A Joe Schwarz independent gubernatorial run could hurt Republicans

MLive ^ | 1-30-09 | Susan Demas

[Darren McCarty]

Less than four years ago, U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz was huddled in his war room at Schuler's pub in Marshall awaiting the results of his GOP primary election against Tim Walberg.
......

Schwarz went on to lose that 2006 race and returned to practicing medicine in Battle Creek. But after spending three decades in public service, he never gave up the ghost and served on a host of blue ribbon panels, including the Pentagon-appointed commission investigating the conditions at Walter Reed.

Now he's flirting with running for governor again after an unsuccessful campaign in 2002. This time, he would run as an independent, as he's disgusted by the partisanship and paralysis in Lansing. Schwarz said he will decide by March.
....
On Off the Record this week, I asked Weiser, who's now Michigan GOP chair, about a Schwarz candidacy and he was unconcerned. He also maintained that it would hurt Republicans and Democrats equally.

That seems hard to believe, given Schwarz's status as a former Republican leader. And obviously some conservatives are so incensed and threatened by him that they'll scribble diatribes against him, declaring that Democrats are a better alternative to the good doctor.

There's also this poll from the Rossman Group/Denno Noor in November, showing that a whopping 54 percent of voters said they'd be willing to vote for a viable independent.....

[Impy]

Really!

Yeah really. Several freepers have made that determination. You seem fixated an the idea that Cahill, a rat, would leave the rat party and run as an indie to help Patrick win, which is rather ridiculous. He's running for Governor because he wants to be Governor. Now he may if elected be a lousy Gov that's certainly possible. But certainly no more lousy than the worthless RINOs running would be and as an added bonus since he's not a Republican the GOP wouldn't get any blame if he sucks.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Baker-Tikei reminds me of a merging of Slick Willard and Pat Guerrero, Jane Swift’s running mate in ‘02. Been there, done that. Fail. Time for a change. Cahill wants to be a non-partisan Indy Governor with a focus on fiscal sanity not hemmed in by a corrupt party and a dead party. His election would be in keeping with Baker’s. Amazing to think MA could finally be showing some signs of life after being a stinking cesspool/political backwater for so long. As was said, Cahill might be another failure, or he might be the best Governor since Ed King.