Today we’re excited to announce that our campaign raised more than $427,000 in the second quarter, which breaks the previous fundraising record we set earlier this year. Combined with the last three quarters when Sen. Schauer outraised incumbent Tim Walberg, we have brought in more than $1.33 million and have more than $928,000 cash on hand.
In this quarter alone, the campaign collected more than 1,100 total contributions, with more than 83 percent of individual contributions from donors in Michigan. With just over 100 days to go before the general election, we have now raised more than our opponent brought in during the entire 2006 election cycle.
Congressman Walberg has done nothing to improve Michigan’s job climate since taking office, but we fully expect him to do whatever it takes to keep his seat in Washington. That’s why it’s so important for us to keep working hard to defend against the impending negative attacks from Walberg’s wealthy donors.
Thanks to everyone in the netroots community for your continued support!
In August of 2006, a man named Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) defeated incumbent Congressman Joe Schwarz (R-Battle Creek) in the Republican primary. Those that live in Michigan's 7th District may remember the vicious primary campaign, in which Walberg– funded by the Club for Growth and other radical right-wing groups– destroyed the name and good work of a dedicated public servant. Schwarz was conservative, but he was honest and hard-working, and was one of the few “good” Republicans left. And Tim Walberg, a former far-right minister, attacked Schwarz without mercy.
A few days after the primary, I started a blog called Walberg Watch. Originally hosted on Blogspot, I wanted to create an online record of Walberg's extreme positions as the 2006 election approached, facing the terribly underfunded Democratic nominee Sharon Renier. Walberg won that election by just four percent, and I found myself with a new blogging mission: following Tim Walberg's adventure through what will hopefully be his only term in the United States House of Representatives.
Over the last two years, a lot has changed, with much of it building toward the re-launch at the new www.WalbergWatch.com. Below the fold, I'd like to walk you through some of the additions to Walberg Watch. I'm excited by what we can accomplish in the next 126 days as we work to bring about better representation. I hope that by the time you're done reading this, you are too.
The Blog
In addition to all of the new features, the original Walberg Watch blog is still up and running, with a new, blue look. I'm still writing about Congressman Walberg's voting record and all the issues of the campaign, and all the other contributors are still more than welcome to post to the new site.
That's not the exciting part. The exciting part is that you can post, too. No, we didn't switch over to Scoop or SoapBlox… that's more work than I'm ready for right now, and we are focused on only one congressional district. So, no diaries for us.
Instead, we've got a nifty form for you to submit your own content. It's not WYSIWYG, but it's got everything you need to start blogging.
Why is this a good idea? It's another level of people-powered politics. I can't tell you how many times readers have left comments saying things like, “Fitzy, why aren't you writing about X?” or “I was at Walberg's town hall and he said…” This is the perfect medium for sharing your thoughts and your stories. Let's face it, I'm not always on top of things. I miss votes, I miss stories, and sometimes, I'm just plain busy. If you're not satisfied with my blogging, or you just want to help out, this is hwo you do it! There is a slight delay, because I'll check over each post before it goes online to prevent spam.
This system can work on so many levels, and it's probably the part that I'm the most excited about. Suppose you're just an ordinary reader, but you just got back from a campaign event with Mark Schauer and you're really excited. Tell us about it! Suppose you're a well-respected Michigan blogger who, in addition to running a major Michigan blog, regularly posts items about Congressman Tim Walberg. Disappointed that Walberg Watch hasn't linked to you yet? Do it yourself!
Anything that you submit through this form will be posted to the Walberg Watch blog under the “Guest Blogger” user, and you'll be credited at the top of the post.
Video – Ours and Theirs
The written word can say so much, but sometimes, hours and hours of blogging could be summed up so much more simply with a few simple images and a little audio. That's why Walberg Watch now features a Media Center, which will be the center of 7th District-related media. We already have included every video created by the Schauer campaign and have added the 2006 campaign ad from Sharon Renier and the independently-produced videos from the 2006 and 2008 cycles. As more are created, they'll be added. As Congressman Walberg begins to advertise, I'll be working to include all of that as well.
