Michigan makes The Fix list of top gubernatorial races for next year

Perhaps

Perhaps a former Michigander needs to parachute into the race for governor against Snyder.

I'm curious to know how long Snyder was back in the state when he decided to run for governor. Alan, Mark?

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by: LH @ Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 17:02:48 PM UTC

Snyder didn't really parachute

Snyder has been registered to vote in the state continuously since at least 1998 and probably earlier.

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by: alanfox @ Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 19:03:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thank you Alan.

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by: LH @ Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 19:08:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

On the contrary:

"I don't think Peters was ever going to run for governor, and probably the only people who thought that are national political pundits..."

Actually, it has been said that some Detroit and labor figures were told Congressman Gary Peters (District 9) in 2012 was seeking one more term for the new District 14 in advance of (and partially in preparation for) a bid for governor in 2014. It was part of the back-story rationale stated for why some Detroit and labor leaders were receptive to a Gary Peters candidacy for the minority-majority new 14th District.

That could all be false speculation. Palace intrigue and the like. I can't vouch for that information...

...But there were at least some Detroit area voters and activists that were hoping for or counting on a Gary Peters for Governor or Senate campaign. It was part of their calculation in supporting him, a viable rising star for their congressional representation: they didn't want to tarnish his statewide bid prospects with a primary loss and he wouldn't be in the seat for long, anyway. That much I can vouch for, since I did hear some voters espouse that first-hand.  

Great Lakes, Great Times.

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by: Michael McGuinness @ Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 17:27:10 PM UTC

Peters

I think Peters' campaigning skills are wasted in a heavy Dem district that can be held by any Dem. As a moderate, he can tackle a tougher race. I think he has a taste for Washington now. He can win the Senate and set himself up for a long career there, much like Carl did. He is the only one who can challenge Mike Rogers in Oakland County. He'll carry Wayne , Gennesse and Macomb. What else would he need?

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by: Mitch @ Sat Mar 23, 2013 at 13:25:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's my feeling, as well

Among political people, there's a general attitude that there are people who work best for candidates and people who work best for politicians. The same goes, I think, as far as there being people suited to Washington, and people suited to Lansing. Gary Peters has always struck me as a D.C. person. Might have been a creature of Lansing once, but I think he's evolved into something different.

Among the Trees

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by: Eric B. @ Sat Mar 23, 2013 at 15:08:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

As I've said before, I don't think it's so much DC vs. Lansing

...as it is Executive vs. Legislative. I know he was the Lottery commissioner, and I'm sure he did a great job there, but my general sense of him is that he's more comfortable in Legislative roles than Executive (not that I have any special insight into the guy).

By the same token, aside from how well she did in each role, I always thought Jennifer Granholm seemed more comfortable as Attorney General than she did as Governor (and presumably this was connected to her performance at each).

We have to remember that politicians are at their core just people like anyone else; if a doctor is more comfortable as an internist than a heart surgeon (even if they prove to be skilled at both), why would they commit to spending years or a whole career as the surgeon?

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by: Brainwrap @ Sun Mar 24, 2013 at 14:25:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The time I met Gary Peters...

I got the feeling while talking to him that he had his heart set on going to D.C. and dealing with national-level issues. I could see where people also split down through executive vs. legislative layers, but the people I know tend to either be Lansing Michigan progressives or D.C. Michigan progressives. That's just my experience, and it's mostly been related to people who work either as Congressional staffers or employees of non-profit advocacy groups.

It might be that both of us are right. I met Gary Peters when he was teaching here at CMU and when he was hosting a climate change and energy forum, and the focus of the forum was what we as a country ought to do about it. So, that might have played a role.

Among the Trees

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by: Eric B. @ Sun Mar 24, 2013 at 18:30:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I hope Vanna White

... would give you an "E" if you trade in the extra "N" and "S".  

("Genesee").

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by: Grebner @ Sun Mar 24, 2013 at 03:54:08 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Or, as someone told me, "Gene ... see"*

Except pronounced the correct way.

*--It's a useful device since I used to have a horrible time getting Genesee County spelled correctly.

Among the Trees

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by: Eric B. @ Sun Mar 24, 2013 at 18:32:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sorry for the typo

Fun fact: Vanna White is 54 years old.

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by: Mitch @ Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 15:46:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Those were conversations back when everyone assumed Levin wouldn't retire

If we grant that everything you posted was accurate, there was an underlying assumption that the U.S. Senate seat wouldn't be available in 2014 -- that Sen. Carl Levin would surely run again (couldn't very well leave before his older brother left the House, right?).

Rep. Peters probably would have run for Governor if the Senate had not been available...or perhaps not, given the low odds of defeating an incumbent Gov. Rick Snyder once all the "dark money" gets involved and the anger over RTW and the EM Czars starts to fade.

"The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity." ~ Harlan Ellison

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by: helzapoppn @ Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 14:57:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Likely so.

I was just trying to provide another perspective to the original entry referencing that no one inside Michigan was expecting Gary Peters to run for Governor.

From Eric: "I don't think Peters was ever going to run for governor, and probably the only people who thought that are national political pundits who specialize into parachuting into states, offering their sage advice on things they don't understand very well, before moving on."

My point was that, whether legitimately based on anything substantial or not, some Michigan voters and activists were expecting it .... or hoping for it.

However, his criticism of national political pundits was still deserved.

Great Lakes, Great Times.

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by: Michael McGuinness @ Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 15:15:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Some people did expect Levin to retire

In public, people generally act as though an incumbent will run for re-election until said incumbent says otherwise.

That said, it's still quite rare for an 80-year-old who has been in the Senate for 36 years to run for another term. A lot of people did say privately that they expected Levin to retire.

Also, as I have said before, it is wrong to presume that a blue state will re-elect a very unpopular governor when said election is nearly 20 months away. Every campaign has its opportunities and challenges, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Scott

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by: ScottyUrb @ Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 20:22:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

True to a Point..

...that point being, it's Michigan -- where septa/octogenarians in Congress is more the Norm than the Exception.

And the election may be 20 months away, but the DECISION POINT for serious candidates who hope to unseat a deep-pocketed incumbent governor (whose "very unpopular" status could well be temporary) is closer to NOW.

"The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity." ~ Harlan Ellison

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by: helzapoppn @ Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 21:39:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]