisor: Greg Pendowski
Clerk: Linda Kerr
Treasurer: Paul Cutting
Trustees: Steven Bosch, Donald Boven, Erin Hoogendyk, Joyce Neubauer
Healy slate:
Supervisor: Dave Healy
Clerk: Tracy Kinney
Treasurer: none
Trustees: Wendy Mazer, Trish Roberts, Tim Rogowski, Jeffrey VanderRoest
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Garry Brown
Garry Brown was the last Republican Congressman from Kalamazoo County. He served 1966-1978. He represented Michigan's 3rd district, which then contained Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Barry, and Eaton Counties. He defeated democrat Paul Todd, who served one term 1964-66. Brown was defeated by democrat Howard Wolpe, who held office 1978-1992.
Brown was previously part of the Michigan state senate, 1962-66. Brown compiled a fairly moderate record in Washington, as seen in his ACU ratings below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_E._Brown
1978: 73
1977: 72
1976: 71
1975: 74
1974: 32
1973: 70
1972: 70
1971: 63
Life: 66%
Brown was previously part of the Michigan state senate, 1962-66. Brown compiled a fairly moderate record in Washington, as seen in his ACU ratings below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_E._Brown
1978: 73
1977: 72
1976: 71
1975: 74
1974: 32
1973: 70
1972: 70
1971: 63
Life: 66%
Friday, June 15, 2012
Upton Smears Jack (Part 4)
Congressman Fred Upton has continued his campaign to smear Jack Hoogendyk's record. This latest attack is particularly vile. This time, Upton is not accusing Jack of voting like a liberal, he is accusing Jack sympathizing with criminals.
Fred Upton campaign attacks Jack Hoogendyk on sex offender and drunk driving votes in new mailers
You can see the mailers in the article above. They imply that Jack opposes tough penalties for sex offenders and drunk drivers. But as Jack explains in the article, there were problems with both bills.
I hope that voters see through these distortions. We'll find out in August.
Previous:
Upton Smears Jack (Part 3)
Upton Smears Jack (Part 2)
Upton Smears Jack
Jack's Response to Upton Mailer
Fred Upton campaign attacks Jack Hoogendyk on sex offender and drunk driving votes in new mailers
You can see the mailers in the article above. They imply that Jack opposes tough penalties for sex offenders and drunk drivers. But as Jack explains in the article, there were problems with both bills.
Hoogendyk said Thursday the statement that he doesn't "share...priorities" is a distortion. He said he voted against the bill because he said there was a flaw in the registration program related to "Romeo and Juliet" cases — when an underage person consensually engages in sex. An example, Hoogendyk said, would be if a 17 year-old and 15 year-old. Hoogendyk said a person could on the registry list for much of their adult life.It is really awful to take Jack's votes out of context like this. Fred Upton certainly knows that there are often competing bills on an issue in a legislature, so you vote for the one you like best and oppose the others. Also, many bills have technical problems that would lead to negative consequences. You ought to be able to vote against flawed, if well-intentioned legislation without being smeared as supporting drunk drivers and sex offenders.
"I felt like the program and process needed to be fixed before going through with this," Hoogendyk said.
...
The other mailer depicts a series of bills that would strengthen penalties for convicted drunk drivers, including installing a ingestion breathalyzer device on their car. The mailer reads: "Jack Hoogendyk crossed the line and voted to go easy on extremely drunk drivers."
"That is an outright falsehood," Hoogendyk said. For one of the bills mentioned, he said he ended up voting for the final bill after it went to the state senate.
"I did not go easy on drunk drivers," Hoogendyk said. "I voted for bills that ended up being stronger than the original ones."
Hoogendyk actually votes against a bill that would establish .15 blood alcohol content level as a drunk driving offense. He did not vote for or against the final bill when the Senate version came back up in the House, which did not include the .15 limit.
Hoogendyk did vote in favor of a Senate bill for increasing penalties for drivers with BAC over .17, which is the current limit for a driver to be considered "super drunk." The two bills were part of a package that led to the "super drunk" driving laws in Michigan.
I hope that voters see through these distortions. We'll find out in August.
Previous:
Upton Smears Jack (Part 3)
Upton Smears Jack (Part 2)
Upton Smears Jack
Jack's Response to Upton Mailer
Spending Cut Scorecard
The Club for Growth has just come out with a very useful tool. Their "Spending Cut Scorecard" scores how members of the House of Representatives voted on a number of spending cut amendments.
THE SPENDING CUT SCORECARD
Sadly, a significant number of Republicans continue to vote against spending cuts. Congressman Fred Upton scored a not-too-bad 76%. Of course, we have seen before that Upton votes more conservative when he faces a primary challenge.
Previous:
Fred Upton: 64% Conservative in 2011
Upton Votes Conservative--Thanks, Jack!
National Conservatives Finally Notice Fred Upton
THE SPENDING CUT SCORECARD
Sadly, a significant number of Republicans continue to vote against spending cuts. Congressman Fred Upton scored a not-too-bad 76%. Of course, we have seen before that Upton votes more conservative when he faces a primary challenge.
Previous:
Fred Upton: 64% Conservative in 2011
Upton Votes Conservative--Thanks, Jack!
National Conservatives Finally Notice Fred Upton
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Michigan House Repeals Handgun Registration
The Michigan House of Representatives has voted to repeal Michigan's handgun permit and registration law. The vote was 74-36, with all Republicans in favor. This is less than other recent pro-gun bills since 2000, which usually get about 100 votes in the state house. The bill must still be passed by the state senate.
Michigan House Votes Overwhelmingly to Repeal Permit-to-Purchase and Registration
State House Votes to End Pistol Permit System
This bill is long past due. Only six states require any form of gun registration. Michigan, California, Hawaii, and New York register handguns, and New Jersey and Connecticut register "assault weapons". The other five are all considerably more liberal than Michigan.
Gun Registration by State Map
Previous:
NRA Alert
Gun Bills in Michigan
New Gun Law
Ending Registration
Michigan House Votes Overwhelmingly to Repeal Permit-to-Purchase and Registration
State House Votes to End Pistol Permit System
This bill is long past due. Only six states require any form of gun registration. Michigan, California, Hawaii, and New York register handguns, and New Jersey and Connecticut register "assault weapons". The other five are all considerably more liberal than Michigan.
Gun Registration by State Map
Previous:
NRA Alert
Gun Bills in Michigan
New Gun Law
Ending Registration
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Upton/Hoogendyk Debate
Jack Hoogendyk and Fred Upton met in their first debate (of two campaigns) tonight at Schneider Hall at Western Michigan University. The debate lasted for one hour. The format, in between opening and closing statements, was question/90 second answer/90 second response/60 second response.
Congressman Fred Upton and Jack Hoogendyk debate, with live video
Fred Upton and Jack Hoogendyk spar over voting records during first debate
Both candidates performed well, with no major mistakes on either side. Jack aggressively challenged Fred Upton's voting record. Fred mostly ignored these challenges, and only once (question 6) challenged Jack's record. Upton significantly distorted electoral history in question 11.
A summary follows, along with my commentary in brackets.
Opening Statements:
Jack: Limiting government. Running because of family. "Every one of you has a giant millstone wrapped around your neck, and the word on that millstone is debt." $50,000 per person. Entitlements.
Fred: Jobs. People. Reagan. Congress. Obama bad. Stimulus bad. Obamacare bad. Energy legislation. Jobs. Infrastructure. Taxes. Move the timekeeper!
Question 1: Will you cut the military to balance the budget?
Jack: Generally opposed. Cut waste, economize. Not much to cut. Republican Study Committee budget. [Fred almost always opposes the more conservative budget.]
Fred: Support BBA. Everything on the table. Voted to cut trillions. [Where? I don't believe this!] Bring troops home from Afghanistan. [I agree!]
Jack: Have to make cuts to balance budget. Mike Mullen: Biggest threat to national security is national debt.
Question 2: More jobs under Clinton, even with tax increase. What will you do other than cut taxes? [Biased question!]
Fred: 9/11 cost money, hurt economy. Obama didn't create jobs. Need tax reform.
Jack: Tax cuts have lag effect. Reagan tax cuts helped under Clinton. Upton opposed some Bush tax cuts. Massive spending leads to inflation. Upton has not restrained spending.
Fred: I voted for Bush tax cuts. Republican Congress under Clinton.
Question 3: Bush administration ran up big deficit. Are there any spending votes you regret, would cast differently?
Fred: 9/11 cost money. Spent money on security. Wind down Afghanistan. World has trouble. Get back to surplus, pay down debt.
[Upton didn't answer the question. Didn't list any votes he regrets. While defense spending was increased, domestic spending was also massively increased, and Upton voted for almost all of it.]
Jack: Can't speak for Fred. Disagree with Fred on Wall Street Bailout (twice). Republicans didn't get job done, increased spending, debt. One of four Republicans to vote to override Bush on SCHIP.
Fred: Grateful Jack wasn't in Congress those years. (Snear) Jack supported SCHIP when he debated Carl Levin. [The original program or the expansion?] "I've always been viewed as a fiscal conservative." [By whom? Not by people who've studied your record!] Support tax reform.
Question 4: David Stockman says Congress would not really cut spending. Can spending be cut enough to balance the budget without revenue increase?
Jack: Yes. Cut spending, increase revenue through growth. Happening in the '80s. Republican Study Committee, Tea Party, Rand Paul have budgets that will balance in 5 years. Make sacrifices. Make tough decisions.
Fred: I know Dave Stockman. [You, Sir, are no Dave Stockman!] Voted for Ryan budget. Senate hasn't passed budget. Entitlement spending.
Jack: Upton one of 16 Republicans to vote for Obama omnibus spending. GOP.gov website criticized. He owns that. 9000 earmarks.
Question 5: Keystone XL Pipeline. Why is it necessary, is it safe?
Jack: Support safeguards. State department studied, minimal environmental risk. Many things we can do. Interior department land grab. Upton supported blocking development. More examples.
Fred: Administration out of excuses. Shepherded though committee. Jobs. Obama. passed legislation to rebuild Embridge pipeline.
Jack: Lift offshore and onshore drilling bans. Upton opposed, voted to ban drilling off Florida, under Great Lakes. Done for 100 years in Canada. Insurance cost low.
Question 6: What alternative energy do you support, do you support same subsidies as for oil? [False premise!]
Fred: All of the above. Nuclear plants. Storage for nuclear waste. Renewables need to make it on their own.
Jack: Flatly opposed to subsidies. Find solutions in private sector. Nuclear, clean coal. Upton voted for increased taxes on domestic energy. I voted against mandates in the house.
Fred: Jack voted for [lists five votes, four of which are, in his own words, tax breaks.] "Flatly opposed, I don't think so."
Question 7: You voted against Obamacare, lead charge to repeal. What would you do about law, work to lessen burden on businesses.
Fred: Hope Supreme Court will strike down. Called Obamacare's worst nightmare. Listen to public. Can't keep own healthcare. 2700 pages. Market reforms. Encourage employers to offer health care. [No! Individuals should buy their own.]
Jack: Government has no business in health care. Empower individuals. Health savings accounts. Encourage individuals to buy their own. Buy health care across state lines. Will Upton keep 'preexisting conditions' from Obamacare?
Fred: Tort reform. Market reform. Medical device tax--Stryker. Repeal it.
Question 8: What would conservative health care reform look like?
Jack: Back to question 6. Bill Upton read were tax credits, not subsidies. Big difference. Broad-based tax cuts are better, take what you can get under Granholm. Vouchers, block grants, high risk pools.
Fred: Purchase insurance across state lines. You can do that with your car. Geico ad. Tort reform. Obamacare costs states more. Block grants. Glad timekeeper isn't school bus, we'd be going right though him.
Jack: Encourage individuals. Hayek. Can't allow people to wait to buy health care until they get sick. Personal responsibility. [Upton never answered pre-existing conditions question.]
Question 9: Upton has 73% from NTU, ACU. Opposed most of Obama, supported most of Bush initiatives. Why is that not enough in district carried by Obama?
Jack: We should run on things we should believe in. Need constitutional conservatives. Upton not worst, but far down there. Heritage Action rates Upton at 51%. Voted for more spending, national debt limit increase. Voted against 39 billion in cuts. Has to stop.
