And now back to our irregularly scheduled blog...
I tend to focus on my home turf of Barry County on this blog since it doesn't get covered elsewhere on-line and because I have little time to cover much else (save for griping about the Governor's race every now and then). But the filing deadline has left us with some interesting races in the other parts of West Michigan that I'd like to talk about:
In the 19th Senate District, incumbent Mark Schauer (D- Bedford Twp.) will be challenged by one of two Republicans. The August 8th primary will be between Elizabeth Fulton (Battle Creek) and Al Cavasin (Concord).
Fulton is a middle school librarian. She doesn't seem to know where she or the voters stand and seems to be suggesting that the people will have to tell her which issues she should run on. This is a nice schtick- playing up her need to do "research" as a librarian but we sense it's a front. As co-owner of Southside Sportsman Club with her husband, it's clear to us she'll likely hammer the popular and moderate Schauer as too liberal and try to play to the militant gun crowd. I get the feeling Cavasin gets the support of the party since he owns a private security company in Jackson and is likely to be better financed than Fulton. Cavasin sounds like another Chamber of Commerce clone who will probably repeat the pre-recorded message of "need more tax cuts, need more tax cuts."
In the 63rd House District it looks like we'll get a rematch between Lorence Wenke (Richland Twp.) and Jerry Vander Roest (Galesburg). Wenke edged out Vander Roest by 90 votes two years ago. Look for a reprise of the "Values" theme as Wenke is known for his principled stance against gay bashing right before the last election which probably is what almost cost him his seat (you should read his speech about that vote). Wenke seems to be going on the offensive early with this gem of a quote:
"What issue will Jerry run on this time?" asked Wenke, a Richland Township resident. "Two years ago he ran on a values platform and then we all found out that he had a criminal record for soliciting a prostitute in Lansing while working as a state employee."
Ouch! This one is nasty and personal and the race has only begun...
The winner of the Republican primary squares off against Democrat Phyllis Smith of Vicksburg.
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6 comments:
Someone should organize a hooker patrol to follow VanderRoest. An army of fish net stocking clad, halter top wearing honeys would remind people that VandrRoest is no saint when it comes to the "values" issues.
Pol-- I know you like juicey tidbits on our illustriuos State Reps...here's an article from the May 30th, 2006 Gongwer News Service
‘TERRI’S DAY’ PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE
A House resolution commemorating March 31, 2006 as “Terri’s Day of Remembrance and Celebration of the Culture of Life Day” passed the House Government Operations Committee by a 5-1 party line vote Wednesday. The bill’s namesake is Terri Schiavo, who was the subject of a fierce battle over end-of-life decisions and who died March 31, 2005.
HR 243 urges Americans to be informed about living wills, celebrate “Culture of Life” events such as visiting a long-term care facility or volunteering at a nursing home, and declares Michigan’s official support for the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation’s efforts to “establish health care facilities for brain injured patients.”
The resolution only affected this past March 31, the one-year anniversary of Ms. Schiavo’s death after nearly a decade of protracted legal fights that included a law passed by Congress, and overturned by the courts, to prevent efforts to withdraw food and water from her.
With the Schindler Schiavo Foundation a primary sponsor of the effort, Rep. Steve Tobocman (D-Detroit), saying he didn’t know what the foundation was, asked the sponsor, Rep. Bob Gosselin (R-Troy) if he would consider holding the bill in committee “until we know what the Schindler Schiavo Foundation does.”
Committee Republicans then took turns explaining what the Schindler Schiavo Foundation does. Rep. Fulton Sheen (R-Plainwell) told Mr. Tobocman that the group took the “Schindler” name from the “German man who helped the Jews,” and the Schiavo from Ms. Schiavo (Schindler is actually Ms. Schiavo’s birth name).
The group was founded in 2001 and paid the legal costs for the Schindler family in their quest to keep Ms. Schiavo on life support systems. It presently functions as an advocacy group for the “Culture of Life,” a term coined in 1993 by Pope John Paul II.
Culture of Life advocates say the movement opposes abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, gay marriage and stem cell research.
Though the resolution sets Terri’s Day at a date that passed almost two months ago, conservative radio host Kevin Fobbs who spoke to the committee said the goal was to celebrate Terri’s Day every year.
“One person, one family, one life actually does make a difference,” Mr. Fobbs said. “Do we respect ourselves, our family and our lives?”
Fulton has also made mention of the "one child left behind program" [No Child Left Behind] to a group of superintendants some years ago--everybody was wondering who that 'one child' was.
You just made me puke on my keyboard...
I thought Republicans were in favor of keeping government off our backs?
If I'm terminally ill and want to end my life, or otherwise don't want to be kept alive by artificial means, that's my decision to make: not Fulton Sheen's, not the RNC's, not Right to Life's.
Pol--
There seems to be high debate of the Prosecutor's race on here. When are you going to be giving comment???
as far as Fulton... I think a "kindly German man" is like his tooth fairy, a being that magicallysolves all his problems ...like this tax fiasco.
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