But it's not just going to be copying other people's work. I'm entering the exciting (and slightly frightening) world of video myself, with weekly Walberg Watch videos. Here are the first two:
Like the blogging above, I'm more than open to adding more content produced by readers as well. Think you can make better videos than I can? Well, I agree, and I'd love to see them!
Campaign Calendar
There's no better way to judge a person by actually showing up and listening to what he or she has to say. I've seen Tim Walberg up close, and you should to. It'll give you a clear idea of what a smooth talking, career politician with a radical agenda looks like.
And what about Mark Schauer and Sharon Renier? We've got two Democratic candidates and a primary just over a month away. Sure, you could read their positions on the issues (here and here), but why not ask them questions in person, too?
We've got the answer for that in our Calendar page. Upcoming candidate events are conveniently listed, and there's a handy map which shows where candidates are going and where they've been
Go, ask Tim Walberg the tough questions! Get to know Mark Schauer and Sharon Renier. And remember, Walberg Watch is always there for the latest updates.
Online Resources
It's not just enough for people like me to type away at a keyboard all day. There are a lot of voters in the 7th District that don't know much about Walberg, or are dissatisfied but aren't yet sure about his potential replacements. It's going to take a lot of hard work to unseat Congressman Walberg, which is where you have to come in. Luckily for you, I've got some things that could help out.
At our new Action page, we're compiling all sorts of resources that will help you talk with friends and neighbors about their representative. There's Tim Walberg's voting record, and, coming soon, a printable document outlining what a progressive Democrat representing the district would do differently. There's information on how to register to vote (or how to register others), plus important deadlines. We can show you where to go if you want to contribute to or volunteer with a Democratic campaign in the 7th District, and you can sign up for weekly updates and e-mail action items (which start going out next week).
What kind of action items would those be? We'll be sending out suggested topics for letters to the editor and issues for letter-writing campaigns to Tim Walberg. And, of course, we'll be providing resources for making your letters even better, too.
Organize!
The new and improved Walberg Watch is more than just a new domain (www.walbergwatch.com). Following a reader suggestion, I created a Walberg Watch page on PartyBuilder, the social networking site hosted by the Democratic National Committee.
Why is that a good thing? Through PartyBuilder, you can connect with like-minded voters who are as eager as you are to elect someone new. Coming from Lenawee County (and just a short drive away from Tim Walberg himself), I can tell you that for some of us, it can be kind of lonely being a Democrat. There's nothing that energizes you more than learning that you're not alone!
But “connect” is such a vague term. What does that actually mean? Using PartyBuilder tools, it could mean organizing a letter-writing campaign to voice your opinions to Tim Walberg. It could mean coordinating efforts to write letters to the editor in area newspapers. It could mean organizing independent canvassing in more remote parts of the district.
The best part is, any organizing can be done independently of Walberg Watch itself. That's the power of grassroots energy and people-powered campaigning.
That image, of course, is a little out of date… we now have five members, not just one, and I'm hoping to see many more join as I promote the page over the coming weeks.
What YOU Can Do
Hopefully, by now, you're as excited as I am. If you're a voter in Michigan's 7th Congressional District, and even if you're not, here are five steps you can take today:
Visit Walberg Watch. I'm eager to show off the new look, and to discover technical bugs. Since I'm not a web designer and did the upgrade myself, the new site is a mix of Blogger, Google Page Creator, customized HTML, and a little bit of PHP I had to pick up. I've been fighting bugs for a week and hopefully have found most of them, but I could use your help in finding whatever is left.
Update your blogrolls. The new location dropped us off the map for Google searches, so if you're currently linking to the old Blogspot page, updating that link will help a great deal. (If you're not already linking to us… well, why not?)
Sign up for e-mail updates. You, too, can get the latest on Tim Walberg and action that can help end his time in Washington.
Join our PartyBuilder page. Connect with other Democrats and help come up with ideas for advancing progressivism in the heart of southern Michigan.
Blog!Start writing about why Tim Walberg needs to go, and help make Walberg Watch a better resource for everyone.
