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Former Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Mich.) was hit with pepper spray while protesting “right to work” legislation outside the Michigan state capitol on Wednesday. “I immediately began to retreat and began to cover my eyes and my mouth,” he told the Battle Creek Enquirer. “It was not good.” Meanwhile, Fox News contributor Steven Crowder was punched repeatedly in an altercation with one protester. Schauer served one term; he beat Rep. Tim Walberg (R) in 2008 only to lose to the former congressman two years later. Tear gas was sprayed at least once, according to the Detroit Free Press. At least two...

LANSING, MI -- Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Mark Schauer this week outlined his plan for K-12 schools, knocked Gov. Rick Snyder's education policies and fired back at Republicans who say he doesn't have a plan for… much of anything, really. Welcome back to Michigan Political Points, my weekly roundup of interesting news, views and YouTubes from the state Capitol and beyond. POLITICS AND PLANS: Schauer, asked about the Republican narrative that he has "no plan" for Michigan's future, called his education proposal "a concrete policy plan" and invited Republicans to read it. "They should have read my proposal to raise the...

<p>DETROIT, MI -- Candidate for governor Mark Schauer plans to announce his running mate in a series of news conferences Thursday.</p> <p>Two Lansing-based news services, Gongwer and MIRS, report that Schauer is expected to name Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown as his candidate for lieutenant governor.</p>

SAGINAW, MI — A group of Saginaw County-area Democrats joined together at Saginaw's Savoy Bar and Grill to endorse Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer. Michael Hanley, chairman of the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners, said he met Schauer in 1996 on the former congressman's first campaign for state representative. "I can't tell you what a strong leader Mark has been since the very beginning," said Hanley at the event Monday, Feb. 24. "He certainly has a great wealth of experience. One thing he has carried with him throughout that entire experience is a strong support for working people." Schauer pledged...

LANSING, MI -- It's official: Former Congressman Mark Schauer is running for Michigan governor. The Battle Creek Democrat announced his candidacy online Tuesday and filed paperwork with the Michigan Secretary of State establishing a candidate committee, Mark Schauer for Governor, which will allow him to begin raising funds as he seeks the party nomination in 2014. He's the first Democrat to declare for the race and is the clear party favorite to challenge first-term Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who has not yet confirmed his own re-election plans but is widely expected to run. "We need a governor who will protect...

........... We know Schauer, having watched him as a state senator and congressman representing Jackson County for a total of eight years. So, at the risk of speculating too much — Schauer has only put out signals he will run — here are sone thoughts on his potential candidacy. — He is a tough campaigner. Schauer singlehandedly rewrote Jackson County's electoral map in 2002 when he comfortably defeated Jackson County politician Mickey Mortimer for the Senate. Schauer did so even though he lived in a different county and was running in a district that narrowly leaned Republican. By the time...

Tuesday’s congressional race between U.S. Rep Mark Schauer and Republican opponent Tim Walberg is more about policy than the people who are running. It is a critical opportunity for voters in our community to express their concerns about policy decisions of the last two years under President Obama. We believe Jackson County voters must send a message to Washington, and that is why we strongly endorse Tim Walberg. Walberg will go to our nation’s capital to fight a left-leaning, spendthrift, socialist agenda and restore fiscal discipline to an out-of-control Democratic Congress. Schauer will continue to support policies that will hurt...

Mark Schauer's earmarks exceeded $55 million.Aware of the national backlash against runaway federal spending, U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer said earmarks he recently requested are aimed at strengthening the local economy. Schauer submitted 42 earmark requests for 2011, totaling $55.1 million for his district, with about $8 million slated for 10 projects in Jackson County.(snipped) Last year, Schauer submitted 41 earmarks, totaling more than $80 million; about $33 million was approved. Of eight earmark requests Schauer made last year for projects in Jackson County, two were approved, and both for substantially less than the amount requested. Schauer said that since he...

Another poll; another Democratic incumbent down big. Just a few days after Reps. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) and Steve Driehaus (D-Ohio) saw themselves trailing by 17 points apiece in polling conducted for a Democratic-leaning blog, a Republican poll shows freshman Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Mich.) down by nine. The National Research Inc. poll, conducted for former Rep. Tim Walberg's (R-Mich.) campaign, has Walberg leading Schauer 46-37, and 50-40 with "leaners." Another, lesser-known Republican, Brian Rooney, trails Schauer 39-31 in the poll. Rooney is the brother of another freshman congressman, Florida's Tom Rooney (R). President Obama is at 48 percent approval in the...

House Democrats have cleared an impasse over abortion that has been holding up a vote on sweeping health care legislation. A vote is expected on Saturday - after President Barack Obama makes a late morning trip to the Capitol to make one final pitch for the legislation. According to Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, he and other abortion opponents will be given a chance to insert tougher abortion restrictions into the legislation during debate on the House floor. The leadership hopes that no matter how that vote turns out, Democrats will then unite to give the health care bill a...

Chris Gautz column: Yes, some were bused in for health-care rally in Jackson last week by Chris Gautz | Jackson Citizen Patriot Tuesday August 18, 2009, 11:46 PM CHRIS GAUTZ Several readers have criticized the Citizen Patriot's coverage of last week's health care rally outside U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer's office, where hundreds came out — both to support and oppose — President Barack Obama's reform plan. The chief criticism was that we failed to mention that some supporters were bused in from around the state. It is true, and it wasn't included in the original story, but not because we...

U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer's decision not to have town hall meeting fuels plans for rallies by Chris Gautz | Jackson Citizen Patriot Sunday August 09, 2009, 10:54 PM Members of Congress across the nation are getting lambasted over health-care reform, and U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer is no exception. Three protests, organized by the Jackson County Republican Party, are scheduled to take place outside his Jackson district office this month. The party's chief complaint is Schauer's decision not to have a town hall meeting this month. Schauer's office maintains he's more than available — he's had 17 town halls in the...

After months on the fence, U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act on Friday that he says will create jobs, reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduce pollution. Republicans say it will destroy jobs, increase our energy bills and is a ticket home for centrist Democrats in the 2010 Congressional elections. Schauer said the bill will help in the investment in clean and renewable energy sources, and will create about 3,600 jobs in the 7th district. "My top priority as a member of Congress is to fight for Michigan jobs,...