U.S. Senate Campaign of Keith Butler (R-MI) Garnering G.O.P. Support

The Hill ^ | July 20, 2005 | Peter Savodnik

[Clintonfatigued]

A growing chorus of Republicans, including former vice-presidential nominee Jack Kemp and Rep. J.C. Watts, is coalescing around Keith Butler (R), a pastor and former Detroit city councilman hoping to beat Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) next year.

And yesterday, Republicans on Capitol Hill, many of whom have been waiting for Domino’s Pizza CEO David Brandon to get into the race, suggested that they are leaning toward Butler.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is an encouraging sign, as Butler has made the right moves so far. But Debbie Stabenow remains the favorite.

[quantim]

This is great. Making national news - it is evident that Stabmenow is a weak candiate (much like the guy she beat) and the RNC and other factors are gearing up.

There is hope that this 'purple' state may become red.

Also, there is MSM talk of Candice going after The GrandStander for gov.

[zbigreddogz]

I'm glad they are starting to gather around Butler. I don't see why some white, bland CEO would be better then him.

I would support a heavyweight over Butler, such as Candice Miller or John Engler, but if we aren't going to get a heavyweight, we need something different, something to shake the race up. Butler's unique experience and style is just what it needs, because I think a vanilla GOP candidate vs. vanilla Stabenow = a loss for the GOP. Butler is not a vanilla guy. He may not win, but I think he's got a better shot then any of the others.

[Republican Wildcat]

Butler can defeat Stabenow by undermining her base in Detroit. Even chipping away a little bit there would doom a Democrat candidate - especially one like Stabenow who isn't exactly a superstar.

[Republican Wildcat]

Keith Butler for U.S. Senate homepage

[Dan from Michigan]

Hopefully, Mr. Brandon won't run for Senate. A CEO candidate will face the same type of faux-populist campaign that Stab fired against Spence Abraham(Establishment Moderate who doesn't have blue collar appeal). Stabenow is not a natural populist and can't sell it as well as Levin, Bonior, or Dingell. She has more appeal to your suburban cultural leftist wing, and that is not as strong here as other dem states. This is still a "Democrats for the workin man" state. Stab knows this, and all her campaign run on this, while keeping her gun grabbing views almost silent and her abortion views only out in targetted mailings to avoid PO'ing the social conservative democrats(largely Catholic). She can't faux-populist Butler as well. He's from inner city Detroit. She's a bureaucrat from Lansing(and didn't work in a GM plant)....but she's for "working families".

Butler's campaign organization (all volunteers) is extremely impressive for being this early. I didn't see anything from the Posthumus campaign until after the Mackinac conference(unofficial kickoff - late September in odd year before election year). He's been all over the state, even the UP and NE Michigan which has a lot of social conservative democrats who voted for Bush.

I don't expect Butler to beat himself, snd keep in mind that Michigan is more conservative in off year elections. EVERY statewide win for us since Bush I in 88 was in an off year. Engler won in 90, 94, and 98. Abraham won in 94. Miller in 94 and 98. Cox and Land in 02. That's because of a lower black turnout. The democrats win and lose Michigan on the black vote(15% of the state's population, and about 90-95% dem). One other advantage is that Granholm doesn't have the black appeal that a populist talking white guy would have(Dingell trounced Lynn Rivers(similar to Stab) with black voters). Keith Butler is our best chance to make inroads with the black vote. The other question is will white voters back him? I hope so, and the response I've seen has been very positive, and in some areas where I was concerned.

Lastly, Keith Butler is far from a token. I think he's our own version of "Bret Schundler" circa 01 here(although more socially conservative and he was city council and not mayor), except that Michigan is socially conservative and fiscally liberal, as opposed to Jersey which is the opposite.

[NeoCaveman]

Stabmenow is an incumbent polling under 50. I like Butler's chances. Although if polling was everything then a bigger name would have jumped in the race.

I'll call this a winnable race, with Stabmenow in the lead.

[Larry Lucido]

The topic of his sermon this past Sunday was The Ten Commandments. When he got to "Thou Shalt Not Steal," the name "Kelo" came up quite a few times. The man pulls no punches.