Fred: Lots of different groups. Lots of groups. 100% from Farm Bureau. 93% lifetime from Chamber of Commerce. NRA 100% [not in the '80s and '90s!] National Right to Life, realtors, Family Research Council.
Jack: Chamber of Commerce supports subsidies. Farm Bureau supports farm subsidies. Endorses by Gun Owners of America, RNC for life, Eagle Forum, Madison Project. Most conservative organizations.
Question 10: Term limits. Are they good, do they help or hurt.
Fred: Michigan federal term limits ruled term limits unconstitutional. Voted for constitutional amendment, which didn't get close. Term limits should be longer. Lists many local legislators.
Jack: Support term limits. Founders didn't think term limits would be necessary. best legislators are average citizens. Don't need career politicians. A little cynical because you can vote for something knowing it won't pass. Upton said term limits should be 10-12 years, has served 25. I'll serve six years.
Fred: Voted for amendment. Newt got rid of seniority system. Have committee chairmanship.
Question 11: William F. Buckley said voted for most conservative candidate who can win. Is Jack more conservative, and can he win?
Fred: [Ignores first question.] Don't know whether Jack can win. Jack ran for 9 offices in 9 years. Took safe district and made it close. Recount in last election. Ran for Senate, lost his own "district/precinct". I won his district. Larry DeShazor won handily. Steady decline in support in his precinct. District went for Obama, Clinton twice. Diverse district.
[I'm not sure what "district/precinct" means. I'll Assume Upton meant district. It's true that Jack's percentages declined. They were 57%/55%/51% in 02/04/06. (See http://electionmagic.com/.) But Upton doesn't mention that his own percentages declined, winning 69%/65%/61% in those same years. Thus Upton lost more support than Jack did over the same period. Julie Rogers wasted taxpayers' money with a recount, even though she clearly had no chance of success.
Carl Levin was an entrenched incumbent and Jack had no money, so it's no surprise he didn't win. He did easily win his own precinct, Texas 6, though. Upton could have taken on Levin in 1996, but he passed. It's a flat-out whopper to say that Larry DeShazor won handily. Larry got 51.06%]
Jack: Buckley said he'd rather be governed by people in Boston phone directory. Power lies with people, not with Washington. Study shows that when congressional delegation grows in power, businesses in district do worse.
Fred: Under Newt, passed Contact for America, undid seniority system. Speaker Boehner good. Cut Congress' budget. Open process.
Question 12: Political parties are more polarized. How has GOP changed, is government more effective.
Jack: GOP has lost its way. Partisanship. Democrats say 'we call the shots'. What does Constitution say? Let's follow that standard. Honor Constitution.
Fred: Swing district. People want job done. Allow amendments, bipartisan first. 40 amendments, 35 have significant bipartisan support. Work with other side. Upton/Mfume bill on disabled. Streamline medical devices.
Jack: Congressman Upton has done some good things. 51% from Heritage Action. I worked with Rep. Bob Jones.
Closing Statements:
Jack: Thank people for debate. Need more debates. Want six debates for six counties. Don Cooney wanted more debates in 2008.
Fred: Important election. Make a difference. Jobs, Obamacare, energy. Track record. Endorsements. Local supporters.
Congressman Fred Upton and Jack Hoogendyk debate, with live video
Fred Upton and Jack Hoogendyk spar over voting records during first debate
Both candidates performed well, with no major mistakes on either side. Jack aggressively challenged Fred Upton's voting record. Fred mostly ignored these challenges, and only once (question 6) challenged Jack's record. Upton significantly distorted electoral history in question 11.
A summary follows, along with my commentary in brackets.
Opening Statements:
Jack: Limiting government. Running because of family. "Every one of you has a giant millstone wrapped around your neck, and the word on that millstone is debt." $50,000 per person. Entitlements.
Fred: Jobs. People. Reagan. Congress. Obama bad. Stimulus bad. Obamacare bad. Energy legislation. Jobs. Infrastructure. Taxes. Move the timekeeper!
Question 1: Will you cut the military to balance the budget?
Jack: Generally opposed. Cut waste, economize. Not much to cut. Republican Study Committee budget. [Fred almost always opposes the more conservative budget.]
Fred: Support BBA. Everything on the table. Voted to cut trillions. [Where? I don't believe this!] Bring troops home from Afghanistan. [I agree!]
Jack: Have to make cuts to balance budget. Mike Mullen: Biggest threat to national security is national debt.
Question 2: More jobs under Clinton, even with tax increase. What will you do other than cut taxes? [Biased question!]
Fred: 9/11 cost money, hurt economy. Obama didn't create jobs. Need tax reform.
Jack: Tax cuts have lag effect. Reagan tax cuts helped under Clinton. Upton opposed some Bush tax cuts. Massive spending leads to inflation. Upton has not restrained spending.
Fred: I voted for Bush tax cuts. Republican Congress under Clinton.
Question 3: Bush administration ran up big deficit. Are there any spending votes you regret, would cast differently?
Fred: 9/11 cost money. Spent money on security. Wind down Afghanistan. World has trouble. Get back to surplus, pay down debt.
[Upton didn't answer the question. Didn't list any votes he regrets. While defense spending was increased, domestic spending was also massively increased, and Upton voted for almost all of it.]
Jack: Can't speak for Fred. Disagree with Fred on Wall Street Bailout (twice). Republicans didn't get job done, increased spending, debt. One of four Republicans to vote to override Bush on SCHIP.
Fred: Grateful Jack wasn't in Congress those years. (Snear) Jack supported SCHIP when he debated Carl Levin. [The original program or the expansion?] "I've always been viewed as a fiscal conservative." [By whom? Not by people who've studied your record!] Support tax reform.
Question 4: David Stockman says Congress would not really cut spending. Can spending be cut enough to balance the budget without revenue increase?
Jack: Yes. Cut spending, increase revenue through growth. Happening in the '80s. Republican Study Committee, Tea Party, Rand Paul have budgets that will balance in 5 years. Make sacrifices. Make tough decisions.
Fred: I know Dave Stockman. [You, Sir, are no Dave Stockman!] Voted for Ryan budget. Senate hasn't passed budget. Entitlement spending.
Jack: Upton one of 16 Republicans to vote for Obama omnibus spending. GOP.gov website criticized. He owns that. 9000 earmarks.
Question 5: Keystone XL Pipeline. Why is it necessary, is it safe?
Jack: Support safeguards. State department studied, minimal environmental risk. Many things we can do. Interior department land grab. Upton supported blocking development. More examples.
Fred: Administration out of excuses. Shepherded though committee. Jobs. Obama. passed legislation to rebuild Embridge pipeline.
Jack: Lift offshore and onshore drilling bans. Upton opposed, voted to ban drilling off Florida, under Great Lakes. Done for 100 years in Canada. Insurance cost low.
Question 6: What alternative energy do you support, do you support same subsidies as for oil? [False premise!]
Fred: All of the above. Nuclear plants. Storage for nuclear waste. Renewables need to make it on their own.
Jack: Flatly opposed to subsidies. Find solutions in private sector. Nuclear, clean coal. Upton voted for increased taxes on domestic energy. I voted against mandates in the house.
Fred: Jack voted for [lists five votes, four of which are, in his own words, tax breaks.] "Flatly opposed, I don't think so."
Question 7: You voted against Obamacare, lead charge to repeal. What would you do about law, work to lessen burden on businesses.
Fred: Hope Supreme Court will strike down. Called Obamacare's worst nightmare. Listen to public. Can't keep own healthcare. 2700 pages. Market reforms. Encourage employers to offer health care. [No! Individuals should buy their own.]
Jack: Government has no business in health care. Empower individuals. Health savings accounts. Encourage individuals to buy their own. Buy health care across state lines. Will Upton keep 'preexisting conditions' from Obamacare?
Fred: Tort reform. Market reform. Medical device tax--Stryker. Repeal it.
Question 8: What would conservative health care reform look like?
Jack: Back to question 6. Bill Upton read were tax credits, not subsidies. Big difference. Broad-based tax cuts are better, take what you can get under Granholm. Vouchers, block grants, high risk pools.
Fred: Purchase insurance across state lines. You can do that with your car. Geico ad. Tort reform. Obamacare costs states more. Block grants. Glad timekeeper isn't school bus, we'd be going right though him.
Jack: Encourage individuals. Hayek. Can't allow people to wait to buy health care until they get sick. Personal responsibility. [Upton never answered pre-existing conditions question.]
Question 9: Upton has 73% from NTU, ACU. Opposed most of Obama, supported most of Bush initiatives. Why is that not enough in district carried by Obama?
Jack: We should run on things we should believe in. Need constitutional conservatives. Upton not worst, but far down there. Heritage Action rates Upton at 51%. Voted for more spending, national debt limit increase. Voted against 39 billion in cuts. Has to stop.
Fred: Lots of different groups. Lots of groups. 100% from Farm Bureau. 93% lifetime from Chamber of Commerce. NRA 100% [not in the '80s and '90s!] National Right to Life, realtors, Family Research Council.
Jack: Chamber of Commerce supports subsidies. Farm Bureau supports farm subsidies. Endorses by Gun Owners of America, RNC for life, Eagle Forum, Madison Project. Most conservative organizations.
Question 10: Term limits. Are they good, do they help or hurt.
Fred: Michigan federal term limits ruled term limits unconstitutional. Voted for constitutional amendment, which didn't get close. Term limits should be longer. Lists many local legislators.
Jack: Support term limits. Founders didn't think term limits would be necessary. best legislators are average citizens. Don't need career politicians. A little cynical because you can vote for something knowing it won't pass. Upton said term limits should be 10-12 years, has served 25. I'll serve six years.
Fred: Voted for amendment. Newt got rid of seniority system. Have committee chairmanship.
Question 11: William F. Buckley said voted for most conservative candidate who can win. Is Jack more conservative, and can he win?
Fred: [Ignores first question.] Don't know whether Jack can win. Jack ran for 9 offices in 9 years. Took safe district and made it close. Recount in last election. Ran for Senate, lost his own "district/precinct". I won his district. Larry DeShazor won handily. Steady decline in support in his precinct. District went for Obama, Clinton twice. Diverse district.
[I'm not sure what "district/precinct" means. I'll Assume Upton meant district. It's true that Jack's percentages declined. They were 57%/55%/51% in 02/04/06. (See http://electionmagic.com/.) But Upton doesn't mention that his own percentages declined, winning 69%/65%/61% in those same years. Thus Upton lost more support than Jack did over the same period. Julie Rogers wasted taxpayers' money with a recount, even though she clearly had no chance of success.
Carl Levin was an entrenched incumbent and Jack had no money, so it's no surprise he didn't win. He did easily win his own precinct, Texas 6, though. Upton could have taken on Levin in 1996, but he passed. It's a flat-out whopper to say that Larry DeShazor won handily. Larry got 51.06%]
Jack: Buckley said he'd rather be governed by people in Boston phone directory. Power lies with people, not with Washington. Study shows that when congressional delegation grows in power, businesses in district do worse.
Fred: Under Newt, passed Contact for America, undid seniority system. Speaker Boehner good. Cut Congress' budget. Open process.
Question 12: Political parties are more polarized. How has GOP changed, is government more effective.
Jack: GOP has lost its way. Partisanship. Democrats say 'we call the shots'. What does Constitution say? Let's follow that standard. Honor Constitution.
Fred: Swing district. People want job done. Allow amendments, bipartisan first. 40 amendments, 35 have significant bipartisan support. Work with other side. Upton/Mfume bill on disabled. Streamline medical devices.
Jack: Congressman Upton has done some good things. 51% from Heritage Action. I worked with Rep. Bob Jones.
Closing Statements:
Jack: Thank people for debate. Need more debates. Want six debates for six counties. Don Cooney wanted more debates in 2008.
Fred: Important election. Make a difference. Jobs, Obamacare, energy. Track record. Endorsements. Local supporters.
Write In is the Wrong Way
A strange situation has developed in the 11th congressional district. Congressman Thad McCotter's petition signatures were found to be mostly invalid. They contained copies of the same sheet and copies from previous years. The fraud was so blatant that it is hard to imagine that any experienced campaign aid could have thought that it would work. The most likely explanation seems to be that McCotter was intentionally sabotaged. Hopefully, Attorney General Schuette's investigation will determine the truth.
