Posted on 03/08/2005 9:39:18 AM PST by KidGlock
In the race? DeVos steps to line
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
By Steven Harmon
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- Republican activists are just waiting for Dick DeVos to make his final move on the path to running for governor.
The anticipation ratcheted up a notch after DeVos, the former CEO of Alticor, filed paperwork with the state's election office last week to form an exploratory committee.
"At this point, it's a good sign for all of us," said Gary Granger, a Grand Rapids developer and a close acquaintance of DeVos. "At this point, it tells me he's the front-runner ... that he's probably getting ready to make the next step." DeVos formed the committee -- without naming any members -- mainly to make sure any costs that could be seen as campaign-related are legal, said DeVos' spokesman, Rob Minnard.
But the move also can serve to put a brake on other GOP candidates' hopes to challenge Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
"I know he's getting serious about it," said Peter Secchia, a longtime Republican political leader and former U.S. ambassador to Italy. "Is it a message to scare off others or to emphasize his sincerity? It could be both."
DeVos once before considered a run for a statewide office -- the U.S. Senate, in 1989 when he was 33. A month after setting up an exploratory committee, he abruptly ended his bid, with friends saying he didn't want to get involved in a costly and potentially damaging GOP primary.
DeVos, 49, has been cautious in revealing any intent this time, emphasizing he truly is exploring the idea of a campaign.
"I have watched many politicians over the years say that they are exploring when in fact they have already made a decision," DeVos said in a statement Monday. "That is not the case with me."
But, by forming an exploratory committee, he's not leaving himself much room to back out, said Doug Koopman, Calvin College political science professor and former aide to the late Congressman Paul Henry.
"It's a serious step that can only be interpreted that he wants to run," Koopman said.
Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land's name has cropped up as a potential candidate. She was scheduled to meet with DeVos this week.
If DeVos runs for governor, she would not be a likely primary opponent. And the likelihood of challenging U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow would be diminished, given GOP's interest in running someone from the southeast side of the state.
How much support DeVos can get from Southeast Michigan -- particularly Oakland County, which went for Granholm in 2002 -- is one consideration DeVos is weighing.
"They didn't help Dick Posthumus -- he could have won if he had their support," Secchia said. "That's a risk if Southeast doesn't come on board."
Republicans would be foolhardy to resist a DeVos candidacy, said David DiShaw, the chairman of the 3rd Congressional District.
"If we have a candidate who can self-fund, it takes a lot of pressure off those of us who want to" pour resources into a campaign against Stabenow, DiShaw said.
Dick Posthumus, the 2002 GOP gubernatorial nominee and former state senator from northern Kent County, said he was "80 percent sure" he would run after filing his exploratory papers before that campaign began.
"I don't think Dick's made a final decision yet, but he's getting closer," Posthumus said. "That's what this indicates, that he's very close to making a decision."
DeVos has to take a gut check, Secchia said.
"He has to have the fire in the belly," Secchia said. "And his family has to be ready for public exposure."
There's only one hot issue in Michigan, that's the (decades-long) slow fade of industrial jobs, more accurately, auto industry jobs. Among the handful of other issues is taxation and gov't spending. Granholm has been raising (for example) tobacco excise taxes ($1.25 a pack in two years, which is unpopular among those who are, unlike me, unaffected by it) but no one can run against that and win.
One thing we *don't* need is a governor who blames all of Michigan's troubles on the former governor, John Engler, and also who does idiotic things such as wanting to make "cool cities". That pandering move is pure horse dung. We have COLD cities, this is the frost belt. Two consecutive overlong, overwet springs and two consecutive overlong, bitterly cold winters should remind everyone that this isn't Berkeley, which isn't my idea of "cool" anyway.
DeVos will build a grass roots multilevel organization...the organizational structure will look like a pyramid...but DeVos won't call it that. ;-)
Hehe. His diamonds will be the managers.
I think I'll wait for Ted Nugent to run.
Devos, Ted Nugent? Boy, we're talking quality, aren't we.
DeVos plans to wipe out the state's deficit by selling motivational tapes and seminars.
He'll recruit the entire legislature as distributors too.
When you apply for welfare, you get $500 of product inventory and three downline members.
The one-liners are flying.
When you get unemployment, you get a whole free downline and 4 hours of free seminars.
Yeah... Glad I don't have to live there anymore...
Devos, Ted Nugent? Boy, we're talking quality, aren't we.
Yeah... Glad I don't have to live there anymore...
Might as well have Obombus run as a Republican.
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