Thank you very much for your time. I hope to see all of you over at Walberg Watch sometime soon!
The end of the first quarter brings news that bodes well for Democrats in Michigan. Congressional challengers Mark Schauer (MI-07) and Gary Peters (MI-09), both considered top contenders on the Red-To-Blue list, have ended the quarter with impressive fundraising totals.
Peters’ campaign reports that it raised over $346,000 for the first quarter, reaching roughly $748,000 total for the cycle. Furthermore, in sharp contrast to the GOP’s reliance on large-scale wealthy donors and multinational corporations, 90% of Peters’ donations came from within the Wolverine State, and 94% came from individuals. Nearly 2,000 individual contributors signed on by the end of the quarter, reinforcing the growing power of small donations from individuals via the Internet, a trend that will undoubtedly shape elections going forward.
Schauer’s numbers reflect a similar trend, as his campaign announced that it has raised more than $326,000 in the quarter, and more than $900,000 total to date. 86% of that total came from in-state donors, and, during this quarter, the campaign saw 1,000 new individuals contribute.
Always encouraging to hear news like this, especially from districts in a crucial swing state!
It’s not uncommon for congressional leaders to steer fundraising assistance to party candidates who are in difficult races and in need of extra campaign cash. One such effort is the House Republicans’ “ROMP,” an acronym for Regain Our Majority Program, which has released its latest list of Republican candidates who will benefit from additional aid because they are politically vulnerable and/or have been targeted by the Democrats for defeat.
“ROMP 2008,” presently overseen by the political operation of House Minority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio, was recently established in papers filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). These records identify the 10 newest recipients of the program’s assistance.
These candidates make up the first batch of ROMP candidates named this year, and the third since the current election cycle began in the 2007-08 cycle. The new recipients’ election contests are outlined below.
7/10 of the candidates were incumbents we ousted in the last election cycle.
• Michele Bachmann , Minnesota’s 6th District (North and east Twin Cities suburbs; St. Cloud). Bachmann was first elected in 2006 to succeed Republican Mark Kennedy, who lost his campaign for the U.S. Senate to Democrat Amy Klobuchar . The Democratic nominee for November’s election will be either Bob Olson, a lawyer, or Elwyn Tinklenberg, a former state transportation commissioner. The latter candidate initially campaigned for the Democratic nomination in 2006 but later deferred to Patty Wetterling, a child safety advocate who lost to Bachmann after also losing as the Democratic nominee against Kennedy in 2004.
• Vito J. Fossella , New York’s 13th (Staten Island; part of southwest Brooklyn). Fossella is the only House Republican who represents part of New York City. He saw his re-election percentage drop from 70 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in 2004, and then again to 57 percent in 2006 even though Democratic challenger Steve Harrison didn’t raise much money. Harrison, a lawyer, is seeking a rematch, though he faces a well-funded primary opponent in New York City Councilman Domenic Recchia.
• Sam Graves , Missouri’s 6th (Northwest – St. Joseph, part of Kansas City). Graves’ campaign for a fifth term may well be the toughest of his career. His Democratic opponent, former Kansas City mayor Kay Barnes, is well-known and well-funded.
• Ric Keller , Florida’s 8th (Central – most of Orlando). Keller won a fourth term in 2006 by a 7 percentage-point margin over Democrat Charlie Stuart, a marketing executive who is one of several Democrats seeking the 2008 nomination.
• Anne M. Northup, Kentucky’s 3rd (Louisville Metro). Northup, who served in the House from 1997 through 2006, is challenging Democratic freshman Yarmuth, who unseated her by a margin of less than 3 percentage points. Northup hadn’t planned a bid to reclaim her seat this year, but she jumped in after the Republican she had been backing, lawyer Erwin Roberts, dropped out of the race to fulfill his military obligations. Northup sought a quick political comeback last year but lost a primary challenge to then-Gov. Ernie Fletcher, who subsequently lost the general election to Democrat Steve Beshear.