The only Republican on the ballot is Tea Party candidate Kerry Bentivolio, who probably wasn't expecting to win. He seems decent on the issues, though a little rough around the edges.
The party establishment, led by Brooks Patterson, doesn't like him though. They met to select a write-in candidate, picking former state senator Nancy Cassis. This author was not impressed with Cassis the one time I heard her speak.
This raises the question of how hard it is to win a write-in campaign. There isn't much data to work with, as most write-in candidates aren't really with it and have no hope of winning.
One of the few exceptions was in the 61st state house district democrat primary in 2010. Democrat Grant Taylor filed but was kicked off the ballot since he had moved into the district one day before the filing deadline. He ran a a write-in, and got the endorsements of the local party establishment over Thomas Batten, who they didn't like for some reason. Taylor spent $95,246 of his dad's money to win 737 votes. That's $129.23 per vote.
Money On Fire Update!
Based on past history, there will probably be 50-80,000 votes in the Republican primary. So Nancy Cassis would need 25-40,000 votes to win. If she has to spend $100 per vote, she would need $2.5-4 million.
Of course, the analogy isn't perfect. Cassis has some name recognition, particularly in her former district. Bentivolio has some Tea Party support, and the media will give the race more attention. In the 61st, neither Batten nor Taylor attracted much support or interest.
Still, this example suggests that Nancy Cassis is unlikely to win.
The only Republican on the ballot is Tea Party candidate Kerry Bentivolio, who probably wasn't expecting to win. He seems decent on the issues, though a little rough around the edges.
The party establishment, led by Brooks Patterson, doesn't like him though. They met to select a write-in candidate, picking former state senator Nancy Cassis. This author was not impressed with Cassis the one time I heard her speak.
This raises the question of how hard it is to win a write-in campaign. There isn't much data to work with, as most write-in candidates aren't really with it and have no hope of winning.
One of the few exceptions was in the 61st state house district democrat primary in 2010. Democrat Grant Taylor filed but was kicked off the ballot since he had moved into the district one day before the filing deadline. He ran a a write-in, and got the endorsements of the local party establishment over Thomas Batten, who they didn't like for some reason. Taylor spent $95,246 of his dad's money to win 737 votes. That's $129.23 per vote.
Money On Fire Update!
Based on past history, there will probably be 50-80,000 votes in the Republican primary. So Nancy Cassis would need 25-40,000 votes to win. If she has to spend $100 per vote, she would need $2.5-4 million.
Of course, the analogy isn't perfect. Cassis has some name recognition, particularly in her former district. Bentivolio has some Tea Party support, and the media will give the race more attention. In the 61st, neither Batten nor Taylor attracted much support or interest.
Still, this example suggests that Nancy Cassis is unlikely to win.
Saturday, June 09, 2012
A Brief History of the WMU College Republicans
A Brief History of the WMU College Republicans
The WMU College Republicans were formed far back in the dark and distant past (maybe sometime in the ‘90s). Few records of these early days have survived to the present.
2001-2002
Chairman: Andy Phelps
2002-2003
Chairman: Amy Powell
A relatively small group of about ten members was quite active on campus. The group heavily canvassed the campus for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick Posthumus, who narrowly lost to democrat Jennifer Granholm. “Vote for Dick” could frequently be seen scrawled in chalk across campus.
Controversy erupted when business professor Norman Hawker, an official in the local democrat party, was exposed offering extra credit to volunteer for a political campaign and only listing contact information for one campaign. That just happened to be the state senate campaign of Ed LaForge, whose treasurer was Hawker’s wife. Chairman Amy Powell exposed this in a letter to the editor, and Hawker later became a member of the WMU Faculty Hall of Shame.
The group hosted a speech by civil rights activist and former University of California Board of Regents member Ward Connerly. He gave a short speech criticizing the use of racial preferences and then answered many audience questions. One was from a member of BAMN, a front for the Revolutionary Workers League, a communist splinter group.
The group was invited to participate in a debate on affirmative action. The debate turned into a farce, with several leftist groups and a highly biased moderator all pitted against the College Republicans. The CRs eventually walked out.
The group was active in the Western Student Association (WSA), whose president was conservative Johnny Knowles. The group sponsored a resolution to support the troops, which was narrowly passed. The group also sponsored a resolution critical of communist China, which failed to pass the WSA.
Some members of the group participated in a “support the troops” near the start of the Iraq War sponsored by the conservative student group Students for America.
2003-2004
Chairman: Matt Hall
The WMUGOP expanded dramatically under the leadership of new Chairman Matt Hall.
The group planned to hold a vigil to commemorate the second anniversary of 9/11. When the WMUGOP learned that a black fraternity was planning a similar event, the groups agreed to combine the events and hold a joint vigil.
The group hosted a bevy of speakers over the course of the academic year. Reginald Jones spoke about his views as a black conservative.
Dr. Alan Cors, a representative of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), spoke about how campus speech codes violate the First Amendment. About 200 people attended the event.
Political activist Bay Buchanan spoke about the link between abortion and breast cancer. The event, which was co-sponsored by Students for Life, was attended by about 200 people. The speech riled feminists in the audience.
The highlight of the year was a speech by author Dinesh D’Souza. His topic was his recent book, What’s So Great About America. He spoke to a crowd of 350, which packed the lecture hall, filled the aisles, and spilled out into the hallway.
The College Republicans were one of four campus groups to participate in a Black History Quiz Bowl, and the group won by a large margin. The group also revised its constitution, moving from five to six officers.
2004-2005
Chairman: Matt Hall
Matt Hall continued as Chairman for a second year, leading the College Republicans to even greater achievements. Over the summer, members of the group campaigned for Jerry VanderRoest for state representative, who narrowly lost the Republican primary.
The group hosted lively weekly meeting every Wednesday in the Brown and Gold Room of the Bernhard Center. The group watched a presidential debate and the state of the union address. It saw visits from local political figures State Representative Jack Hoogendyk and Kalamazoo City Commissioner Mary Balkema and debated issues including immigration, the Iraq War, and health care.
The group campaigned hard for Republican candidates during election season, focusing its efforts on supporting President George W. Bush and State Representative Jack Hoogendyk. Members put up yard signs, distributed literature, knocked on doors, and more. They were rewarded with many victories and a celebration at The Union downtown.
In the winter semester, the group hosted a speech by former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, commonly known as the “Ten Commandments Judge”. The event was advertised with flyers posted all over campus featuring the Ten Commandments. A university bureaucrat demanded that a display featuring the Ten Commandments be removed, but the group refused, and the university backed down. The event was attended by 600 people in the Bernhard Center ballroom. Moore delivered an incisive lecture on God, government, and the Constitution.
A clash with the campus left loomed when the group made plans to bring author, former presidential candidate, and immigration critic Pat Buchanan to campus. The speech coincidentally fell on Cesar Chavez Day, March 31. Chavez was an American union organizer who (unknown to most leftists) had organized minuteman style-patrols along the Mexican border and called for the government to deport illegal aliens. The group ran with the connection, advertising the event with flyers stating “Viva Buchanan…Come Celebrate Cesar Chavez Day with Pat Buchanan”. The group later declared the day to be “America First Day”.
Campus leftists flipped out over the event. Condemnations came from the Kalamazoo Gazette and a Kalamazoo city commissioner (who was voted out in the next election). Campus leftists vandalized and destroyed thousands of flyers and posters advertising the event.
Women’s studies professor Edith Fisher organized her class to tear down flyers the day of the event. When several members of the College Republicans went to investigate, Fisher impaled one of the group’s posters on a Mexican flag. She then shoved one of the members of the group when he tried to retrieve the poster. Incredibly, not only did she go unpunished, but later the university actually held a sham trial and punished two members of the College Republicans on bogus charges.
Meanwhile, Pat Buchanan spoke before a divided audience of 900 people in the Bernhard Center. While many in the audience were hostile, he managed to find common ground while addressing the Terry Schiavo case and criticizing the Iraq War, free trade, and immigration. Buchanan fielded a number of questions from the audience, but the Q&A came to an abrupt end.
A leftist from off campus who described himself as a “national socialist” attacked Buchanan by throwing salad dressing all over Buchanan. The university refused to press charges for property damage, but the attacker was nonetheless convicted of disturbing the peace. He was sentenced to ten days in jail, given probation, and ordered to pay $6,628 in restitution.
The group was active on a number of other fronts. Members volunteered at the Michigan Republican state convention in Grand Rapids. Matt Hall narrowly lost a bid for chairman of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans (MFCR) at the group’s convention held at Kalamazoo College. The group continued to be active in the WSA, and helped to elect allies of the group as President and Speaker of the Senate. The group passed a resolution in the WSA criticizing Edith Fisher’s actions. The group took pride in its small office in Faunce Hall featuring the “Reagan wall”.
2005-2006
Chairman: Ashley Allen
Chairman Ashley Allen led the group in a flurry of activities. The group kicked off the year with a table at Bronco Bash and moving into a larger office in Faunce. The group continued weekly meetings in the Brown and Gold Room with about 30 active members. There were visits by local political figures, debates over issues including the United Nations, unions, and Harriet Miers’ nomination to the Supreme Court.
Members of the group attended the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, volunteering for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Members also volunteered for Kalamazoo City Commissioner Mary Balkema, helping her to secure reelection in November.
The group hosted Congressman Tom Tancredo for a speech to Michigan College Republicans. Tancredo gave a masterful speech on immigration, government spending, education, and national sovereignty.
Several years earlier, WMU President Judy Bailey had created a scholarship specifically for illegal aliens. When the WMU College Republicans learned about it, the group launched a campaign to eliminate it. This culminated in a resolution before the WSA which took four weeks and two versions before finally passing 32-25. When President Bailey was fired the next summer, her successor ended the scholarship.
On November 16, the WMUGOP hosted a speech by columnist and author Michelle Malkin on campus. Following a weather-related delay, she spoke about her book Unhinged: Exposing Liberals Gone Wild. She also parried audience questions.
In the “Spring” semester, the group kept busy. There were debates over the minimum wage, free trade, and promoting democracy. The group launched a new website, http://www.rso.wmich.edu/gop/.
The group also started a blog, The Western Right: http://wmugop.blogspot.com/, which launched on February 12, 2006. The blog featured a dozen contributors over several years. It featured POLITICAL UPDATES, which began as a feature of the groups weekly email in late summer 2005 and continued in that format for several years. It was eventually spun off separate from the group. It has accumulated over 2000 posts on all sorts of political and cultural issues over the succeeding six years.
The group sent 27 delegates to the MFCR convention at Hillsdale College. Sergeant “The Enforcer” Tom Barrett, a member of the group, was elected co-chair of the MFCR by a lopsided margin.
The main event of the semester was a speech by author and political columnist Ann Coulter on February 22, 2006. The group received funding from WSA, GSAC, and private donations for the event. The group promoted the event with flyers headlined “Ann Coulter is Coming to WMU—Are You Offended Yet?” Thousands of flyers were torn down or defaced by campus leftists. The university administration and outside groups attempted to derail the event, but the group overcame these obstacles.
The event attracted 2500 people, filling both halves of the Bernhard Center Ballroom. Coulter gave a rousing speech, denouncing liberals and liberalism, touching on many topics. Following the speech, there was a question-and-answer session where many liberals demonstrated their ignorance. The speech was preceded by a book-signing and succeeded by a dinner with Coulter at Old Burdick’s, where she declared the WMU College Republicans to be the best College Republican group in the country!
The group actively participated in the WSA elections. The group endorsed and campaigned for Amanda Grove and Drew Hooley for WSA President and Vice-President. They won a three-way race with about half the vote. The group also was instrumental in electing Aaron Easlick as speaker of the Senate.
2006-2007
Chairman: Tom Barrett
Over the summer, Western’s President Judy Bailey was fired by the Board of Trustees. Her interim replacement was former President Diether Haenicke. He was a member of the Republican Party and a strong and effective leader.
Also over the summer, members of the group volunteered for state representative Jack Hoogendyk who won his primary, and later the general election. Many members also attended the state Republican convention in Novi, volunteering for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land.
