MI Governor Snyder’s First State Of The State Address Tonight

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder gives his first State of the State address tonight at 7 pm.

The Detroit News reports:

Snyder will set out “a clear roadmap” for Michigan and detail an online “dashboard” that will be accessible to the public and measure the state’s progress in 21 different areas spread among five key sectors.

Those five areas, which align with the divisions in Snyder’s slimmed-down inner cabinet, are: economic strength; public safety; health and education; quality of life; and value for government.

I will be posting updates on both of my Twitter accounts: MacStoddard and FriskALiberal.

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Snyder Picks State Rep. Calley As Running Mate While Virg Is Being Turned Down

Wonder what you would find if you frisked Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Virg Bernero’s choices for lieutenant governor?

Answer: Snyder picks State Rep. Brian Calley as his running mate while Virg is turned down a few times.

First off, let’s get the Republican news out of the way. The Detroit News reports:

Rick Snyder is expected to name a Republican state representative from Portland as his pick for lieutenant governor at a campaign event in Grand Rapids today.

Campaign officials would neither confirm nor deny that Snyder’s choice is Rep. Brian Calley, as first reported by the Associated Press on Tuesday.

But a person close to the campaign confirmed the choice to The Detroit News. Calley, 33, who was seeking a state Senate seat, was seen by analysts as among a handful of front-runners for the post.

Personally, I don’t know much about State Representative Brian Calley besides that he was a banker before being elected into office. I tried visiting Calley’s website earlier this morning to see his stance on the issues, but it only displayed his giant campaign logo. Personally, I don’t see this pick helping Snyder’s campaign much, but perhaps he’s trying to play it safe. There’s no doubt that Snyder lacks the much needed legislative experience, but picking a young state representative who’s only been in office since 2007 doesn’t necessarily fill that void. On the other hand, by picking a young legislator, it will play better for Snyder’s image as the “non-career politician” seeking the governor’s office.

On the other side of the political spectrum, Virg “Angriest Mayor” Bernero is having a rough time finding a running mate that actually wants to accept the job! The Detroit News reports:

Virg Bernero’s gubernatorial campaign has been turned down by a few prospects — some with strong business backgrounds — for a chance to be his running mate.

Among those who have declined to be vetted are retired General Motors Vice President Rod Gillum; Faye Nelson, president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy; and Carol Goss, president of the Skillman Foundation.

[...]

A choice is expected to be made by Saturday, at the latest, before the state Democratic Party Convention in Detroit.

It makes me laugh when I see Virg Bernero so desperate… Hey Virg, go off on one of your epic rants where you yell and speak 1,000 words per minute.

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RINO Rick Snyder Wins Michigan’s GOP Primary Election

Wonder what you would find if you frisked Michigan’s Republican Gubernatorial Primary election last night?

Answer: Ladies and gentlemen… We got ourselves another RINO.

Detroit Free Press reports:

Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder rode his offbeat “tough nerd” TV commercials — and $6 million of his own money — to win the Republican primary Tuesday.

With 76% of precincts counted, Snyder had 37% to U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra’s 27% and Attorney General Mike Cox’s 23%.

[...]

Twice as many voters participated in the Republican primary than the Democratic, and there was evidence some Democrats voted for Snyder. That indicates a stronger base for Snyder heading into the general election and shows his appeal among moderate and independent voters.

Snyder overcame the GOP’s business and anti-abortion rights establishment, which largely had backed Attorney General Mike Cox.

I find it interesting that Rick Snyder brands himself as “one tough nerd”, but manages to wimp out of the Republican gubernatorial debates. It appears that the so-called “tough nerd” discovered a new strategy to beat out the rest of the tough GOP competition: Skip the major debates, avoid the grassroots Tea Parties, fork out $6 million of your own money, and encourage Democrats to vote in the Republican primary election. The perfect formula for pissing off the highly energized conservative demographic that Rick “The RINO” Snyder will desperately need if he wants to beat Virg “Big-Labor Lover” Bernero in the upcoming general election.

