| Quirky intellect Thad McCotter has cost his constituent communities plenty. Now, his party is costing them even more. Bentivolio and four other Republicans are contesting the GOP nomination for McCotter's unfinished term, and for purely pragmatic reasons we recommend that 11th District Republicans who manage to rouse themselves for today's primary balloting choose Bentivolio. He is the only Republican with a chance to be elected to a full-two year term, and if he is chosen to fill both the short- and long-term vacancies, he will enjoy a slight edge in seniority over other freshman congressional members elected in November -- theoretically a marginal advantage for his 11th District constituents. But this should under no circumstances be construed as an endorsement, and may God set Bentivolio's pants afire if he claims differently in the future. We mean merely to advise voters how to make digestible lemonade of the lemons their ex-congressman has bequeathed to them.
Did Nancy Cassis remove herself from consideration as she promised if she lost her write-in bid? The Freep endorsed her on the grounds of her competence in serving her constituents. Frankly, a "no endorsement" was better warranted, but who am I? I'm not a fan of engineered elections, and that includes this one. But, it's for, like, two weeks and the reason it's being held is purely a matter of ego. And, the cost is being born as a result of egos in the Party of Fiscal Frugality. Try to jibe that at risk of spraining your brain. As for the rest of the editorial, it's a fine fine indictment on Thad McCotter and the practice of gerrymandering Congressional districts to protect incumbents. Can anyone doubt that districts not drawn by non-partisan commissions whose goal is to produce as much competition as possible would enable incumbents with such little regard for the process of getting on the ballot? |