The group continued lively weekly meetings with about 30 active members. Visitors included senate candidate Mike Bouchard, Jack Hoogendyk, and Senator Tom George. Debate topics included the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI), term limits, dinosaurs, global warming, space exploration, Iran, and gun rights.
The group was active in the 2006 election campaign, working for Dick DeVos, Michael Bouchard, Terri Land, Tom George, and more. The group knocked on doors, made phone calls, made and put up signs, made literature, and more. Republicans had a rough election nationally, but Tom George and Jack Hoogendyk were narrowly reelected. Members assisted with a recount in Jack’s race.
Chairman Tom Barrett also ran for a seat on the Kalamazoo County Commission in southwest Kalamazoo city. Tom ran a strong race, but despite a valiant campaign effort, the district was just too democratic to win.
The group also endorsed and campaigned for the MCRI. Members of the group wrote letters and articles to the Kalamazoo Gazette supporting the measure. The group worked with another group, Students Against Racial Preferences, on this campaign. These efforts were rewarded when the MCRI passed statewide 58-42 and countywide 52-48.
The group remained active in the WSA, with members holding the positions of President, Vice-President, Speaker, Speaker Pro-Tem, Associate Justice, Political Affairs Chairman, Campus Concerns Chairman, and Allocations Committee member. These Republicans worked with President Haenicke to deliver the most effective student government in many years. The Senate passed a resolution to increase the printing limit to 500 pages per semester, which was enacted by the administration. It also passed a resolution to extend Bernhard Center hours, which was also enacted, and worked with the administration to extend library hours. Vice-President Andrew Hooley was a member of the search committee that eventually hired Western President John Dunn.
President Haenicke finally killed Western’s illegal immigrant scholarship.
The group’s efforts were recognized when the College Republican National Committee declared the WMU College Republicans to be the Best College Republican group in America in 2006.
Controversy erupted over the WMU Faculty Hall of Shame. This document had been created some time earlier and was eventually put on the group’s website. Its purpose was to document incidents where faculty members misused their power over students for political purposes. Without even contacting the group, the College Democrats launched an error-riddled attack on this document and the group in the Western Herald. The WMUGOP responded to this attack and refused to back down in spite of threats and pressure to do so. An online poll showed that respondents favored the group’s position.
The main event of the semester was a speech by former Attorney General John Ashcroft on March 13, 2007 in Miller Auditorium. The event was attended by about 900 people and protested by leftists outside. Ashcroft spoke on the relationship between security and freedom in the War on Terrorism. The speech was followed by a question-and-answer session and dinner at Old Burdick’s.
The group supported a successful resolution in the WSA asking that Sindecuse Health Center allow advertising for Alternatives Women’s Care Center. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, but was not implemented by the administration. The group supported Matt Moss for President of the WSA, but his campaign was unsuccessful.
The group unanimously passed a resolution supporting the release of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean, whose sentences were later commuted by President Bush. The group also unanimously passed a resolution calling for the end of the campus gun ban.
Megan Buwalda won a contested race to be the next Chairman of the group. The group also approved rewriting its Constitution.
The group’s website was named a finalist for best RSO webpage by the university administration.
2007-2008
Chairman: Megan Buwalda
On the sixth anniversary of 9/11, the group held a memorial by placing 2997 flags in shape of World Trade Center in front of Bernhard Center, one for each of those killed in the attack.
The group continued its weekly meetings in the Brown and Gold room. Visitors included State Representative Jack Hoogendyk and Portage City Councilwoman Margaret O’Brien. Debates topics included trade, immigration, civil liberties, the death penalty, and health care. The group had about 20 active members.
The group campaigned for Margaret O’Brien for Portage City Council, who was reelected easily.
The major event of the semester was a speech by television journalist and author John Stossel on November 28, 2007 in Shaw Theater. He spoke to a packed auditorium of 550 people. His topics included economics , government regulations, and his personal story. The group held a Presidential straw poll won by John McCain. There was a book-signing and dinner at Old Burdick’s before the speech and question-and-answer afterwards.
The outside wall of the building containing the group’s office was vandalized with anti-capitalist slogans spray painted on it.
In the WSA, the Speaker of the Senate was convicted and had his pay docked over a constitutional violation of voting rules. The trial was presided over by Chief Justice Megan Buwalda.
In the Spring, the group continued activity with visits from Jack Hoogendyk, Charles Ybema, and Students for Concealed Carry. That group later hosted a speech by local gun rights activist Joel Fulton. The WMUGOP participated in the Michigan Republican Convention, MFCR, Conservative Political Action Conference, and Lincoln Day.
The group participated in a debate over the Iraq War with the College Democrats. Two members of each group answered a variety of questions.
The group hosted a speech by Lean Drolet, head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance. He discussed taxpayers’ issues and potential recall elections.
The main event of the year was a speech by rock musician and author Ted Nugent. The event was held on March 31, 2008, “America First Day”, in Miller Auditorium. The event was preceded by a reception with photos and a book-signing. About 1800 people attended the event, where Nugent spoke on “God, Guns, and Rock and Roll”. The event concluded with questions and a guitar solo.
The group was named a “5-Star RSO” by the university.
2008-2009
Chairman: Megan Buwalda/David Bell
Group members spent the summer volunteering for candidates including Margaret O’Brien, Congressman Tim Walberg, Texas Township Supervisor candidate Dave Healy, and Kalamazoo Township Supervisor candidate Justin VanderArk. The group commemorated the seventh anniversary of 9/11 by again placing 2997 flags in shape of World Trade Center in front of Bernhard Center.
Meetings saw visits by Mary Balkema, State Representative candidates Jase Bolger and Larry DeShazor, county commission candidate Chris Haenicke, and AJ Keech. Debate topics included the bailout and medical marijuana.
The main focus of the group was the 2008 election. Members of the group campaigned for Volunteered for John McCain, Jack Hoogendyk, Mary Balkema, Larry DeShazor, and more by knocking on doors, making phone calls, and making and putting up signs. The group sponsored a showing of the pro-McCain film Faith of our Fathers on September, 30, 2008, attended by about 30 people. Republicans did not fare well in the election, but Mary Balkema, Larry DeShazor nonetheless won narrow victories.
After Megan Buwalda graduated, David Bell became Chairman of the group. The group was not very active in the Spring semester.
2009-2010
Chairman: Troy Hudson
The group began the next year with all-new leadership. The group met in the Bernhard Center Faculty Dining Room and had about 25 members. It saw visits by state senate candidates Tonya Schuitmaker, Larry DeShazor, and Lorence Wenke and state representative candidate Margaret O’Brien.
The group actively volunteered for state senate candidate Mike Nofs in a neighboring district special election. Nofs won a massive victory in the election.
A member of the group held a “liberal dunk tank” event.
2010-2011
Chairman: Troy Hudson
2011-2012
Chairman: Ashley Cole
2012-2013
Chairman: Chadwick Dillon/Scott Morris
The group continued to meet but was not active on campus.
The WMU College Republicans were formed far back in the dark and distant past (maybe sometime in the ‘90s). Few records of these early days have survived to the present.
2001-2002
Chairman: Andy Phelps
2002-2003
Chairman: Amy Powell
A relatively small group of about ten members was quite active on campus. The group heavily canvassed the campus for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick Posthumus, who narrowly lost to democrat Jennifer Granholm. “Vote for Dick” could frequently be seen scrawled in chalk across campus.
Controversy erupted when business professor Norman Hawker, an official in the local democrat party, was exposed offering extra credit to volunteer for a political campaign and only listing contact information for one campaign. That just happened to be the state senate campaign of Ed LaForge, whose treasurer was Hawker’s wife. Chairman Amy Powell exposed this in a letter to the editor, and Hawker later became a member of the WMU Faculty Hall of Shame.
The group hosted a speech by civil rights activist and former University of California Board of Regents member Ward Connerly. He gave a short speech criticizing the use of racial preferences and then answered many audience questions. One was from a member of BAMN, a front for the Revolutionary Workers League, a communist splinter group.
The group was invited to participate in a debate on affirmative action. The debate turned into a farce, with several leftist groups and a highly biased moderator all pitted against the College Republicans. The CRs eventually walked out.
The group was active in the Western Student Association (WSA), whose president was conservative Johnny Knowles. The group sponsored a resolution to support the troops, which was narrowly passed. The group also sponsored a resolution critical of communist China, which failed to pass the WSA.
Some members of the group participated in a “support the troops” near the start of the Iraq War sponsored by the conservative student group Students for America.
2003-2004
Chairman: Matt Hall
The WMUGOP expanded dramatically under the leadership of new Chairman Matt Hall.
The group planned to hold a vigil to commemorate the second anniversary of 9/11. When the WMUGOP learned that a black fraternity was planning a similar event, the groups agreed to combine the events and hold a joint vigil.
The group hosted a bevy of speakers over the course of the academic year. Reginald Jones spoke about his views as a black conservative.
Dr. Alan Cors, a representative of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), spoke about how campus speech codes violate the First Amendment. About 200 people attended the event.
Political activist Bay Buchanan spoke about the link between abortion and breast cancer. The event, which was co-sponsored by Students for Life, was attended by about 200 people. The speech riled feminists in the audience.
The highlight of the year was a speech by author Dinesh D’Souza. His topic was his recent book, What’s So Great About America. He spoke to a crowd of 350, which packed the lecture hall, filled the aisles, and spilled out into the hallway.
The College Republicans were one of four campus groups to participate in a Black History Quiz Bowl, and the group won by a large margin. The group also revised its constitution, moving from five to six officers.
2004-2005
Chairman: Matt Hall
Matt Hall continued as Chairman for a second year, leading the College Republicans to even greater achievements. Over the summer, members of the group campaigned for Jerry VanderRoest for state representative, who narrowly lost the Republican primary.
The group hosted lively weekly meeting every Wednesday in the Brown and Gold Room of the Bernhard Center. The group watched a presidential debate and the state of the union address. It saw visits from local political figures State Representative Jack Hoogendyk and Kalamazoo City Commissioner Mary Balkema and debated issues including immigration, the Iraq War, and health care.
The group campaigned hard for Republican candidates during election season, focusing its efforts on supporting President George W. Bush and State Representative Jack Hoogendyk. Members put up yard signs, distributed literature, knocked on doors, and more. They were rewarded with many victories and a celebration at The Union downtown.
In the winter semester, the group hosted a speech by former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, commonly known as the “Ten Commandments Judge”. The event was advertised with flyers posted all over campus featuring the Ten Commandments. A university bureaucrat demanded that a display featuring the Ten Commandments be removed, but the group refused, and the university backed down. The event was attended by 600 people in the Bernhard Center ballroom. Moore delivered an incisive lecture on God, government, and the Constitution.
A clash with the campus left loomed when the group made plans to bring author, former presidential candidate, and immigration critic Pat Buchanan to campus. The speech coincidentally fell on Cesar Chavez Day, March 31. Chavez was an American union organizer who (unknown to most leftists) had organized minuteman style-patrols along the Mexican border and called for the government to deport illegal aliens. The group ran with the connection, advertising the event with flyers stating “Viva Buchanan…Come Celebrate Cesar Chavez Day with Pat Buchanan”. The group later declared the day to be “America First Day”.
Campus leftists flipped out over the event. Condemnations came from the Kalamazoo Gazette and a Kalamazoo city commissioner (who was voted out in the next election). Campus leftists vandalized and destroyed thousands of flyers and posters advertising the event.
Women’s studies professor Edith Fisher organized her class to tear down flyers the day of the event. When several members of the College Republicans went to investigate, Fisher impaled one of the group’s posters on a Mexican flag. She then shoved one of the members of the group when he tried to retrieve the poster. Incredibly, not only did she go unpunished, but later the university actually held a sham trial and punished two members of the College Republicans on bogus charges.
Meanwhile, Pat Buchanan spoke before a divided audience of 900 people in the Bernhard Center. While many in the audience were hostile, he managed to find common ground while addressing the Terry Schiavo case and criticizing the Iraq War, free trade, and immigration. Buchanan fielded a number of questions from the audience, but the Q&A came to an abrupt end.
A leftist from off campus who described himself as a “national socialist” attacked Buchanan by throwing salad dressing all over Buchanan. The university refused to press charges for property damage, but the attacker was nonetheless convicted of disturbing the peace. He was sentenced to ten days in jail, given probation, and ordered to pay $6,628 in restitution.