• Erik Paulsen, Minnesota’s 3rd (Hennepin County suburbs – Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Plymouth). Paulsen, a state representative, is the presumed Republican nominee in this suburban Minneapolis district, which retiring Republican Jim Ramstad is giving up after nine terms. The Democratic nominee will either be state Sen. Terri Bonoff or Ashwin Madia, a lawyer and Iraq War veteran.
• Bill Sali , Idaho’s 1st (West – Nampa, Panhandle, part of Boise). The strong Republican leanings of this district are indisputable, as President Bush took 68 percent of the vote there in his 2004 election. But Sali underperformed in his 2006 election for the then-open 1st District seat, in which he defeated Democrat Larry Grant by the underwhelming vote of 50 percent to 45 percent. Grant is seeking the 2008 Democratic nomination along with Walt Minnick, a businessman who lost as the party’s losing Senate nominee against Republican Larry E. Craig in 1996. Sali is opposed in the May 27 Republican primary election by Matt Salisbury, an Iraq War veteran.
• Jean Schmidt , Ohio’s 2nd (Eastern Cincinnati and suburbs; Portsmouth). Schmidt, who is seeking a second full term in a district that usually exhibits strong Republican leanings, faces a rematch of her exceptionally close 2006 race against Democratic physician Victoria Wulsin. Schmidt won that contest by a margin of about 1 percentage point. In the primary elections that took place March 4, Schmidt was renominated with 57 percent of the Republican vote and Wulsin won with 58 percent on the Democratic side.
• Tim Walberg , Michigan’s 7th (South central – Battle Creek, Jackson). Walberg, a freshman, was elected in 2006 over Democrat Sharon Renier, a little-known and underfunded Democrat who lost by just 4 percentage points. The unexpectedly close outcome was influenced by a bitter Republican primary fight in which the very conservative Walberg unseated one-term GOP moderate Joe Schwarz. Renier is running again this year, though Democratic officials are rallying behind state Sen. Mark Schauer, a better-known and better-funded candidate.
• Darren White, New Mexico’s 1st (Central – Albuquerque). White is the sheriff of Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque and which is the population base of a politically competitive district that Republican Heather A. Wilson left open to pursue a U.S. Senate bid. White is opposed in the June 3 primary by state Sen. Joseph Carraro. The four Democratic primary candidates are Michelle Grisham, a former state health secretary; Martin Heinrich, a former Albuquerque councilman; Robert L. Pidcock, a lawyer; and Rebecca Vigil-Giron, a former New Mexico Secretary of State.
I would also like to note that Walberg’s fellow GOP Congressman, Joe Knollenberg (MI-09), also voted against H.R. 5351. Republicans. Argh!
At some point this week, Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to make an appearance in a suburb of Battle Creek to raise funds for Rep. Tim Walberg. It's no surprise that these two Republicans will share the stage; just a few short days ago, Walberg voted “nay” to the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act (H.R. 5351), a bill that would lower gas prices and reduce American dependence on oil from the Middle East. Why on earth would a congressman from Michigan, a state whose economy has been especially wounded by the wrongheaded policies of the Bush administration, vote against the economic interests of his constituents? For the same reason that GOP congresspersons cheat their constituents every time; money. And apparently, ExxonMobil is one of the prominent contributors to Walberg's campaign.
Walberg is a textbook example of what the Republican party has become; he hoodwinked his constituents into voting for him by getting them all worked up over the social/religious issues. Once he entered Congress, he became a shill for Big Oil and other moneyed interests, at the expense of the people he is supposed to represent. So, I certainly hope that Cheney's visit to Michigan serves as a giant motivator . . . for progressives to donate to Mark Schauer's campaign, so that the residents of the 7th District can actually be, you know, represented.
Walberg Watch, which covers Michigan’s 7th Congressional District and the far-right Congressman Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) is excited to announce the first of (hopefully) many candidate interviews. Who’s first? Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek).
Mark Schauer, a resident of Battle Creek, currently serves as the Senate Democratic Leader. He also serves as the Democratic Vice Chair for the Senate Government Operations and Reform Committee and as a member of the Campaigns and Election Oversight Committee. Before being elected to the State Senate, he served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Prior to serving in the State House, he was a Battle Creek City Commissioner. Sen. Schauer also previously served as the Coordinator for the Calhoun County Human Services Coordinating Council; Executive Director of the Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan; and as Urban Planner for the Calhoun County Planning Department.