The next few months will be quite interesting. Rick Snyder claims to be the “non-career politician” yet his demeanor shows the exact opposite. The man has hired high-priced political consultants, ran attack advertisements, and dodges questions – about big-labor and social issues – like a well rehearsed politician.

In the end, props to Rick Snyder and his bank account. If he does win in November, I truly hope he can work with the State Legislature (that he knows nothing about and attacked numerous times) in order to put Michigan back on the right path towards prosperity.

As for the national media and top conservative blogs out there… Come election time, I better not see any posts complaining about Rick Snyder’s RINO-ish record and wondering what the heck happened in Michigan. For months I have been trying to point out Michigan’s fascinating gubernatorial race, but I guess Nikki Haley’s landslide win in the uber-Republican state of South Carolina and others were more important than a true-conservative candidate potentially winning in a blue-state. Shame on all of you!

*UPDATE* – August 4, 2010 – 4:30 PM.

Awesome… Now the liberal think-tank at Newsweek is pointing out that the “Tea Party atmosphere” failed nationwide last night in the primaries. What’s there first example? Michigan’s Republican Primary… Of course:

The “weak tea” trend continued Tuesday in a series of marquee primary battles stretching from the upper to lower Midwest. In Michigan, moderate Rick Snyder—a former Gateway executive who supports embryonic-stem-cell research and sought to attract Democratic crossover voters with ads featuring Bill Ford—was competing against a flock of more conservative candidates (Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, state Attorney General Mike Cox, and Rep. Pete Hoekstra) for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

Unfortunately, they are right.

*UPDATE* – August 5, 2010 – 8:30 AM.

For Michigan’s gubernatorial primary results by county, click here.

*UPDATE* – December 10, 2010 – 1:00 PM.

A little more than four months have passed since Michigan’s Republican Gubernatorial Primary and I decided to go back over this blog post of mine. After going over it again, I have come to the realization that I sound like a big ol’ sore loser. Haha.

With Rick Snyder at the helm, Michigan has a bright future ahead of itself.

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Poll: Michigan Republican Primary for Governor

Wonder what you would find if you frisked the latest Rasmussen Report poll regarding the Michigan GOP Primary for governor?

Answer: U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra continues to lead the group of Republican gubernatorial hopefuls in Michigan.

Rasmussen reports:

Source: Rasmussen Report.

The latest Rasmussen Reports survey in the state shows nearly one-out-of-three primary voters (32%) still undecided.

Businessman Rick Snyder has 14% support this month, down four points from a month ago, while state Attorney General Mike Cox again earns 13% of the vote. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard edges up to nine percent (9%). Five percent (5%) of primary voters prefer some other candidate.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of GOP conservatives in the state favor Hoekstra, while 38% of self-designated liberals in the party prefer Snyder. Moderates have no clear favorite.

The GOP may benefit from the fact that a Democrat is currently Governor of the state at a time when just 6% rate the economy as good or excellent. According to a recent Associated Press report, Michigan has had the highest unemployment rate in the country for the past four years, with a 14.1 percent rate in March. Most Michigan voters also want to repeal the recently-passed national health care plan.

According to the latest Rasmussen Report survey (above) of 481 likely Republican Primary voters, it is clear that U.S. Rep. Hoekstra is currently the GOP favorite, but will his momentum carry into the month of August? It will be interesting to see since the U.S. Congress has an approval rating of 23% and – thanks to Democrats – many Americans seem skeptical about national politicians.

After finally making an appearance in the poll numbers in March – thanks to his ‘One Tough Nerd‘ Super Bowl advertisement – Businessman Rick Snyder‘s numbers appear to be falling back toward the rest of the Republican candidates (Mike Bouchard and Mike Cox).

