LANSING – The Senate Democratic Caucus chose Sen. Mike Prusi, D-Ishpeming, as the new Senate Minority Leader today to replace Sen. Mark Schauer, who was elected to U.S. Congress from the 7th District on Nov. 4.
The caucus went behind closed doors this morning before session after days of lobbying, and Prusi and Democratic Floor Leader Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, emerged as the leading two candidates. Following session, Schauer announced Prusi was chosen as the new leader and Thomas will keep his position.
"The most pressing item on my agenda is to address what is currently going on in Michigan," Prusi said. "We need to find common ground to address the problems facing Michigan."
Prusi currently serves as the Democratic Vice-Chair for the Senate Finance Committee. He is in his second and final term in the Senate, and he served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate.
"Senator Prusi has been at the forefront of the most pressing issues facing our state, including energy policy and the state budget," Schauer said. "These experiences will serve him well, and I am confident he will excel in his new role as Caucus Leader. We will work closely to ensure a smooth, productive transition."
Only four of the 17 Democratic Senators will be returning in 2010, and some people thought one of the returning Senators would be more motivated to help win a Democratic majority in the Senate in 2010. But apparently experience won out.
4 comments:
It's funny. You criticize the county Republican party for closingn the doors to the press last year when it chose party leaders...but no similar criticism when the Democratic causus "went behind closed doors" to select its leadership. So, are you saying it's more important for a private club to open its doors than it is for elected officials?
Are you serous, troll? The county chose its leaders at a convention that are always open to the public. The House Democrats, like the House Republicans, always choose leaders and talk strategy in close door caucuses. Not even staff members are allowed in the caucus room. The caucus is not subject to the Open Meetings Act.
It’s like comparing apples and oranges.
You just toss out lines indiscriminately. I suspect you don't realize how silly they sound.
Of course the caucus isn't subject to the Open Meetings Act. Either is the county Republican Party. They can make any rules they like.
The caucus sessions are private because they choose to have them private. They could be public, but they choose not to...but you disdain the county Republicans for exercising the same right.
It really doesn't matter that they've "always" had open conventions; they can choose the rules any time they like. But I'll take a page from your book: Show me the proof that the county Republican meetings have "always" been open.
Again, you are comparing apples and oranges. Are you honestly saying political conventions are closed to the press and public? Do you know how silly that sounds?
First, it wasn’t a “Republican meeting. “ It was the Republican convention. Second, I can’t show you the proof that the Republican conventions have "always" been open because I have never heard of a political convention being closed until two years ago. I have not heard of another being closed since.
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