As a state legislator for nearly 10 years, Mark has been a consistent advocate for quality and safe schools, early childhood development and investing in prevention, job training and economic development, and access to health care. He has also worked hard to provide neighborhood and community safety through community-oriented policing, to protect consumers and small businesses, and to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
His community involvement includes Food Bank of South Central Michigan; Habitat for Humanity; Urban League of Battle Creek; Chambers of Commerce; and Lifespan and Kids ‘n’ Stuff board of directors.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University and a Masters Degree in Political Science from Michigan State University where he is also all-but-dissertation in Political Science & Urban Studies. He is married to Christine and has three stepchildren.
If you have any questions for Senator Schauer about his career, his candidacy, or Congressman Tim Walberg, leave them in the comments. Just remember, I won’t be asking him anything like “When did you stop beating your wife?” If you really want your question to be answered, make sure it’s a serious, fair question.
All four announced Democratic candidates– Jim Berryman, David Nacht, Sharon Renier, and Mark Schauer– have been approached or have contacted Walberg Watch about doing interviews. Each is at a different stage of preparation, but I look forward to speaking with all of the candidates.
Two weeks ago, Michigan Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) expressed an interest in joining the field of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination against far-right incumbent Congressman Tim Walberg (R-Tipton). After two weeks of rumors and discussions of his possible candidacy comes this news out of Michigan’s 7th District, from the AP:
LANSING, Mich. (AP) – State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer said Thursday he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg in the 2008 election after declining earlier overtures to enter the race.
“Tim Walberg is not doing the job,” Schauer told The Associated Press on Thursday. “He is serving a very narrow interest. He’s really been a servant of the Bush-Cheney administration and the extreme special interests in Washington.”
I heard the news early this afternoon. Around 2 PM I received a phone call, and 45 minutes later, Senator Schauer visited Walberg Watch, the blog I started to cover the race. He wanted to discuss his decision with me, my fellow bloggers, and the readers of the blog.
Read what Senator Schauer had to say and more in the extended entry…
Today I created a committee to become a candidate for the 7th Congressional district. I did so because Tim Walberg is the wrong person for this district, and he’s not working for us in Washington. And I did so because I believe that my passion for public service can make a real difference in Washington for the people and issues I care about.
As you’ve noted in thorough detail on this site, Walberg continually obeys the extreme Republican agenda in DC, instead of the practical views of the constituents who depend on him. He has voted against a minimum wage increase, but for privatizing social security. He opposed expanding health care to more than 4 million uninsured kids, and he refused to support recommendations from the 9/11 commission that would help keep us safe. He didn’t have a problem putting out a press release claiming credit for critical local funding, but couldn’t bring himself to actually vote for the bill.
The people of the 7th district deserve better.
I’ve always put my community first and done whatever it takes to make sure we get results for south central Michigan, so I won’t stand for anyone who abandons our district time and time again. I will continue serving as state Senate Democratic Leader and fight to the finish the effort to put Michigan on sound financial footing for the future. In fact, the encouragement I’ve received and support I’ve been offered from my constituents, friends and colleagues is what makes this effort possible. I also owe so much to my amazing wife, Christine, and my understanding family for being willing to accept the sacrifices that this kind of undertaking will require.
With that said, I believe I am the strongest candidate to take this seat back from Tim Walberg. No one will work harder than me, and no one will knock more doors than I will. When the national Republican machine kicks in to try to save this seat, I’ll take them on and win because I have a history of building the kind of broad, bipartisan coalitions necessary to win in tough Republican districts. My experience raising the level of funds a race like this demands will make sure we can stay competitive with the deep pockets of the Club for Growth and others.
