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U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer said today he plans to vote in favor of health-care reform. The freshman Democratic Congressman had been undecided in the weeks leading up to the vote, but made his decision after the Congressional Budget Office released its estimates that the bill will reduce the deficit by $130 billion over 10 years. “ I needed to see the bill and the Congressional Budget Office score,” Schauer told the Citizen Patriot in an exclusive interview. “The bill fundamentally does what I hoped it would.”

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...

A lively three-way Republican primary is taking shape in Michigan, where attorney Brian Rooney, who made his candidacy official on Thursday, is running against former Rep. Tim Walberg and rancher-real estate investor Marvin Carlson. The winner of the GOP primary will face Rep. Mark Schauer next November. The prospect of taking on Democrat Schauer is pretty inviting to Republicans in the 7th District, which includes the cities of Battle Creek and Jackson. Another GOP prospect has been considering getting in the race, too -- Bill Martin, CEO of the Michigan Association of Realtors. However, sources on the ground say Martin...

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...

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...

Walberg for Congress For Immediate Release: July 14, 2009 Tim Walberg Announces for U.S. House “I trust the American people, while Mark Schauer trusts big government” Tipton, MI- Tim Walberg today announced he is running for the U.S. House of Representatives. “The people of south central Michigan are hard working, entrepreneurial and care deeply for their community, but are struggling mightily due to excessive government spending, recent tax increases, and a big government that is squashing hope and economic opportunities,” said Walberg "I cannot sit idly while Congressman Schauer votes to raise taxes, spend trillions we don’t have and bring...

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,...

WASHINGTON -- Former Republican Rep. Joe Schwarz, who railed against an anti-tax group's role in his unsuccessful 2006 primary, endorsed Democrat Mark Schauer on Tuesday because the organization targeted the congressional challenger. Schwarz told The Associated Press in an interview that he decided to endorse Schauer over Republican Rep. Tim Walberg in the south-central Michigan congressional district because the anti-tax Club for Growth began running ads critical of Schauer's positions on taxes.... Schauer, the state Senate's Democratic leader, supported tax increases in 2007 to balance the state budget and backed Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposed 2 percent sales tax on...

Sharon Renier is back in the race for Michigan's 7th Congressional District seat. She lost to state Senate Democratic Leader Mark Schauer of Battle Creek in that party's primary election in August for the seat now held by Tipton Republican Tim Walberg.