November looks good for Democrats

Like every other political junkie in Michigan, I’m still digesting last night’s primary election results, but for the most part I am a happy man because most of the candidates I supported won.

I haven’t posted recently because I was busy campaigning over the weekend, and those candidates I worked for – soon to be Senator-Elect and former Rep. Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor, and Congressman John Dingell, D-Dearborn – won their races.

I was elated to see Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero win with such a big margin – 59 to 41 percent – and I am even happier to see who he is running against, chief job outsourcer Rick Snyder. That certainly proves teabaggers are a fringe group. One Livingston County rightwing blogger had this headline in a pre-primary post: “No Rick Snyder for governor. Anybody in the primary but Rick Michigan.”

Not to worry; it will be Virg in November. Let the speculation about his running mate begin. I’m nominating House Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee. The anti-choice Democrat will bring in the Andy Dillon supporters.

I see little difference between the last GOP Gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and Snyder. Like DeVos, Snyder sent jobs to China, and well as Mexico, while the head of Gateway Computers.

I spent last Sunday walking in the Monroe County Fair Parade for Dingell. Monroe is my hometown, and because I still have lots of friends and family there, I volunteer there often. After the parade I did a three-hour shift in the Monroe County Democratic Party booth, which was really a tent. I was wearing my distinctive red, “Team Dingell” shirt when this goofy looking guy came into the tent and introduced himself as “Dr. Rob Steele,” and he was the "guy who was going to retire John Dingell.”

Apparently, it really was teabagger Republican candidate and Ann Arbor-area cardiologist Rob Steele. It caught me off-guard that he would seek out a confrontation, so the only witty come back I could come up with was “in your dreams.” He went on about how it was time for Dingell to retire then tried to make conservation when he noticed the hat I was wearing said “U.S. Navy retired.” I just told him to move on. I was so suspired by the arrogance that I was caught off guard.

It was only after I found out a little about him that it was cleared up. He is a teabagger who seeks confrontation, and he is a doctor. Like Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw, who is also a cardiologist, he appears to be a little arrogant.

The other Congressional candidate I volunteered for, State Sen. Hansen Clarke, D-Detroit, unseated incumbent Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick for the seat in the 13th Congressional District with a resounding 48-39 percent win. It will be nice to see someone with some real passion and above reproach ethics in that seat.

I feel much better about the race for the other two competitive Congressional seats. U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, will again get the opportunity to beat extremist Republican and loser Tim Walberg in the 7th District.

U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, will face perennial loser and sacrificial lamb Andrew Raczkowski in the 9th U.S. House District.

Locally, I was disappointed to see Teabagger Republican Joe Hune win in the 22nd Senate District, I guess that proves Republicans will vote for name recognition, no matter how extreme and wacky their positions are. I can’t wait for the debate when he goes against someone who really knows the issues, like Democratic candidate Chuck Fellows.

I also can’t wait for November.