Mike Bouchard – who Frisk A Liberal.com endorses – just released his first state-wide television advertisement last Thursday (April 22, 2010), so it will be interesting to see how it will affect his numbers in next month’s poll. Will it give him a boost of political momentum similar to Rick Snyder’s? I guess only time will tell. In the meantime, you can donate to his campaign by clicking here.

Overall, at the end of the day it will not be about the poll numbers… It will be about which candidate can grab the enthusiasm of Michiganders to get them out and vote in the August 3rd Primary?

As for Republicans versus Democrats though? Republicans still maintain a slight edge over Democrats according to the latest Rasmussen Report:

Source: Rasmussen Report.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Michigan finds an unnamed generic Republican candidate for governor picking up 41% of the vote, while an unnamed generic Democratic candidate earns 36% support. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while 18% of likely voters in the state remain undecided.

[...]

Male voters favor the Republican candidate by 13 points, while the candidates break even among female voters.

Voters not affiliated with either of the major parties prefer the Republican by a 36% to 16% margin, but over one-third (35%) of these voters are still undecided.

Although the Republican Party still maintains the lead in Michigan, we cannot start slacking now. 2010 is the year to turn Michigan back into a red-state!

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The First Michigan Republican Gubernatorial Debate

GOP Gubernatorial Debate.

Wonder what you would find if you frisked the first Michigan Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Debate?

Answer: Great discourse about cutting Michigan’s budget and taxes mixed with some political fireworks.

The State News reports:

The early focus of the debate was fostering a better business climate in Michigan, which Bouchard said revolved around lowering and simplifying taxes for citizens and companies.

“Our taxpayers, our citizens have left,” Bouchard said. “We cannot ask them for more because they cannot give it. We’re sending them across the border every time we ask.”

Cox, the Michigan Attorney General since 2002, said the state needs to expand tax breaks similar to the system devised in 2008 to bring more film businesses to Michigan.

[...]

When the debate shifted to the recently passed health care legislation and its impact on Michigan, the candidates found a common ground.

Hoekstra, a vocal opponent in Washington, D.C., said “Obamacare” needed to be scrapped.

Cox, who championed his lawsuit against the federal government challenging the constitutionality of a federal health care mandate, said he would “undo the lack of focus on cost.”

Snyder also agreed that health care needs to be reformed, but added he’s not sure if suing the federal government is the best course of action.

[...]

The debate often shifted back to Michigan’s economy, which all agreed needed an emphasis on building more jobs and encouraging college graduates to stay in the state.

“When I graduated, I knew there’d be a quality job waiting for me,” said Bouchard, an MSU alumnus.
“That is not the case today. Every day these problems aren’t fixed, another family, another child leaves this state, and that’s not acceptable. I will fix that. This must be about the next generation and not the next election.”

Overall, I thought it was an informative first debate and I had a great attending the event. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the debate posted on the internet, but I will keep looking and hopefully I will have it up on the blog for you within the near future.

Here’s my opinion on who won last night’s debate:

• Winner: Mike Bouchard – You could tell that he was well-versed on the issues, because he did not slip up, mumble, or stutter once throughout the intense debate. Also, he was able to relate to the viewers and quickly propose solutions – stemming from his past experience – that will eventually rebuild Michigan.
• 2nd: Tom George – He came into the debate as the underdog and I must admit that I underestimated him. When the moderator listed off the first question, he quickly jumped to his points using a lot of enthusiasm that made the other candidates seem quiet. Overall, he did a great job, but all his talks about having a Michigan Constitutional Convention tuned me out.
• 3rd: Pete Hoekstra/Rick Snyder - Going into the debate, I thought Hoekstra was going to do a great job, but he came across – in my opinion – as a so-so candidate. Perhaps it was just the debate setting, but he seemed dual and appeared to be a deer in the highlights as he gathered his thoughts at certain points during the debate. As for Snyder, I got really annoyed with his repetitive “career politicians” tagline. Granted, it was great to start off with that argument, but it got odd pretty quickly. Although he’s a successful businessman, it takes an experienced knowledge in government to work with both parties in order to get legislation passed. Also, the last two Republican candidates Michigan had running for governor against Jennifer Granholm were successful businessmen. Part of me cautiously asks: If Snyder wins the Republican Primary, will a third time be the charm?
• 4th: Mike Cox – Unfortunately there is something about Mike Cox that just radiates a negative vibe. He started off the debate doing quite well, but his constant reference back to his “62 page plan” got old. Personally, when I am at a debate, I want to get a sense of what each candidate is about. I do not want to go read a book online – using my free time – to find out if I ‘like’ a candidate or not. Overall, it was the constant attacks on the other candidates during the second half of the debate that put Cox into last place. Blogger evidence: Let’s not tear down the Republican Party before the primaries, because the Democrats will try to do plenty of that this fall.