The group was active on a number of other fronts. Members volunteered at the Michigan Republican state convention in Grand Rapids. Matt Hall narrowly lost a bid for chairman of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans (MFCR) at the group’s convention held at Kalamazoo College. The group continued to be active in the WSA, and helped to elect allies of the group as President and Speaker of the Senate. The group passed a resolution in the WSA criticizing Edith Fisher’s actions. The group took pride in its small office in Faunce Hall featuring the “Reagan wall”.
2005-2006
Chairman: Ashley Allen
Chairman Ashley Allen led the group in a flurry of activities. The group kicked off the year with a table at Bronco Bash and moving into a larger office in Faunce. The group continued weekly meetings in the Brown and Gold Room with about 30 active members. There were visits by local political figures, debates over issues including the United Nations, unions, and Harriet Miers’ nomination to the Supreme Court.
Members of the group attended the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, volunteering for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Members also volunteered for Kalamazoo City Commissioner Mary Balkema, helping her to secure reelection in November.
The group hosted Congressman Tom Tancredo for a speech to Michigan College Republicans. Tancredo gave a masterful speech on immigration, government spending, education, and national sovereignty.
Several years earlier, WMU President Judy Bailey had created a scholarship specifically for illegal aliens. When the WMU College Republicans learned about it, the group launched a campaign to eliminate it. This culminated in a resolution before the WSA which took four weeks and two versions before finally passing 32-25. When President Bailey was fired the next summer, her successor ended the scholarship.
On November 16, the WMUGOP hosted a speech by columnist and author Michelle Malkin on campus. Following a weather-related delay, she spoke about her book Unhinged: Exposing Liberals Gone Wild. She also parried audience questions.
In the “Spring” semester, the group kept busy. There were debates over the minimum wage, free trade, and promoting democracy. The group launched a new website, http://www.rso.wmich.edu/gop/.
The group also started a blog, The Western Right: http://wmugop.blogspot.com/, which launched on February 12, 2006. The blog featured a dozen contributors over several years. It featured POLITICAL UPDATES, which began as a feature of the groups weekly email in late summer 2005 and continued in that format for several years. It was eventually spun off separate from the group. It has accumulated over 2000 posts on all sorts of political and cultural issues over the succeeding six years.
The group sent 27 delegates to the MFCR convention at Hillsdale College. Sergeant “The Enforcer” Tom Barrett, a member of the group, was elected co-chair of the MFCR by a lopsided margin.
The main event of the semester was a speech by author and political columnist Ann Coulter on February 22, 2006. The group received funding from WSA, GSAC, and private donations for the event. The group promoted the event with flyers headlined “Ann Coulter is Coming to WMU—Are You Offended Yet?” Thousands of flyers were torn down or defaced by campus leftists. The university administration and outside groups attempted to derail the event, but the group overcame these obstacles.
The event attracted 2500 people, filling both halves of the Bernhard Center Ballroom. Coulter gave a rousing speech, denouncing liberals and liberalism, touching on many topics. Following the speech, there was a question-and-answer session where many liberals demonstrated their ignorance. The speech was preceded by a book-signing and succeeded by a dinner with Coulter at Old Burdick’s, where she declared the WMU College Republicans to be the best College Republican group in the country!
The group actively participated in the WSA elections. The group endorsed and campaigned for Amanda Grove and Drew Hooley for WSA President and Vice-President. They won a three-way race with about half the vote. The group also was instrumental in electing Aaron Easlick as speaker of the Senate.
2006-2007
Chairman: Tom Barrett
Over the summer, Western’s President Judy Bailey was fired by the Board of Trustees. Her interim replacement was former President Diether Haenicke. He was a member of the Republican Party and a strong and effective leader.
Also over the summer, members of the group volunteered for state representative Jack Hoogendyk who won his primary, and later the general election. Many members also attended the state Republican convention in Novi, volunteering for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land.
The group continued lively weekly meetings with about 30 active members. Visitors included senate candidate Mike Bouchard, Jack Hoogendyk, and Senator Tom George. Debate topics included the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI), term limits, dinosaurs, global warming, space exploration, Iran, and gun rights.
The group was active in the 2006 election campaign, working for Dick DeVos, Michael Bouchard, Terri Land, Tom George, and more. The group knocked on doors, made phone calls, made and put up signs, made literature, and more. Republicans had a rough election nationally, but Tom George and Jack Hoogendyk were narrowly reelected. Members assisted with a recount in Jack’s race.
Chairman Tom Barrett also ran for a seat on the Kalamazoo County Commission in southwest Kalamazoo city. Tom ran a strong race, but despite a valiant campaign effort, the district was just too democratic to win.
The group also endorsed and campaigned for the MCRI. Members of the group wrote letters and articles to the Kalamazoo Gazette supporting the measure. The group worked with another group, Students Against Racial Preferences, on this campaign. These efforts were rewarded when the MCRI passed statewide 58-42 and countywide 52-48.
The group remained active in the WSA, with members holding the positions of President, Vice-President, Speaker, Speaker Pro-Tem, Associate Justice, Political Affairs Chairman, Campus Concerns Chairman, and Allocations Committee member. These Republicans worked with President Haenicke to deliver the most effective student government in many years. The Senate passed a resolution to increase the printing limit to 500 pages per semester, which was enacted by the administration. It also passed a resolution to extend Bernhard Center hours, which was also enacted, and worked with the administration to extend library hours. Vice-President Andrew Hooley was a member of the search committee that eventually hired Western President John Dunn.
President Haenicke finally killed Western’s illegal immigrant scholarship.
The group’s efforts were recognized when the College Republican National Committee declared the WMU College Republicans to be the Best College Republican group in America in 2006.
Controversy erupted over the WMU Faculty Hall of Shame. This document had been created some time earlier and was eventually put on the group’s website. Its purpose was to document incidents where faculty members misused their power over students for political purposes. Without even contacting the group, the College Democrats launched an error-riddled attack on this document and the group in the Western Herald. The WMUGOP responded to this attack and refused to back down in spite of threats and pressure to do so. An online poll showed that respondents favored the group’s position.
The main event of the semester was a speech by former Attorney General John Ashcroft on March 13, 2007 in Miller Auditorium. The event was attended by about 900 people and protested by leftists outside. Ashcroft spoke on the relationship between security and freedom in the War on Terrorism. The speech was followed by a question-and-answer session and dinner at Old Burdick’s.
The group supported a successful resolution in the WSA asking that Sindecuse Health Center allow advertising for Alternatives Women’s Care Center. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, but was not implemented by the administration. The group supported Matt Moss for President of the WSA, but his campaign was unsuccessful.
The group unanimously passed a resolution supporting the release of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean, whose sentences were later commuted by President Bush. The group also unanimously passed a resolution calling for the end of the campus gun ban.
Megan Buwalda won a contested race to be the next Chairman of the group. The group also approved rewriting its Constitution.
The group’s website was named a finalist for best RSO webpage by the university administration.
2007-2008
Chairman: Megan Buwalda
On the sixth anniversary of 9/11, the group held a memorial by placing 2997 flags in shape of World Trade Center in front of Bernhard Center, one for each of those killed in the attack.
The group continued its weekly meetings in the Brown and Gold room. Visitors included State Representative Jack Hoogendyk and Portage City Councilwoman Margaret O’Brien. Debates topics included trade, immigration, civil liberties, the death penalty, and health care. The group had about 20 active members.
The group campaigned for Margaret O’Brien for Portage City Council, who was reelected easily.
The major event of the semester was a speech by television journalist and author John Stossel on November 28, 2007 in Shaw Theater. He spoke to a packed auditorium of 550 people. His topics included economics , government regulations, and his personal story. The group held a Presidential straw poll won by John McCain. There was a book-signing and dinner at Old Burdick’s before the speech and question-and-answer afterwards.
The outside wall of the building containing the group’s office was vandalized with anti-capitalist slogans spray painted on it.
In the WSA, the Speaker of the Senate was convicted and had his pay docked over a constitutional violation of voting rules. The trial was presided over by Chief Justice Megan Buwalda.
In the Spring, the group continued activity with visits from Jack Hoogendyk, Charles Ybema, and Students for Concealed Carry. That group later hosted a speech by local gun rights activist Joel Fulton. The WMUGOP participated in the Michigan Republican Convention, MFCR, Conservative Political Action Conference, and Lincoln Day.
The group participated in a debate over the Iraq War with the College Democrats. Two members of each group answered a variety of questions.
The group hosted a speech by Lean Drolet, head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance. He discussed taxpayers’ issues and potential recall elections.
The main event of the year was a speech by rock musician and author Ted Nugent. The event was held on March 31, 2008, “America First Day”, in Miller Auditorium. The event was preceded by a reception with photos and a book-signing. About 1800 people attended the event, where Nugent spoke on “God, Guns, and Rock and Roll”. The event concluded with questions and a guitar solo.
The group was named a “5-Star RSO” by the university.
2008-2009
Chairman: Megan Buwalda/David Bell
Group members spent the summer volunteering for candidates including Margaret O’Brien, Congressman Tim Walberg, Texas Township Supervisor candidate Dave Healy, and Kalamazoo Township Supervisor candidate Justin VanderArk. The group commemorated the seventh anniversary of 9/11 by again placing 2997 flags in shape of World Trade Center in front of Bernhard Center.
Meetings saw visits by Mary Balkema, State Representative candidates Jase Bolger and Larry DeShazor, county commission candidate Chris Haenicke, and AJ Keech. Debate topics included the bailout and medical marijuana.
The main focus of the group was the 2008 election. Members of the group campaigned for Volunteered for John McCain, Jack Hoogendyk, Mary Balkema, Larry DeShazor, and more by knocking on doors, making phone calls, and making and putting up signs. The group sponsored a showing of the pro-McCain film Faith of our Fathers on September, 30, 2008, attended by about 30 people. Republicans did not fare well in the election, but Mary Balkema, Larry DeShazor nonetheless won narrow victories.
After Megan Buwalda graduated, David Bell became Chairman of the group. The group was not very active in the Spring semester.
2009-2010
Chairman: Troy Hudson
The group began the next year with all-new leadership. The group met in the Bernhard Center Faculty Dining Room and had about 25 members. It saw visits by state senate candidates Tonya Schuitmaker, Larry DeShazor, and Lorence Wenke and state representative candidate Margaret O’Brien.
The group actively volunteered for state senate candidate Mike Nofs in a neighboring district special election. Nofs won a massive victory in the election.
A member of the group held a “liberal dunk tank” event.
2010-2011
Chairman: Troy Hudson
2011-2012
Chairman: Ashley Cole
2012-2013
Chairman: Chadwick Dillon/Scott Morris
The group continued to meet but was not active on campus.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Monday, June 04, 2012
Conservative State House Candidates
Republicans hold the majority in the state house of representatives. Many of the members are conservatives, but few are leaders who actively work to advance conservatism. There are Tom McMillin, Dave Agema, Bob Genetski, and maybe a few others. We need candidates for state house are like them.
There are a few people running who are strong candidates to continue that tradition.
District 41. (Troy, Clawson) I have heard good things about Deb Debacker, a longtime member of the state committee. She is one of three Republicans seeking this seat, replacing the term-limited Marty Knollenberg.
District 93. (Clinton, Gratiot) Staunch conservative Tom Leonard is one of four Republicans vying to replace term-limited rep. Paul Opsommer.
District 104. (Grand Traverse) Tea Party leader and Grand Traverse county commissioner Jason Gillman is running in the primary against Republican rep. Wayne Schmidt. Gillman is the editor of RightMichigan.com.
Are there similar candidates in other parts of the state?
There are a few people running who are strong candidates to continue that tradition.
District 41. (Troy, Clawson) I have heard good things about Deb Debacker, a longtime member of the state committee. She is one of three Republicans seeking this seat, replacing the term-limited Marty Knollenberg.
District 93. (Clinton, Gratiot) Staunch conservative Tom Leonard is one of four Republicans vying to replace term-limited rep. Paul Opsommer.
District 104. (Grand Traverse) Tea Party leader and Grand Traverse county commissioner Jason Gillman is running in the primary against Republican rep. Wayne Schmidt. Gillman is the editor of RightMichigan.com.
