Ex-Detroit police chief James Craig (R) sought to burnish his Republican credentials before a likely run for governor, telling party stalwarts about his evolution from being a “born” Democrat, the Associated Press reports.
Gretchen Whitmer’s Approval Takes a Hit
A new Glengariff Group poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) with a 50% to 44% approval rating.
In February, her approval rating was 58% to 38%.
Ronna McDaniel Floats Possible Run for Governor
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told party officials that she’s considered stepping down from her post to challenge Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in 2022, Politico reports.
“How serious McDaniel is about running for governor is unclear. Several people familiar with her remarks say that, while she has given consideration to waging a 2022 campaign, she was speaking more out of frustration on Wednesday.”
John James Mulls Another Run In Michigan
After running two formidable yet failed campaigns for the U.S. Senate, John James (R) is reportedly considering a run for governor of Michigan, the Detroit News reports.
It would be another steep battle for James, though. According to a recent Detroit News poll by the paper, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D)had a 58% approval rating.
Republicans Fall Flat In Trump Country
“A number of Republicans running for governor or senator in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, including several who hitched their wagon to Trump’s political movement, are behind in polls by double digits, a remarkable turnabout in swing states that were key to the president’s 2016 victory,” the Washington Post reports.
“If current polling averages hold, Democrats will maintain all their Senate seats in those states, pick up a handful of House seats and, in some cases, retake the governors’ mansions.”
Schuette Regrets Comments Caught on Video
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, the Republican nominee for governor, said that he regrets his behavior in a video from 1989 that appears to show him trying to flirt with a woman off camera as she sets up for an interview, CNN reports.
Whitmer Holds Double-Digit Lead In Michigan
A new Detroit News poll finds Gretchen Whitmer (D) with a comfortable lead over Bill Schuette (R) in the Michigan governor’s race, 50% to 36%.
Snyder Won’t Endorse Republican to Replace Him
Two months before Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) told WZZM that “he is not endorsing any of the candidates to replace him. Not even fellow republican Bill Schuette.”
Said Snyder: “I’m staying out of politics. I’m governing.”
Snyder Won’t Say If He Likes Schuette
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) won’t say if he’ll endorse in governor’s race, or if he even likes GOP nominee Bill Schuette (R), the Detroit News reports.
Said Snyder: “I’m sticking to governing and less politics at this time.”
Michigan Voters Choose Experience
“Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette and former state Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer will compete to be Michigan’s next governor after winning party primary fights Tuesday night,” the Detroit News reports.
“Michigan voters chose experience in the gubernatorial race, an about face two years after helping elect President Trump and eight years after picking term-limited Gov. Rick Snyder, neither of whom had held political office.”
“Whitmer, who spent 14 years in the state Legislature, held off a late push by former Detroit health director Abdul El-Sayed, a favorite of the progressive left, and Ann Arbor Entrepreneur Shri Thanedar.”
Democrats Lead for Governor In Three Midwestern States
NBC News/Marist polled possible match ups for governor in three key Midwestern states:
- In Wisconsin, Tony Evers (D) leads Gov. Scott Walker (R), 54% to 41%.
- In Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer (D) leads Bill Schuette (R), 47% to 38%.
- In Minnesota, Lori Swanson (D) leads Tim Pawlenty (R) 51% to 40%, while Tim Walz (D) leads Pawlenty (R) 51% to 40%.
Bernie-Branded Candidate Almost Ran as a Republican
The Intercept: “A Michigan gubernatorial candidate who has branded himself as the Bernie Sanders of the 2018 race privately mused about running as an independent or Republican just weeks before launching his campaign, according to four political consultants and one small business association representative he met with.”
“Shri Thanedar, a millionaire who has poured millions of dollars of his own money into the race, ultimately decided to run as a progressive Democrat. He is now first in some polls, eclipsing former state Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer and former Detroit Public Health chief Abdul El-Sayed, whose campaign is largely staffed by veterans of Sanders’s actual presidential campaign.”
Said one political consultant: “He came to us looking for advice about running for governor, and was obviously in the market for a consultant. We asked him what party he wanted to run from and he said he didn’t care. He said whichever side we thought he had the best chance to win on.”