Great debate! I cannot wait until the next one!

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Michigan GOP Gubernatorial Debate Tonight!

Wonder what you would find if you frisked the Fairchild Theatre on the campus of Michigan State University on April 21, 2010 at 7pm?

Answer: The first Michigan Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Debate!

…And you know your’s truly – Mac from FriskAliberal.com – will be there!

The Detroit News reports:

Five GOP candidates for governor — Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Attorney General Mike Cox, state Sen. Tom George of Kalamazoo, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland and Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder — will participate.

“This is a critical election and it is important residents across the state have a clear understanding of the vision and ideas each candidate has as they prepare to vote in August and November,” said Ron Weiser, chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

The candidates will respond to questions from a panel of reporters.

According to a document I received from the Michigan GOP, the debate will begin at 7pm and run to 8pm. It will also be broadcast live on WLNS (Lansing CBS affiliate). The moderators for the debate will be Dave Ackerly (from WLNS) and Kathy Barks Hoffman (from the Associated Press).

REMINDER: The debate is a ticketed event, and you must have a ticket for admission to the Theatre. If you didn’t receive your ticket in advance, you may pick it up at the MRP Ticket Will Call located in the lobby of the Theatre. Tickets are not transferable.

Updates will show up on Frisk A Liberal.com after the event!

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Vote For Rick Snyder’s Next TV Ad!

Rick For Michigan.

Wonder what you would find if you frisked Rick Snyder’s latest political advertisements?

Answer: You are able to vote for the next one!

RickForMichigan.com reports:

Rick Snyder is running for Governor of Michigan and wants you to have a voice in his campaign, just as he wants the citizens of Michigan to have a role in shaping priorities for state government. Our next campaign ad will be going on the air next week and we want you to decide which ad to run.

[...]

The contest expires on Monday, February 22nd at 12:00 noon ET.

Using the hype he received for his Super Bowl advertisement, it is clear that Rick Snyder is not wasting anytime getting his message out to the people around the great state of Michigan. In order to get voters engaged to his campaign website, Snyder setup an innovative way for individuals to sign up, earn points, and vote for which advertisement they like best. If you would like to vote for your favorite advertisement, click the button below:

Side-Note: Personally, I enjoyed the “Superman” advertisement the best.

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Republican Candidates Maintain Early Lead Over Likely Democratic Rivals In Race For Michigan’s Next Governor

Wonder what you would find if you frisked the latest Rasmussen poll regarding the 2010 election for Michigan’s next Governor?

Answer: Republican candidates are still holding strong.

Michigan Republicans have a very busy year ahead of them! Term-limited Governor Jennifer Granholm is done at the end of the year and multiple Republican candidates have an early lead over the likeliest Democratic candidates.

Check out the latest numbers:

So far, so good…

Rasmussen Reports has the latest:

The most recent Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 telephone survey of likely voters in the state finds GOP hopefuls Mike Bouchard, Mike Cox and Peter Hoekstra earning 40% to 45% of the vote in all but one of the match-ups against each of their potential opponents.

