The Michigan governorship: Off to the Races

Thrown to the dogs? The fight for the Michigan governorship is underway. Illustration by Rachel Yung.

With the economy in shambles and an outgoing governor, Michigan is looking nervously toward its November gubernatorial race. Democrats are especially uneasy, as Governor Granholm will likely step down with much of the blame for the state’s troubles on her shoulders. With the highest unemployment rate in the country –  currently near 15% – public animosity toward the state’s top elected official is not surprising. Whether this animosity is justified is a separate issue entirely. But the reality that the Democrats currently face looks increasingly bleak. It’s difficult to convince disillusioned voters to stand behind a party when they have no standout candidate to offer.

Until early Jan., the state party had its sights set on Lieutenant Governor John Cherry. As a candidate, Cherry had a considerable amount of work ahead of him, but he at least had name recognition and, more importantly, the relative confidence of state Democrats on his side.

Though it was no secret that the fundraising had been lackluster, the news that Cherry was dropping out of the race on Jan. 5 was a startling blow. Cherry reported that, in 2009, he raised barely half of the $2.5 million he would need for the 2010 campaign.

As the shock wears off, Democrats are left with a confusing pool of candidates, most of whom are either divisive or unknown to the general electorate.

With Cherry’s departure, many eyes immediately shifted toward current Lansing mayor Virg Bernero. Bernero has served as mayor since 2006, recently winning reelection in November 2009. For now, he remains an unannounced candidate, although he has formed an exploratory committee for the gubernatorial bid.

As far as his reputation goes, Bernero may have some work to do. He has been dubbed “America’s angriest mayor” by various sources, likely after several FOX News tirades. As documented in numerous YouTube videos, Bernero has gone on long pro-labor rants that almost make the FOX host appear sane. Whether his temperament will be a strength or a weakness in the eyes of Michigan voters has yet to be seen.

Next on the list of possible candidates is Michigan’s current Speaker of the House, Andy Dillon. At first glance, Dillon seems like a viable candidate for the Democrats: relatively well-known within the party and state, with plenty of leadership experience. Recently, however, the younger, more progressive wing of the party has begun to question the “D” next to his name.  Dillon is well-known to be against abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research. He has also had public disputes with labor unions—a risky move in a state like Michigan. Additionally, and closer to students’ hearts, Dillon was criticized in 2009 during the budget scuffle, as he shouldered some blame for the cuts that eliminated the Michigan Promise Scholarship. Dillon’s moderate views could work to his advantage with the wider electorate, but he will be a difficult candidate for students to support.

A new name was added to the ever-growing list of potential candidates when Denise Ilitch visited White House staffers in Washington, DC, shortly after Cherry dropped out of the race. The current University of Michigan Regent has an extensive and perhaps eccentric history in Michigan. Her resume includes a law degree and some serious business experience: Vice President of Little Caesar Enterprises, a business that managed the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers, and publisher of a magazine. However, Illitch reportedly contributed money to George Bush and other Republican campaigns in 2003. These contributions have gone unexplained, but she will undoubtedly face backlash during Democratic primaries if she formally announces a decision to run.

The pool of potential gubernatorial candidates hardly ends with Ilitch. Many Democrats (and even more Republicans, see left) have thrown, or are thinking of throwing their metaphorical hats into the ring. As Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer said while speaking at recent U of M College Democrats meeting, “Raise your hand if you’re not running for governor.” So far it seems that every candidate faces a major hurdle of some sort. State representative Alma Wheeler-Smith, for example, is most likely too liberal to gain ground as an electable candidate. Others simply lack the necessary name recognition.

Additionally, all of these would-be candidates are fighting for the same funds. Not only is private fundraising difficult in such a weak economic climate, the State Campaign Fund was cut by a third in 2007. This means that candidates are fighting for $4.6 million in public funds, only $2.1 million of which is available before the primary.

The Michigan Democratic Party won’t be holding its primary until Aug. 3. Plenty of time remains for a candidate to emerge that can rally the base in a tough election. But the real challenge will likely be overcoming the massive obstacles—from party loyalty to a lack of name recognition—that e each candidate already faces.  Now that the dust from Cherry’s campaign has settled, the difficulties that will face the party in the 2010 elections are painfully evident.
If the state of the race doesn’t change, Michigan Democrats may see a messy primary between lackluster candidates—and still have to sell the winner to an already disheartened electorate.