Are there similar candidates in other parts of the state?
Steve Pestka Flips of Abortion
Moderate democrat Steve Pestka is facing a challenge from leftist Trevor Thomas while seeking the nomination to challenge Justin Amash in the 3rd congressional district.
Pestka had a pro-life voting record in the state house which he is now running away from. He has recently switched his position on abortion, in a move sure to satisfy nobody.
Steve Pestka's Pro-Life Voting Record Sparks Debate In Michigan Democratic Primary
Pestka had a pro-life voting record in the state house which he is now running away from. He has recently switched his position on abortion, in a move sure to satisfy nobody.
Steve Pestka's Pro-Life Voting Record Sparks Debate In Michigan Democratic Primary
“I consider myself to be personally pro-life to the extent that I would never advocate to anyone that they get an abortion, but at the end of the day that’s not my decision to make," he also said in an interview with The Battle Creek Enquirer.
"I don’t believe in making abortion illegal," he said, adding, "Let me be very clear about this. I am not in support of any legislation before the United States Congress that would defund Planned Parenthood.”
Saturday, June 02, 2012
2012 Michigan State House Races
Cross-posted at The Western Right, Right Michigan, and Red Racing Horses. Updated with new ratings August 10, 2012.
All 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives will be up for election in November. Republicans currently hold a 63-47 majority, following a 67-43 democrat majority before 2010. There are “only” 22 open seats following many members being term-limited, defeated, or seeking other office in 2010.
Republicans will gain several seats due to redistricting, though not as many as they could have. Republican Michigander has written a good profile of the races along with presidential election data, racial breakdowns, and brief commentary. The Secretary of State website has a complete list of candidates, along with links to some, but not all candidate websites.
Michigan State House - all districts
2012 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing
Republican Michigander tends to be more pessimistic than I am in ratings (not just for these districts, but in general), so I am providing my own ratings. I am confident about the districts in my area (Kalamazoo) but many of the others are educated guesses.
The following lists district number, current incumbent, political rating, and geographic description.
1. -10. [Detroit] Safe D
11. (Open) [Inkster, Garden City] Safe D for David Knezek
12. (Douglas Geiss) [Taylor, Romulus] Safe D
13. (Andrew Kandrevas) [Southgate, Allen Park, Dearborn Heights] Safe D
14. (Paul Clemente) [Riverview, Wyandotte, Lincoln Park, Melvindale] Safe D
15. (George Darany) [Dearborn] Safe D
16. (Open) [Westland, Wayne] Safe D for Robert Kosowski
17. (Open) [N Monroe, Sumpter, Huron] Lean D: Annie Rossio v. Bill LaVoy
18. (Open) [St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe] Safe D for Sarah Roberts
19. (John Walsh) [Livonia] Safe R
20. (Kurt Heise) [Plymouth, Northville] Safe R
21. (Dian Slavens) [Canton, Van Buren] Safe D
22. (Harold Haugh) [Roseville, E Warren] Safe D
23. (Pat Somerville) [SE Wayne] Tossup versus Tom Boritski (D)
24. (Anthony Forlini) [Harrison, N Clinton, SW Macomb] Safe R
25. (Open) [E Sterling Heights, NC Warren] Tossup: Sean Clark versus Henry Yanez
26. (Jim Townsend) [Royal Oak, Madison Heights] Safe D
27. (Ellen Cogen Lipton) [Oak Park, Ferndale, Hazel Park] Safe D
28. (Jon Switalski beat Lesia Liss) [W Warren, Center Line] Safe D
29. (Tim Greimel) [Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Orchard Lake] Safe D
30. (Jeff Farrington) [W Sterling Heights, Utica, SE Shelby] Safe R
31. (Marilyn Lane) [S Clinton, Fraser, Mt. Clemens] Safe D
32. (Andrea LaFontaine) [Chesterfield, C St. Clair] Safe R
33. (Ken Goike) [NE Macomb, Macomb Twp.] Safe R
34. (Woodrow Stanley) [Flint] Safe D
35. (Rudy Hobbs) [Southfield] Safe D
36. (Pete Lund) [Shelby, Washington, Bruce] Safe R
37. (Vicki Barnett) [Farmington] Safe D
38. (Hugh Crawford) [Novi, Lyon] Safe R
39. (Open) [W West Bloomfield, Commerce, Wixom] Lean R: Klint Kesto v. Pam Jackson
40. (Open) [Bloomfield, Birmingham, E West Bloomfield] Safe R for Michael McCready
41. (Open) [Troy, Clawson] Lean R: Martin Howrylak v. Mary Kerwin
42. (Bill Rogers) [SE Livingston] Safe R
43. (Gail Haines) [Waterford, Independence] Safe R
44. (Eileen Kowall) [Springfield, White Lake, Highland, Milford] Safe R
45. (Tom McMillin) [Rochester, S Oakland Twp] Safe R
46. (Bradford Jacobsen) [NE Oakland] Safe R
47. (Cindy Denby) [N Livingston] Safe R
48. (Open) [NE Genesee] Safe D for Pam Faris or Pat Gleason
49. (Jim Ananich) [Flint Twp., Mt. Morris, SW Flint] Safe D
50. (Charles Smiley) [Burton, Grand Blanc, Mundy] Safe D
51. (Joe Graves) [W Genesee, Fenton, NW Oakland] Safe R
52. (Mark Ouimet) [W Washtenaw] Lean R versus Gretchen Driskell
53. (Jeff Irwin) [Ann Arbor] Safe D
54. (David Rutledge) [Ypsilanti] Safe D
55. (Open) [Pittsfield, NE Ann Arbor, York, Augusta] Safe D for Adam Zemke
56. (Dale Zorn) [S Monroe] Safe R
57. (Nancy Jenkins) [Lenawee] Lean R versus Jim Berryman
58. (Ken Kurtz) [Branch, Hillsdale] Safe R
59. (Matt Lori) [St. Joseph, E Cass] Safe R
60. (Sean McCann) [Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Twp.] Safe D
61. (Margaret O'Brien) [Portage, Oshtemo, Texas, Schoolcraft, Prairie Ronde] Safe R
62. (Kate Segal) [Battle Creek, Albion, N Calhoun] Safe D
63. (Jase Bolger) [E Kalamazoo, S Calhoun] Safe R
64. (Earl Poleski) [Jackson city, W Jackson] Lean R versus Barb Shelton
65. (Mike Shirkey) [N Jackson, SE Eaton] Safe R
66. (Aric Nesbitt) [Van Buren, Cooper, Alamo, Parchment] Safe R
67. (Open) [S Ingham] Tossup: Jeff Oesterle v. Tom Cochran
68. (Open) [Lansing] Safe D for Andy Schor
69. (Open) [East Lansing, Meridian] Safe D for Sam Singh
70. (Rick Outman) [Montcalm, N Gratiot] Lean R versus Mike Huckleberry
71. (Deb Shaughnessy) [Eaton] Lean R versus Theresa Abed or Andrea Cascarilla
72. (Ken Yonker) [Kentwood, Gaines, NE Allegan] Safe R
73. (Peter MacGregor) [Grand Rapids Twp, Plainfield, NE Kent] Safe R
74. (Open) [Grandville, Walker, Alpine, NW Kent] Safe R for Rob Verhuelen
75. (Brandon Dillon) [central Grand Rapids] Safe D
76. (Roy Schmidt) [peripheral Grand Rapids] Lean D for Winnie Brinks
77. (Thomas Hooker) [Wyoming, Byron] Safe R
78. (Open) [S Berrien, SW Cass] Safe R for Dave Pagel
79. (Al Pscholka) [N Berrien] Safe R
80. (Bob Genetski) [Allegan] Safe R
81. (Open) [NW, E St. Clair] Safe R for Dan Lauwers
82. (Kevin Daley) [Lapeer] Safe R
83. (Paul Muxlow) [Sanilac, Port Huron] Safe R
84. (Kurt Damrow) [Tuscola, Huron] Lean D: Dan Grimshaw v. Terry Brown
85. (Ben Glardon) [Shiawassee, W Saginaw] Lean R versus Paul Ray
86. (Lisa Posthumus Lyons) [SE Kent, N Ionia] Safe R
87. (Mike Callton) [Barry, S Ionia] Safe R
88. (Open) [NE Ottawa] Safe R for Roger Victory
89. (Amanda Price) [W Ottawa] Safe R
90. (Joseph Haveman) [Holland] Safe R
91. (Holly Hughes) [S, W Muskegon] Lean R versus Collene Lamonte
92. (Marcia Hovey Wright) [Muskegon city] Safe D
93. (Open) [S Gratiot, Clinton] Safe R for Tom Leonard
94. (Open) [Saginaw Twp, E Saginaw] Safe R for Tim Kelly
95. (Stacy Erwin Oakes) [Saginaw city] Safe D
96. (Charles Brunner) [Bay] Safe D
97. (Joel Johnson) [Arenac, Gladwin, Clare, E Osceola] Lean R versus Chris Breznau
98. (Jim Stamas) [C Midland, N Bay] Safe R
99. (Kevin Cotter) [Isabella, W Midland] Lean R versus Adam Lawrence
100. (Jon Bumstead) [Newaygo, Oceana, Lake] Safe R
101. (Ray Franz) [Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Mason] Lean R versus Allen O'Shea
102. (Phil Potvin) [Wexford, W Osceola, Mecosta] Safe R
103. (Bruce Rendon) [Kalkaska, Crawford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw] Safe R
104. (Wayne Schmidt) [Grand Traverse] Safe R
105. (Greg MacMaster) [Antrim, Charlevoix, Otsego, Montmorency, Oscoda] Safe R
106. (Peter Petallia) [E Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Alpena, Alcona, Iosco] Lean R versus Kenneth Hubbard
107. (Frank Foster) [Emmet, Mackinac, Chippewa, N Cheboygan] Safe R
108. (Ed McBroom) [Delta, Menominee, Dickinson] Lean R versus Sharon Gray
109. (Open) [Marquette, Alger, Schoolcraft, Luce] Safe D for John Kivela
110. (Matt Huuki) [W Upper Peninsula] Tossup versus Scott Dianda
Ratings:
Safe D: 42
Lean D: 3
Tossup: 4
Lean R: 14
Safe R: 47
Most races will not be competitive, but a few deserve attention.
23. Pat Somerville won this district for Republicans for the first time in a long time. It's a tossup.
25. This tossup district in Macomb will be hotly contested. Macomb's districts could have been drawn better.
28. Jon Switalski defeated Lesia Liss, who is more moderate, in this battle of democrat incumbents.
39. Democrat Lisa Brown is running for Oakland County Clerk rather than seek reelection in this now more Republican district. A prime pick-up opportunity.
51. Republican Joe Graves is running for reelection after winning the seat of recalled Republican Paul Scott.
All 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives will be up for election in November. Republicans currently hold a 63-47 majority, following a 67-43 democrat majority before 2010. There are “only” 22 open seats following many members being term-limited, defeated, or seeking other office in 2010.
Republicans will gain several seats due to redistricting, though not as many as they could have. Republican Michigander has written a good profile of the races along with presidential election data, racial breakdowns, and brief commentary. The Secretary of State website has a complete list of candidates, along with links to some, but not all candidate websites.
Michigan State House - all districts
2012 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing
Republican Michigander tends to be more pessimistic than I am in ratings (not just for these districts, but in general), so I am providing my own ratings. I am confident about the districts in my area (Kalamazoo) but many of the others are educated guesses.
The following lists district number, current incumbent, political rating, and geographic description.
