Free Republic

Tim Walberg was sent home from Congress two years ago when Mark Schauer was swept into office with the help of a strong Democratic wave. But the tide turned against the Democrats nationally Tuesday, and voters sent Walberg — along with a majority of House Republicans — back to Washington. Several hundred enthusiastic Walberg supporters burst into thunderous applause when the Tipton Republican addressed them late Tuesday night. “It has been a tough-fought battle as you might have noticed. It’s been well watched, it’s been well-spent and financed,” Walberg said. “But we won.” The 7th Congressional District was one of...

Updated: Tuesday, 02 Nov 2010, 8:00 PM EDT Published : Tuesday, 02 Nov 2010, 8:00 PM EDT GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Rick Snyder, the self-proclaimed "One Tough Nerd," is projected to become Michigan's next governor over Democrat Virg Bernero. Republican Snyder will take over as the state's 48th governor when he succeeds Jennifer Granholm in January. A two-term governor, Granholm was unable to run again for the office due to term limits.

Former President Bill Clinton praised Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero as a top urban leader during a Sunday campaign appearance in Detroit, but his speech to mostly committed Democrats seemed unlikely to make a difference in a race where independents appear to favor Bernero’s opponent. Bernero, mayor of Lansing the past five years, has been trailing Republican businessman Rick Snyder among independents and Republican voters in polls leading up to the Nov. 2 election. Clinton told about 500 people at Detroit’s Renaissance High School that Bernero was the only candidate with an economic plan to turn around Michigan’s battered economy, and...

Headline on Drudge: Clinton plays to half-empty high school gym.

In the aftermath of the very close MI01 Republican primary, won by Dan Benishek of Crystal Falls by 15 votes, several things have transpired that has tested the friendships and trust of tea party members and patriots, and the movement itself. Glenn Wilson, a self-proclaimed independent, has entered the first district race and has co-opted former leadership of the tea party movement. In a Politico article Wilson is cited as being, “backed by several tea party groups.” When in reality, he has hired the former leader of the Petoskey Tea Party and has the support of disgruntled libertarians. Rich Carlson...

The tight Republican primary in retiring Rep. Bart Stupak's northern Michigan district is finally decided. State Sen. Jason Allen, the second place finisher by 15 votes, decided not to ask for a recount Saturday night. "Over the last few months we had a spirited campaign and I am truly humbled by the support I have received across the first Congressional district," Allen said in a news release. "This past week I have been speaking to Republican leaders across the state, my supporters and most importantly my family, to determine the best course of action. As a result of those conversations,...

One of the most annoying things for me has been the fact that every time a vote has been held in congress in the past, the top half of Michigan would be shown in blue on a congressional vote map, along with the Detroit area. If anything, the top half of Michigan is more like the nation’s south, than it is like the state’s southeast. We are resourceful, tolerant people who have finally had enough. I live in the First District of Michigan, and am involved in the primary elections which are quickly approaching, next Tuesday. There is one Democrat...

President Obama has returned to a theme he used effectively during the 2008 campaign: politics is too divisive; name-calling isn't helpful; labeling people doesn't solve problems. In his commencement address to University of Michigan graduates last Saturday, the president said, "We've got politicians calling each other all sorts of unflattering names. Pundits and talking heads shout at each other. The media tends to play up every hint of conflict, because it makes for a sexier story -- which means anyone interested in getting coverage feels compelled to make the most outrageous comments." All true. In our 2008 book, "Common Ground:...

Abolish Michigan’s criminal/felony child support laws! A National plea goes out to Boycott Michigan Business (see list below)as an effort is under way to stop Michigan from prosecuting its citizens with Criminal felony’s con-victions for child support. The State of Michigan is convicting its citizens with felony, child support charges and sending them to prison for up to 4-years at the expense of taxpayers. The majority of these people are non-violent, low income citizens who can’t afford attorneys.

State Sen. Jason Allen is joining a very crowded Republican field for this August’s First District congressional primary. “He going to get in it,” said Allen’s Chief of Staff Norm Saari Friday, who added that the necessary paperwork to form a campaign committee and start raising money should be filed by “early next week ... hopefully it’s Monday.” Allen, who had previously been eyed as a potential Lieutenant Governor candidate this fall, became the subject of Republican speculation as a potential candidate within a just a few days of Rep. Bart Stupak’s announcement that he would retire from Congress.

After selling out, Rep. Bart Stupak is walking out. The Michigan Democrat who tried to pass himself off as pro-life announced Friday that he no longer seeks re-election. It's understandable that Mr. Stupak is unwilling to face voters in his working-class Upper Peninsula district after casting a decisive vote in favor of a nationalized health care plan that would allow, with the stroke of the president's pen, millions of abortions at public expense. Many other Democrats have called it quits. Mr. Stupak is the 12th of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's disciples to announce retirement. In the upper chamber, Sens. Ted...

Dr Dan Benishek who appeared on the Hannity show in Battle Creek Mich

Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan, who played a central role with fellow anti-abortion Democrats in negotiating a compromise in the final hours of the health care debate, intends to announce today that he is not seeking re-election, a senior party official confirmed.

He might not have planned it that way, but the timing of Rep. Bart Stupak's (D-Mich.) retirement announcement will send it into the annals of tea party history. Local groups and the national Tea Party Express had battered Stupak all week, holding rallies and running an estimated $250,000 of TV ads against the congressman.

C-SPAN Live Stream LIVE Video C-SPAN offers gavel to gavel coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives. C-SPAN also offers a variety of public affairs programming including congressional hearings, press briefings from the White House, State Department and Pentagon, campaign and election coverage, and international programming.

Our own Dr. Dan Benishek is running for congress against Bart Stupak. He is scheduled for an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox Thursday night.

During the height of our conflict in Iraq, Brian Rooney’s public service didn’t mean talking - it meant fighting as a United States Marine. It meant hard service in the Iraqi desert and infamous kill zones like Fallujah and Najaf. Brian Rooney has spent his life doing the right thing for this country: defending our freedom on the battlefield, and defending our conservative values in the courtroom. Now, Brian wants to take that fighting spirit where we need it most - to Congress. Brian Rooney was born into a famous football family. His grandfather, Art Rooney, founded one of...

Here's away to contribute to Dr. Benishek's Campaign run against Bart Stupak. This is a money bomb.

I had an opportunity last night to spend 30 minutes on the phone with a very impressive GOP candidate for the MI-1 Congressional seat currently held by Bart Stupak. Yes, THAT Bart Stupak, who other than his 2nd Amendment credentials and former pro-life stance has not had all that much in common with his district. Dan Benishek filed and announced his candidacy March 15. It seems he knew Stupak better than some of us did. Six days later, he suddenly found his phone and his Facebook page going crazy, the very minute Stupak made his fateful announcement on national TV....

Benishek, who has never run for office, doesn’t have a campaign Web site (for now, a Facebook page that has increased from 700 to 14,000 followers will do) or staff for that matter (his wife is taking press calls while he searches for a campaign manager). But by late last night, the RNC had stepped in and set up a PayPal account for him so he could raise money online. “I didn’t have an online way to get any money, so they were all upset with me. But I got something up finally late last night and I don’t know,...