Michigan Political Week in Review: Oct. 4 - 11
That gubernatorial debate last night was awful, so let’s not mince words about it.
The questions were soft, the answers were weak, and hardly a shred of new information was discussed. Perhaps the format of the debate is mostly to blame, but the candidates owed it to the voters --- especially with only one debate being held --- to provide more than just empty talking points.
Incidentally, the only part of last night’s event that remotely touched upon conservation values was the fact that both Snyder and Bernero simply recycled their stump speeches to create the pulp of their responses. Fortunately, the debate is not all that happened last week. To go over the more substantive political happenings around Michigan, here is your Political Week in Review:
Governor’s Race
There is a great deal of coverage of the debate out there right now, but I will do my best to summarize it here, quickly: Bernero pressed the attack on Snyder, accusing him repeatedly of outsourcing jobs to China and profiteering from the layoffs. Snyder parried those attacks by claiming that he actually created jobs and by doing his best not to return fire and go negative. If Snyder’s goal going into the debate was simply to avoid a major gaffe and maintain the status quo of the race, he succeeded. Bernero had the harder task of scoring points against an opponent who wasn’t willing to play that kind of ballgame. Needless to say, none of Michigan LCV’s Final Eight Questions were answered in this debate.
Instead, to see some truly substantive debate, I encourage you to check out the newly edited version of the Michigan LCV Education Fund’s May 12 candidate forum on conservation issues. Our sister organization hosted the event with Central Michigan University, the Detroit Free Press, and Michigan Public Radio. This shortened version of that forum shows Snyder and Bernero talking in a detailed manner on important environmental concerns. It is a refreshing difference from Sunday’s event.
There will be follow-up polls to measure the impact of the Sunday’s debate, but it is unlikely to move the numbers very much. As you watch the tracking numbers continue to come in, it is worth noting that the most recent poll to come out shows Snyder leading with 49% to Bernero’s 29% with 18% of voters still undecided. The amount of undecided voters can be expected to decrease as the final weeks before the election wind down and the advertising ramps up.
Other races around the state
This past week, Michigan LCV endorsed Christine Green for state representative in the 52nd House District. The day after that announcement, however, Green’s opponent made his way into the news on his own. Mark Ouimet was the feature of a front-page story in the Ann Arbor News about alleged improprieties in his filings for reimbursements while on the Washtenaw County Commission. This could be a turning point in the race and one that deserves close watching.
On a larger scale, the Congressional races across the state are stirring up national attention. The race for the 7th District --- currently held by Mark Schauer --- is more contentious than any in the country. Polling there is statistically even and more money is being spent in this district by parties and outside groups than any other in America. The fact that Schauer is running against a repeat offender on LCV’s Dirty Dozen list only raises the stakes.
The Secretary of State race saw a spirited discussion on the program “Off the Record.” Jocelyn Benson and Ruth Johnson attacked each other on points of trustworthiness and each questioned the other’s indebtedness to various special interests. Unfortunately, the greatest charges of the Secretary of State’s office --- voter rights, campaign finance, and election management --- were not given adequate attention. This race received renewed attention recently when the Benson campaign shone light on the fact that Johnson accepted $10,000 from a Michigan company embroiled in a nasty campaign finance scandal. The issues stems from Meijer’s political action committee illegally participating in Acme Township elections over a land use and zoning issue.
Coming up next
It’s the time of the year for dreaded “October surprises” to begin streaking across front pages around the state. It would be improper to speculate here on what some of those may be, but since illegal housekeepers, fabricated military records, and even witchcraft have already been taken by other states, I’m sure we’ll still be able to have something interesting pop up here soon, too. Personally, I’d love to be surprised by a sudden increase in common sense proposals to build Michigan’s sustainable economy ... but, sadly, that may require some witchcraft, in itself.
Until next week,
Ryan Werder, Political Director