1. -10. [Detroit] Safe D
11. (Open) [Inkster, Garden City] Safe D for David Knezek
12. (Douglas Geiss) [Taylor, Romulus] Safe D
13. (Andrew Kandrevas) [Southgate, Allen Park, Dearborn Heights] Safe D
14. (Paul Clemente) [Riverview, Wyandotte, Lincoln Park, Melvindale] Safe D
15. (George Darany) [Dearborn] Safe D
16. (Open) [Westland, Wayne] Safe D for Robert Kosowski
17. (Open) [N Monroe, Sumpter, Huron] Lean D: Annie Rossio v. Bill LaVoy
18. (Open) [St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe] Safe D for Sarah Roberts
19. (John Walsh) [Livonia] Safe R
20. (Kurt Heise) [Plymouth, Northville] Safe R
21. (Dian Slavens) [Canton, Van Buren] Safe D
22. (Harold Haugh) [Roseville, E Warren] Safe D
23. (Pat Somerville) [SE Wayne] Tossup versus Tom Boritski (D)
24. (Anthony Forlini) [Harrison, N Clinton, SW Macomb] Safe R
25. (Open) [E Sterling Heights, NC Warren] Tossup: Sean Clark versus Henry Yanez
26. (Jim Townsend) [Royal Oak, Madison Heights] Safe D
27. (Ellen Cogen Lipton) [Oak Park, Ferndale, Hazel Park] Safe D
28. (Jon Switalski beat Lesia Liss) [W Warren, Center Line] Safe D
29. (Tim Greimel) [Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Orchard Lake] Safe D
30. (Jeff Farrington) [W Sterling Heights, Utica, SE Shelby] Safe R
31. (Marilyn Lane) [S Clinton, Fraser, Mt. Clemens] Safe D
32. (Andrea LaFontaine) [Chesterfield, C St. Clair] Safe R
33. (Ken Goike) [NE Macomb, Macomb Twp.] Safe R
34. (Woodrow Stanley) [Flint] Safe D
35. (Rudy Hobbs) [Southfield] Safe D
36. (Pete Lund) [Shelby, Washington, Bruce] Safe R
37. (Vicki Barnett) [Farmington] Safe D
38. (Hugh Crawford) [Novi, Lyon] Safe R
39. (Open) [W West Bloomfield, Commerce, Wixom] Lean R: Klint Kesto v. Pam Jackson
40. (Open) [Bloomfield, Birmingham, E West Bloomfield] Safe R for Michael McCready
41. (Open) [Troy, Clawson] Lean R: Martin Howrylak v. Mary Kerwin
42. (Bill Rogers) [SE Livingston] Safe R
43. (Gail Haines) [Waterford, Independence] Safe R
44. (Eileen Kowall) [Springfield, White Lake, Highland, Milford] Safe R
45. (Tom McMillin) [Rochester, S Oakland Twp] Safe R
46. (Bradford Jacobsen) [NE Oakland] Safe R
47. (Cindy Denby) [N Livingston] Safe R
48. (Open) [NE Genesee] Safe D for Pam Faris or Pat Gleason
49. (Jim Ananich) [Flint Twp., Mt. Morris, SW Flint] Safe D
50. (Charles Smiley) [Burton, Grand Blanc, Mundy] Safe D
51. (Joe Graves) [W Genesee, Fenton, NW Oakland] Safe R
52. (Mark Ouimet) [W Washtenaw] Lean R versus Gretchen Driskell
53. (Jeff Irwin) [Ann Arbor] Safe D
54. (David Rutledge) [Ypsilanti] Safe D
55. (Open) [Pittsfield, NE Ann Arbor, York, Augusta] Safe D for Adam Zemke
56. (Dale Zorn) [S Monroe] Safe R
57. (Nancy Jenkins) [Lenawee] Lean R versus Jim Berryman
58. (Ken Kurtz) [Branch, Hillsdale] Safe R
59. (Matt Lori) [St. Joseph, E Cass] Safe R
60. (Sean McCann) [Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Twp.] Safe D
61. (Margaret O'Brien) [Portage, Oshtemo, Texas, Schoolcraft, Prairie Ronde] Safe R
62. (Kate Segal) [Battle Creek, Albion, N Calhoun] Safe D
63. (Jase Bolger) [E Kalamazoo, S Calhoun] Safe R
64. (Earl Poleski) [Jackson city, W Jackson] Lean R versus Barb Shelton
65. (Mike Shirkey) [N Jackson, SE Eaton] Safe R
66. (Aric Nesbitt) [Van Buren, Cooper, Alamo, Parchment] Safe R
67. (Open) [S Ingham] Tossup: Jeff Oesterle v. Tom Cochran
68. (Open) [Lansing] Safe D for Andy Schor
69. (Open) [East Lansing, Meridian] Safe D for Sam Singh
70. (Rick Outman) [Montcalm, N Gratiot] Lean R versus Mike Huckleberry
71. (Deb Shaughnessy) [Eaton] Lean R versus Theresa Abed or Andrea Cascarilla
72. (Ken Yonker) [Kentwood, Gaines, NE Allegan] Safe R
73. (Peter MacGregor) [Grand Rapids Twp, Plainfield, NE Kent] Safe R
74. (Open) [Grandville, Walker, Alpine, NW Kent] Safe R for Rob Verhuelen
75. (Brandon Dillon) [central Grand Rapids] Safe D
76. (Roy Schmidt) [peripheral Grand Rapids] Lean D for Winnie Brinks
77. (Thomas Hooker) [Wyoming, Byron] Safe R
78. (Open) [S Berrien, SW Cass] Safe R for Dave Pagel
79. (Al Pscholka) [N Berrien] Safe R
80. (Bob Genetski) [Allegan] Safe R
81. (Open) [NW, E St. Clair] Safe R for Dan Lauwers
82. (Kevin Daley) [Lapeer] Safe R
83. (Paul Muxlow) [Sanilac, Port Huron] Safe R
84. (Kurt Damrow) [Tuscola, Huron] Lean D: Dan Grimshaw v. Terry Brown
85. (Ben Glardon) [Shiawassee, W Saginaw] Lean R versus Paul Ray
86. (Lisa Posthumus Lyons) [SE Kent, N Ionia] Safe R
87. (Mike Callton) [Barry, S Ionia] Safe R
88. (Open) [NE Ottawa] Safe R for Roger Victory
89. (Amanda Price) [W Ottawa] Safe R
90. (Joseph Haveman) [Holland] Safe R
91. (Holly Hughes) [S, W Muskegon] Lean R versus Collene Lamonte
92. (Marcia Hovey Wright) [Muskegon city] Safe D
93. (Open) [S Gratiot, Clinton] Safe R for Tom Leonard
94. (Open) [Saginaw Twp, E Saginaw] Safe R for Tim Kelly
95. (Stacy Erwin Oakes) [Saginaw city] Safe D
96. (Charles Brunner) [Bay] Safe D
97. (Joel Johnson) [Arenac, Gladwin, Clare, E Osceola] Lean R versus Chris Breznau
98. (Jim Stamas) [C Midland, N Bay] Safe R
99. (Kevin Cotter) [Isabella, W Midland] Lean R versus Adam Lawrence
100. (Jon Bumstead) [Newaygo, Oceana, Lake] Safe R
101. (Ray Franz) [Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Mason] Lean R versus Allen O'Shea
102. (Phil Potvin) [Wexford, W Osceola, Mecosta] Safe R
103. (Bruce Rendon) [Kalkaska, Crawford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw] Safe R
104. (Wayne Schmidt) [Grand Traverse] Safe R
105. (Greg MacMaster) [Antrim, Charlevoix, Otsego, Montmorency, Oscoda] Safe R
106. (Peter Petallia) [E Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Alpena, Alcona, Iosco] Lean R versus Kenneth Hubbard
107. (Frank Foster) [Emmet, Mackinac, Chippewa, N Cheboygan] Safe R
108. (Ed McBroom) [Delta, Menominee, Dickinson] Lean R versus Sharon Gray
109. (Open) [Marquette, Alger, Schoolcraft, Luce] Safe D for John Kivela
110. (Matt Huuki) [W Upper Peninsula] Tossup versus Scott Dianda
Ratings:
Safe D: 42
Lean D: 3
Tossup: 4
Lean R: 14
Safe R: 47
Most races will not be competitive, but a few deserve attention.
23. Pat Somerville won this district for Republicans for the first time in a long time. It's a tossup.
25. This tossup district in Macomb will be hotly contested. Macomb's districts could have been drawn better.
28. Jon Switalski defeated Lesia Liss, who is more moderate, in this battle of democrat incumbents.
39. Democrat Lisa Brown is running for Oakland County Clerk rather than seek reelection in this now more Republican district. A prime pick-up opportunity.
51. Republican Joe Graves is running for reelection after winning the seat of recalled Republican Paul Scott.
52. Mark Ouimet continues to be a star fundraiser is this swingy Washtenaw district.
55. Republican Rick Olsen retired rather than run in this now solidly democrat district.
57. Republican Nancy Jenkins is running for reelection after democrats failed to get a recall on the ballot. Her opponent is former state senator Jim Berryman, who defeated 2010 opponent Harvey Schmidt.
67. Republican Jeff Oesterle came close to winning this district in 2010, and it is slightly more Republican now.
70. Republican Rick Outman will defend against democrat former rep. Mike Huckleberry, who he defeated in 2010.
76. Party-switching rep. Roy Schmidt is running for reelection as a Republican. Democrats nominated Winnie Brinks as a write-in candidate. Schmidt has probably alienated so many people that he is unelectable.
84. Republican Kurt Damrow, who has had ethics issues, lost his primary to Dan Grimshaw. He faces former rep. Terry Brown, whom Damrow narrowly beat in 2010.
106. Pete Pettalia may hold this district, but if he does, it will likely go democrat after he leaves.
55. Republican Rick Olsen retired rather than run in this now solidly democrat district.
57. Republican Nancy Jenkins is running for reelection after democrats failed to get a recall on the ballot. Her opponent is former state senator Jim Berryman, who defeated 2010 opponent Harvey Schmidt.
67. Republican Jeff Oesterle came close to winning this district in 2010, and it is slightly more Republican now.
70. Republican Rick Outman will defend against democrat former rep. Mike Huckleberry, who he defeated in 2010.
76. Party-switching rep. Roy Schmidt is running for reelection as a Republican. Democrats nominated Winnie Brinks as a write-in candidate. Schmidt has probably alienated so many people that he is unelectable.
84. Republican Kurt Damrow, who has had ethics issues, lost his primary to Dan Grimshaw. He faces former rep. Terry Brown, whom Damrow narrowly beat in 2010.
106. Pete Pettalia may hold this district, but if he does, it will likely go democrat after he leaves.
110. Matt Huuki won the western UP for the first time in decades. A tough defense.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Election Updates
Following the end of the filing deadline, I have updated several articles.
2012 Kalamazoo Primary Election Preview
2012 Michigan Congressional Races
I also added a special article on the Kalamazoo County Commission.
The County Clerk has provided maps of all voting precincts. There are major changes in Oshtemo and smaller changes in Alamo, Texas, east Portage, and Pavilion.
Kalamazoo County Clerk/Register Office
VOTING PRECINCT MAPS
2012 Kalamazoo Primary Election Preview
2012 Michigan Congressional Races
I also added a special article on the Kalamazoo County Commission.
The County Clerk has provided maps of all voting precincts. There are major changes in Oshtemo and smaller changes in Alamo, Texas, east Portage, and Pavilion.
Kalamazoo County Clerk/Register Office
VOTING PRECINCT MAPS
Sean McCann's Smear Campaign
Late Thursday night, State rep. Sean McCann presented rep. Margaret O'Brien, Speaker Jase Bolger, and Senator Tonya Schuitmaker with a proclamation to honor a 'gay rights' activist. They declined, given the fact that they had not had time to read and study it.
Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center questions why Jase Bolger, Margaret O'Brien and Tonya Schuitmaker did not sign proclamation for LGBT advocate
Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger's office says he did not have time to review second proclamation honoring LGBT advocate
YWCA director said she's 'surprised how bias, hate and homophobia are alive in our community' after LGBT advocate snubbed
It was a set-up. Someone, probably McCann, created a controversy with the Gazette and local 'gay rights' groups. The first story appeared on Friday morning. McCann likely knew that Margaret, Jase, and Tonya would be traveling to the Michigan Republican convention on Friday afternoon and wouldn't have time to respond immediately.
Sean McCann created this controversy to divide people. In case it wasn't clear before, he is an unprincipled hack.
Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center questions why Jase Bolger, Margaret O'Brien and Tonya Schuitmaker did not sign proclamation for LGBT advocate
Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger's office says he did not have time to review second proclamation honoring LGBT advocate
YWCA director said she's 'surprised how bias, hate and homophobia are alive in our community' after LGBT advocate snubbed
It was a set-up. Someone, probably McCann, created a controversy with the Gazette and local 'gay rights' groups. The first story appeared on Friday morning. McCann likely knew that Margaret, Jase, and Tonya would be traveling to the Michigan Republican convention on Friday afternoon and wouldn't have time to respond immediately.
Sean McCann created this controversy to divide people. In case it wasn't clear before, he is an unprincipled hack.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Upton Abuses Franking
Congressman Upton has sent out a mailing bragging about his A rating from the NRA. The mailing was paid for by the taxpayers.
Congressman Fred Upton's taxpayer-funded mailer highlighting NRA voting record draws criticism as waste
The practice of using taxpayer dollars to send out mail to a congressman's constituents is called franking. Some franking is genuine information, but a lot of it is campaign literature in disguise. They can't say "Vote for me!", but it has the same look and feel of campaign lit.
Franking may have had a legitimate purpose at one time, but there is no need for it in the age of email and the internet. It has long been one of the advantages that incumbents use to stay in office. Franking should be abolished.
By the way, Upton was hardly pro-gun in the 80s and 90s. He voted for the Brady Bill and responded to a survey saying he opposed concealed carry. Back then the NRA gave him a C. In 2002, Dale Shugars ran against Upton and received the NRA endorsement. Since then, Upton has voted pro-gun, but has never actively advocated gun rights.
UPDATE:
Democrat Mike O'Brien calls on Congressman Fred Upton to pay back money used for mailers promoting his 2nd Amendment record
Jack Hoogendyk questions Congressman Fred Upton's use of taxpayer money for mailers
Americans for Limited Government questions Congressman Fred Upton mailer in letter to House Ethics committee
Congressman Fred Upton's taxpayer-funded mailer highlighting NRA voting record draws criticism as waste
The practice of using taxpayer dollars to send out mail to a congressman's constituents is called franking. Some franking is genuine information, but a lot of it is campaign literature in disguise. They can't say "Vote for me!", but it has the same look and feel of campaign lit.
Franking may have had a legitimate purpose at one time, but there is no need for it in the age of email and the internet. It has long been one of the advantages that incumbents use to stay in office. Franking should be abolished.
By the way, Upton was hardly pro-gun in the 80s and 90s. He voted for the Brady Bill and responded to a survey saying he opposed concealed carry. Back then the NRA gave him a C. In 2002, Dale Shugars ran against Upton and received the NRA endorsement. Since then, Upton has voted pro-gun, but has never actively advocated gun rights.
UPDATE:
Democrat Mike O'Brien calls on Congressman Fred Upton to pay back money used for mailers promoting his 2nd Amendment record
Jack Hoogendyk questions Congressman Fred Upton's use of taxpayer money for mailers
Americans for Limited Government questions Congressman Fred Upton mailer in letter to House Ethics committee
Monday, May 21, 2012
2012 May Michigan Republican Convention
Republican Michigander gives a good summary:
2012 May Michigan Republican Convention
State rep. Dave Agema, who often vied for the title of the most conservative member of the state house, defeated Saul Anuzis to be national committeeman. Agema had significant Tea Party support. He also was supported by the Yob faction of the state GOP, which has long battled with Saul. They seek to control the GOP apparatus for their own ends. For example, see:
Political Extortion
Saul has done both good and bad things over the years. Hopefully he can put his talents to work for the Romney campaign.
Former Secretary of State Terri Land defeated state rep. Holly Hughes for national committeewoman. Both have fairly moderate records.
Ron Paul reportedly won 6-8 delegates, with Romney winning the rest. In the 6th district, the Romney slate won rather easily, though there are claims that one of the members of that slate is a Paul delegate.
Paul backers pick up delegate slots to GOP convention; negate Romney sweep
2012 May Michigan Republican Convention
State rep. Dave Agema, who often vied for the title of the most conservative member of the state house, defeated Saul Anuzis to be national committeeman. Agema had significant Tea Party support. He also was supported by the Yob faction of the state GOP, which has long battled with Saul. They seek to control the GOP apparatus for their own ends. For example, see:
Political Extortion
Saul has done both good and bad things over the years. Hopefully he can put his talents to work for the Romney campaign.
Former Secretary of State Terri Land defeated state rep. Holly Hughes for national committeewoman. Both have fairly moderate records.
Ron Paul reportedly won 6-8 delegates, with Romney winning the rest. In the 6th district, the Romney slate won rather easily, though there are claims that one of the members of that slate is a Paul delegate.
Paul backers pick up delegate slots to GOP convention; negate Romney sweep
"This is fantastic," de Angeli said. He counts Paul backers earning voting delegate slots in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and 9th Congressional districts. In the 6th District, which includes southwest Michigan: "They didn't realize the slate they elected had a Ron Paul supporter," de Angeli said. "Oops."
State party rules kept some Paul supporters out of this weekend's state convention because of preference shown to precinct delegates elected in 2010, de Angeli said.
"If we can win delegates out of Michigan, we can win delegates anywhere," he said.
Saul Anuzis, Michigan's Republican National Committeeman who lost his bid for re-election Saturday to state Rep. Dave Agema, disputes Paul picked up a delegate in the 6th District believing the total Paul count is six delegates.
2012 Kalamazoo County Commission Election Preview
This post was last updated August 8, 2012.
Kalamazoo County Commission Districts.
District 1 [N Kalamazoo] Safe Democrat
Democrats: Carolyn Alford*
Republicans: Al Thompson
Incumbents Alford defeated fellow incumbent Barnard and newcomer Worden in the minority-majority district. Alford has held office since 2006, Barnard since 2002.
District 2 [SE Kalamazoo] Safe Democrat
Democrats: David Buskirk*
Republicans: none
Jack Urban deferred to fellow incumbent David Buskirk, who is unopposed. Buskirk is the board vice-chairman and has had this seat since 1992.
District 3 [SW Kalamazoo] Safe Democrat
Democrats: John Taylor*
Republicans: Tony Dugal
Taylor, who was first elected in 2002 by 13 votes, is safe here.
District 4 [Kalamazoo Twp, Parchment] Safe Democrat
Democrats: Michael Seals*
Republicans: Dennis Weber
Seals, who defeated fellow democrat Franklin Thompson in 2010, is safe.
District 5 [Alamo, N Oshtemo, NW Kalamazoo Twp] Leans Republican
Democrats: Julie Rogers
Republicans: David Worthams
This open seat is about 55% Republican. Both Worthams and Rogers have lost two previous close races, but did better than expected.
District 6 [Cooper, Richland, Ross] Safe Republican
Democrats: Tom Novak
Republicans: Jeff Heppler*
Heppler has been on the board since 2002. Pominville was appointed in 2012 to replace Deb Buchholtz, who resigned. Heppler defeated Pominville and newcomer Neal Turluck. Novak applied to the seat claiming to be an independent and received the votes of all the democrats.
District 7 [Comstock, Galesburg, Charleston, Climax, Wakeshma] Likely Republican
Democrats: Leroy Crabtree
Republicans: Roger Tuinier
Republican Ann Nieuwenhuis is running for Comstock Township Supervisor. Tuinier, who is a greenhouse owner, defeated Danielle Gray in the primary. Leroy Crabtree defeated Republican incumbent Joe VanBruggen 50.7-49.3 in 2006. He was defeated by Nieuwenhuis in 2008 54.5-45.5, and lost a rematch in 2010 61.9-38.1. The district adds four solidly Republican precincts.
District 8 [Pavillion, Brady, Schoolcraft, Prairie Ronde] Safe Republican
Democrats: none
Republicans: David Maturen*
Conservative John Gisler deferred to moderate board chairman David Maturen, who has been on the board since 2002.
District 9 [Texas, SE Oshtemo] Safe Republican
Democrats: Robert Kildea
Republicans: Brandt Iden*
Tim Rogowski deferred to Brandt Iden, who was elected in 2010. Rogowski is running for Texas Township Board.
District 10 [W Portage] Safe Republican
Democrats: Connor Farrell
Republicans: Phil Stinchcomb*
Conservative Republican Phil Stinchcomb defeated democrat Michael Quinn 56.4-43.6 in 2010. The district adds several Republican precincts. Stinchcomb defeated 21-year-old Charles Bogren in the primary.
District 11 [E Portage] Safe Republican
Democrats: Jamie Jager
Republicans: John Zull*
Zull has been on the board since 2000. Jager was nominated as a write-in.
Republicans won a 10-7 majority on the Kalamazoo County Commission in 2010. Redistricting will shrink the commission to 11 seats, changing the district boundaries. The new map is likely to yield a 7-4 Republican majority. Incumbents are marked below with asterisks. The following post has detailed descriptions of the districts and their political leanings.
Kalamazoo County Commission Districts.
District 1 [N Kalamazoo] Safe Democrat
Democrats: Carolyn Alford*
Republicans: Al Thompson
Incumbents Alford defeated fellow incumbent Barnard and newcomer Worden in the minority-majority district. Alford has held office since 2006, Barnard since 2002.
District 2 [SE Kalamazoo] Safe Democrat
Democrats: David Buskirk*
Republicans: none
Jack Urban deferred to fellow incumbent David Buskirk, who is unopposed. Buskirk is the board vice-chairman and has had this seat since 1992.
District 3 [SW Kalamazoo] Safe Democrat
Democrats: John Taylor*
Republicans: Tony Dugal
Taylor, who was first elected in 2002 by 13 votes, is safe here.
District 4 [Kalamazoo Twp, Parchment] Safe Democrat
Democrats: Michael Seals*
Republicans: Dennis Weber
Seals, who defeated fellow democrat Franklin Thompson in 2010, is safe.
District 5 [Alamo, N Oshtemo, NW Kalamazoo Twp] Leans Republican
Democrats: Julie Rogers
Republicans: David Worthams
This open seat is about 55% Republican. Both Worthams and Rogers have lost two previous close races, but did better than expected.
District 6 [Cooper, Richland, Ross] Safe Republican
Democrats: Tom Novak
Republicans: Jeff Heppler*
Heppler has been on the board since 2002. Pominville was appointed in 2012 to replace Deb Buchholtz, who resigned. Heppler defeated Pominville and newcomer Neal Turluck. Novak applied to the seat claiming to be an independent and received the votes of all the democrats.
District 7 [Comstock, Galesburg, Charleston, Climax, Wakeshma] Likely Republican
Democrats: Leroy Crabtree
Republicans: Roger Tuinier
Republican Ann Nieuwenhuis is running for Comstock Township Supervisor. Tuinier, who is a greenhouse owner, defeated Danielle Gray in the primary. Leroy Crabtree defeated Republican incumbent Joe VanBruggen 50.7-49.3 in 2006. He was defeated by Nieuwenhuis in 2008 54.5-45.5, and lost a rematch in 2010 61.9-38.1. The district adds four solidly Republican precincts.
District 8 [Pavillion, Brady, Schoolcraft, Prairie Ronde] Safe Republican
Democrats: none
Republicans: David Maturen*
Conservative John Gisler deferred to moderate board chairman David Maturen, who has been on the board since 2002.
District 9 [Texas, SE Oshtemo] Safe Republican
Democrats: Robert Kildea
Republicans: Brandt Iden*
Tim Rogowski deferred to Brandt Iden, who was elected in 2010. Rogowski is running for Texas Township Board.
District 10 [W Portage] Safe Republican
Democrats: Connor Farrell
Republicans: Phil Stinchcomb*
Conservative Republican Phil Stinchcomb defeated democrat Michael Quinn 56.4-43.6 in 2010. The district adds several Republican precincts. Stinchcomb defeated 21-year-old Charles Bogren in the primary.
District 11 [E Portage] Safe Republican
Democrats: Jamie Jager
Republicans: John Zull*
Zull has been on the board since 2000. Jager was nominated as a write-in.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Upton Opposes Export/Import Bank
Fred Upton voted against reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, which is essentially a vehicle for corporate welfare. This is interesting since most of the votes against were conservative Republicans, with establishment Republicans supporting it. The bill passed 330-93. What could be inclining Upton to vote conservative?
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 224
In Michigan, Amash, Huizinga, and Walberg also opposed the bill.
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 224
In Michigan, Amash, Huizinga, and Walberg also opposed the bill.
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