Extremist group spends $100,000 to prop up sagging extremist Walberg in final weekend before election

In a last-ditch effort to keep their bought and paid for candidate in power, the extreme rightwing group Club for Growth announced Friday that it was pumping an additional $100,000 into the 7th District Congressional district race over the weekend for more false attack ads to prop up extreme Republican Tim Walberg, according to subscription only Gongwer.

Michigan Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, continues to lead the race over the incumbent, and Club for Growth is spending furiously to protect their investment in the final weekend before the election. Schauer, meanwhile, continues to pick up support in the far-flung 7th District that covers more land area than any of Michigan's 15 Congressional districts.

On Sunday the daily Jackson Citizen Patriot endorsed Schauer, saying, "Schauer is nothing if not effective, however. He has shown throughout his political career — as a Battle Creek city councilman and spending six years in the state House and six years in the Senate — that he cares about improving people's lives in a personal, tangible way."

Remember to vote for Mark Schauer for Congress tomorrow.

Mark Schauer picking up support in Walberg’s back yard

ADRIAN -- Name recognition and support for State Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, in his quest to unseat extremist conservative Tim Walberg in the race for U.S. House in the 7th District is increasing.

Last month I knocked on doors in Lenawee County in Tecumseh, and I found that although people were receptive to Schauer after almost two years of Walberg, not a lot had heard of him. There was a noticeable difference on Sunday when I knocked on 68 doors in Adrian.

I saw plenty of Schauer and Rep. Dudley Spade, D- Tipton, yard signs, but I did not see a single Walberg sign. I understand yard signs don’t vote, but it’s good sign. It’s even more encouraging when you consider Lenawee County is Walberg’s home county, also a resident of rural Tipton.

What I found were more people who were supporting Schauer, and many asked for yard signs. There were a few undecideds, but not many.

Walking in Adrian was a trip down memory lane for me. I did a stint as the education reporter for the Daily Telegram. The Lenawee County Democratic Party is now located a few doors down from the Telegram in what used to be the Adrian Public Schools offices. I spent a few nights there covering Adrian School Board meetings.

All this positive Schauer news has Walberg and his friends at the extreme Club for Growth worried. They will start airing their first barrage of attack ads in the 7th district. This is the same radical group that ran a vicious smear campaign against incumbent Republican Joe Schwarz two years ago. The so-called Club for Growth wants to expand unfair trade deals - which have devastated Michigan's economy - and privatize Social Security. Back in 2006, Tim Walberg told the Jackson Citizen Patriot that he was "bought and paid for" by Club for Growth - so we know whose side he's on.

Club for Growth goes after McCain for Michigan remarks

If we needed any proof here in Michigan that Sen. John McCain’s campaign for the Republican nomination for President has picked up some steam and is alive and well we only needed to see the press release put out by the conservative Club for Growth.

The release came in response to a Dec. 21 Detroit Free Press article where McCain told the Free Press editorial board he would “use federal money to make up the salary differences for workers who lose manufacturing jobs and take lower-paying positions while they train for new careers.”

The country has lost 3 million manufacturing jobs under the current administration to outsourcing and other causes, and the U.S. auto industry has been hit vary hard. The Club for Growth release came out as soon as the Free Press article was published, and it calls McCain’s plan “welfare” and pandering to Michigan voters as the Jan. 15 Michigan primary election fast approaches.

“This is exactly the kind of plan you expect to hear from the Democratic candidates, not an alleged economic conservative,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey in the press release. “The government should not be in the business of guaranteeing wages.”

Club for Growth is non-profit political organization with some 40,000 members with a political action committee (PAC) that raises money for conservative candidates who support a “low-tax and limited-government agenda.” The group has a history of backing conservative Republicans even against incumbent moderate Republicans.

Michigan residents are familiar with one of the most well known instances of Club for Growth’s handy work. They pumped thousands of dollars into the campaign of ultra-conservative Tim Walberg in his primary battle in the summer of 2006 against incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz, and the moderate Republican lost his bid for reelection to Walberg in the 7th Congressional District despite Schwarz having the support and endorsement of the state Republican Party Chair and President George Bush

Ironically, Schwarz is now a member of McCain’s Michigan Finance Team that raises money in the sate for McCain.