Democrats Virg Bernero, Andy Dillon, Denise Ilitch and Alma Wheeler Smith pick up anywhere from 28% to 36% of the vote in those match-ups.

Hoekstra, a longtime U.S. congressman, runs slightly stronger among the GOP contenders.

Among the Democrats, Dillon, the speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, runs most competitively. Against Cox, the state attorney general, in fact, Dillon runs virtually even, with 36% of the vote to his GOP foe’s 35%. (See toplines and crosstabs.)

Both parties will pick their candidates in August 3 primaries.

[...]

Among the GOP hopefuls, Bouchard. the sheriff of Oakland County, is viewed very favorably by seven percent (7%) of Michigan voters and very unfavorably by six percent (6%). For Cox, very favorables total 14% and very unfavorables 13%. Eighteen percent (18%) have a very favorable opinion of Hoekstra, while 13% view him very unfavorably.

On the Democratic side, Bernero, the mayor of Lansing, is seen very favorably by six percent (6%) and very unfavorably by 11%. Six percent (6%) have a very favorable view of Dillon, while 13% view him very unfavorably.

Very favorables for Ilitch, a Detroit businesswoman and lawyer, total 17%, her very unfavorables 14%. For Wheeler Smith, a member of the Michigan House, very favorables are 12% and very unfavorables 19%.

So far, it is looking good for Republicans and in reality it’s their race to lose. Within the past couple months – after Lieutenant Governor John Cherry dropped out of the race – Democrats have been playing catch-up. Unfortunately for the Democrats, the May 15th deadline to collect 15,000 signatures to have their name on the ballot during the primaries is creeping around the corner.

In my opinion, the Republican candidates need to step their game up and get more enthusiasm out there to the general public. Another GOP hopeful – business entrepreneur Rick Snyder – released a Super Bowl advertisement in order to get his name out there and create some buzz. It will be interesting to see if his name pops up on the next Rasmussen poll.

Good luck Republicans and may the best Conservative win!

Side-Note: Shortly after this poll was conducted, Denise Ilitch officially announced that she will not enter the race, but former state Treasurer Bob Bowman is preparing to file papers to form an exploratory committee for governor.

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Rick Snyder’s Super Bowl Advertisement: ‘One Tough Nerd’

Rick Snyder for Michigan.

Wonder what you would find if you frisked the Super Bowl commercials tonight in the state of Michigan?

Answer: Rick Snyder’s “One Tough Nerd” campaign advertisement.

MLive.com reports:

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder is giving his campaign a boost by running his first campaign ads during Sunday’s widely watched Super Bowl.

[...]

The 60-second spot will air statewide for several weeks and will be the first gubernatorial ad to run in Michigan this campaign cycle. The campaign would not disclose how much it’s spending.

Snyder is a political newcomer who so far is polling in single digits. He hopes the early ads will jump-start his candidacy among voters who know little about him.

Other gubernatorial candidates have not said when they’ll begin running ads.

Props to Rick Snyder for putting out this advertisement on Super Bowl Sunday. Since Snyder is trailing in the polls, this will advertisement will definitely get some name recognition out there for his campaign. Other Republican candidates include Mike Bouchard, Peter Hoekstra, and Mike Cox.

It’s official, the race for Michigan’s next Governor is starting to heat up!

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2009 Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference

Mike Bouchard (running for MI Governor) and Myself.

Sec. Terri Lynn Land (running for Lt. Governor) and Myself.

BUSY WEEKEND.

I wasn’t able to update Frisk A Liberal with anything new over the weekend – if anyone cared to notice, haha. I decided to drive up north and attend the 2009 Michigan Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, MI. It was definitely a great experience and lots of fun.

Candidates running for Governor included: Mike Bouchard, Rick Snyder, Mike Cox, Peter Hoekstra, and Tom George.

Other Republicans that attended: Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and John Engler.

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