Lenawee County voters will help narrow the field as candidates vie for nominations in the Aug. 3, 2010 Primary Election. Michigan has seven individuals (five Republicans and two Democrats) interested in becoming the state’s next governor.
GOVERNOR
Republican candidates:
Mike Bouchard, 54, from Birmingham is a former state Senator and is the current Oakland County Sheriff. He holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Police Administration from Michigan State University. Bouchard also served as majority floor leader in 1998. He is a pro-lifer who pushed for creation of a Michigan Sex Offender Registry.
Mike Cox, 49, from Livonia, is the current state Attorney General. A former Marine, he earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan. Past experience includes working in the Oakland and Wayne County prosecutor’s offices. The pro-life candidate helped create a prescription drug website to help seniors.
Tom George, 54, from Texas Township, is a pro-life state Senator who currently represents the 20th District. He attended the University of Michigan and graduated from the U-M Medical School. He has served 10 years in the Michigan legislature, and also actively practices medicine in the Kalamazoo area when the legislature is not in session.
Pete Hoekstra, 57, from Holland, has represented Michigan’s Second Congressional District since 1993 after defeating a 26-year incumbent. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Hope College and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Past experience includes working as the vice-president of marketing for a Zeeland-based furniture manufacturer, Herman Miller. As Chairman of the House Committee on Intelligence, he has worked with U.S. Intelligence to defend the country against terrorism.
Rick Snyder, 52, from Ann Arbor, holds three degrees from the University of Michigan: a Bachelor’s, MBA and JD. The pro-lifer currently works as CEO of Ardesta LLC, a venture capital firm. Appointed by John Engler as first chairman of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Snyder has had a hand in creating many successful companies in the state.
Democratic candidates: (Voters will vote for 1)
Virg Bernero, 46, of Lansing, is the mayor of Lansing. He is a graduate of Adrian College, earning a B.A. in political science. He has served as a legislative aide in both the House and Senate, and also represented Lansing in the Michigan State House of Representatives and State Senate. He’s also served as executive director of a non-profit association that helps Michigan families who have children with mental illness.
Andy Dillon, 48, of Redford Township, is speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. He earned his accounting degree from the University of Notre Dame. Experience includes serving on the staff of U.S. Senator Bill Bradley; serving as vice-president of GE Capital, and president of Detroit Steel. He is a pro-life Democrat.
7TH DISTRICT U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Three Republicans will face-off to run this fall as Representative for the 7th Congressional District, against the sole Democratic candidate, Mark Schauer, who currently holds the seat.
Tim Walberg, 59, from Tipton, is a minister and former division manager for the Moody Bible Institute. Walberg is trying to retake his old seat, after serving in the district from 2007-2008. He also served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983-1999. A pro-lifer, Walberg believes job/economic growth, wasteful government spending, affordable health care are the issues the district is most concerned with. He believes he’ll be the candidate to bring traditional family values back to Washington.
Marvin Carlson, 65, from Manchester, is a small business owner and entrepreneur. Past experience includes working for the Wayne County and City of Detroit Planning Departments before earning his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, and has also been a full-time urban planner for the city of Ann Arbor. He looks to reduce government spending and is concerned about the stagnant job market in his district. The pro-lifer’s campaign said he “understands that government is unable to create prosperity and most often is simply in the way.” He said he is committed to “working for a restoration of liberty.”
Brian Rooney, from Jackson, is a lawyer who formerly served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq. After returning from there, the pro-lifer worked at the Thomas More Law Center, a Christian-themed not-for-profit law firm dedicated to traditional family values. He believes jobs and the economy, patient power in health care and the budget/deficit are the most important issues in the district.
Current U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, 48, D-Battle Creek, is completing his first term and sits on the Committees on Agriculture and Transportation and Infrastructure. He is a former Michigan Senate Minority Leader and voted for the federal stimulus, cap and trade, and the health care bill. The Albion College graduate also served as executive director of the Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan.
57TH DISTRICT STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Two Republicans, Nancy Jenkins and Jim Van Doren, and one Democrat, Harvey Schmidt, are on the primary ballot for nominations as 57th District Representative to the State Legislature.
Nancy Jenkins, 45, from Clayton, is on leave from her job as district representative for Sen. Cameron Brown. She formerly worked as a Title Examiner for the Southern Michigan Title Co., American Title Co., and Investors Title Co. She is a graduate of Evangel University and received her Master’s degree from the University of Toledo. The pro-lifer is against a rewrite of the state constitution and would vote no on a proposal that would allow some racetracks to offer expanded gambling and slot machines on their premises. She supports a part-time legislature and lists the economy, state government efficiency and excessive taxes as the most pressing issues.
Jim Van Doren, 62, from Tipton, is the chair of the Lenawee County Commission and former vice president/general manager of Simplex Paper. He’s previously served as Sand Lake Fire Chief and chair of the Franklin Township Planning Commission. The pro-lifer supports term limits, and is undecided on a part-time legislature. He lists the economy, job security and state government reform as important issues. He has taken the no tax pledge, does not support a graduated income tax, but supports racinos. He supports term limits with some modifications.
Harvey Schmidt, of Tecumseh, is a fifth-term mayor who has a combined 25 years of public service as an elected official. He is the owner of the three Schmidt and Sons Pharmacies in Tecumseh, Clinton and Blissfield. The lifetime Lenawee County resident raised $55,000 for his campaign (including $31,000 of his own money) in 2009 and said the state must do more to help small businesses.
16TH DISTRICT STATE SENATOR
Republican Bruce Caswell, and Democrat Doug Spade will run uncontested for their party’s nominations for the 16th District State Senator seat.
Bruce Caswell, 60, is from Hillsdale, and was termed out of the House in 2008. The former school superintendent, township supervisor and tax assessor ranks the economy, government reform and K-12 education as top priorities. The pro-lifer hasn’t taken the no tax pledge and does not support a graduated income tax. He supports a part-time legislature and term limits with modifications.
Doug Spade, 59, of Adrian, is a former House member from 1999-2004 who currently is on leave from the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth. He’s also a former radio broadcaster and holds a BA from Adrian College. The pro-lifer names jobs and the economy as his district’s most pressing issue, followed by education and state government reform.
2A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
Seven non-partisan candidates are seeking to fill an opening left by Judge Natalia Koselka’s retirement from the Lenawee County District Court. The primary election will narrow the field to two candidates for the November election.
The seven local attorneys vying for the bench are:
Gary R. Baldwin, a private attorney
Grace M. Garno, experience as both a prosecutor and defense attorney
John Glaser, a public defender
Stanley M. Sala, experience as both a prosecutor and defense attorney
Laura J. Schaedler, assistant Lenawee County prosecutor
Karen L. Tate, assistant Lenawee County prosecutor
Anna Marie Anzalone, a pubic defender
TECUMSEH TOWNSHIP PROPOSAL
Voters in Tecumseh Township will vote on the following ballot proposal: “Shall the Township of Tecumseh renew the assessment of 1 mill on each dollar of State Equalized Valuation of the Township for four years, 2010 through 2013 inclusive, for the purpose of contracting for fire safety, police protection and ambulance service with advance life support for and within the Township of Tecumseh for the expired assessment, thereby raising an estimated revenue of $75,000 in the first year?
OTHER OFFICES
Voters also will be asked to vote for County Road Commissioner candidates, County Commissioner candidates (varies by district), and delegates to the county convention (varies by precinct).