There are honorable public servants and friends who have also expressed interest in this race. I have a great deal of respect for each one of them, and I’ll work hard to make sure we all come together to achieve our shared goal – replacing this incumbent. I have a proven track record of bringing people together, and that’s what I would do with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans in this district, because one thing the current Congressman doesn’t seem to understand is that this job means you represent everyone. You’re not there just for the folks who think exactly like you do, or the special interests that fund your campaign, or George W. Bush and his cronies in DC. The interests of the district, the state and the nation come first.
Thanks again for all that you do and all you’re going to do throughout this campaign. Your great research and the time you spend raising awareness of the importance of this race and the failures of the incumbent are not going unnoticed. I plan to be a regular visitor to this site and look forward to working together to return this seat to the people of the 7th district.
Here’s more from that AP article:
Schauer filed paperwork to run in the 7th District, which includes parts of seven counties in south-central Michigan. It has been targeted by Democrats because Walberg, of Tipton, failed to capture 50 percent of the vote in last year’s election.
Schauer, who had pledged to Senate Democrats to serve out his full four-year term as minority leader through 2010, said he will keep being the Democratic leader while running for Congress. He said he changed his mind about running after being approached by both rank-and-file constituents and party leaders.
The push by others for him to join the race “almost became deafening,” Schauer said.
Three other Democrats have already either filed or announced their intention to challenge Tim Walberg– former state Senator Jim Berryman, attorney David Nacht, and 2004 and 2006 nominee Sharon Renier. Nacht out-raised Walberg in the second quarter, at $160,000, and Berryman made raised a respectable $55,000.
Schauer becomes the only candidate to announce that is from the western half of the district, which includes Battle Creek, the district’s largest city. Berryman and Walberg are from Lenawee County, Nacht is from Washtenaw County, at the edge of the district, and Renier is from Munith, just east of Jackson. At this point, it’s not clear what role geography might play in the primary or general election.
This was already a top-tier race before Senator Schauer’s announcement. Now, we have four announced candidates, all of whom have a great shot at winning next fall.
State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer said Thursday he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg in the 2008 election after declining earlier overtures to enter the race.
“Tim Walberg is not doing the job,” Schauer told The Associated Press on Thursday. “He is serving a very narrow interest. He’s really been a servant of the Bush-Cheney administration and the extreme special interests in Washington.” […]
Schauer, who had pledged to Senate Democrats to serve out his full four-year term as minority leader through 2010, said he will keep being the Democratic leader while running for Congress. He said he changed his mind about running after being approached by both rank-and-file constituents and party leaders.
The push by others for him to join the race “almost became deafening,” Schauer said. […}
Schauer is seen as a strong candidate by Democrats because he is known as a vigorous campaigner and almost all of his state Senate seat is located within the 7th District – giving him a base of support.
Schauer is a big name in Michigan politics, and his state Senate seat is based in Battle Creek, the heart of the 7th district. Walberg, as you may recall, rode a wave of hard-right support from the Club For Growth to defeat sitting congressman Joe Schwarz in the Republican primary in 2006. With only token Democratic opposition, Walberg scored a win that November, but snagged just shy of 50% of the vote against Democrat Sharon Renier.
With Schauer, an aggressive campaigner, in the picture, Walberg won’t be nearly so lucky in 2008. While he faces a primary with former state Senator Jim Berryman, lawyer David Nacht, and Renier, Schauer has to be considered the front-runner.
This race just skyrocketed up the list of potential House Democratic pick-ups in 2008.
You can read Schauer’s full press release over at Michigan Liberal.
(From the diaries with light editing for formatting. A Mark Schauer candidacy would immediately make this race into a knock-down, top tier contest. Schauer has a solid base in the heart of the district and a strong resume as Minority Leader in the State Senate. I hope he tosses his hat into the ring. – promoted by James L.)
State Senator Mark Schauer, a Battle Creek Democrat, was mentioned quite a bit last fall and early this year as a potential candidate for Congress in the 7th District. He's been a fantastic party leader in the legislature, supporting the netroots and working to solve the Michigan budget crisis. His name was even tossed around by supporters of Joe Schwarz in 2006 as a reason not to vote for Tim Walberg, suggesting that Walberg in 2006 would inevitably lead to a Schauer victory in 2008.
Schauer and his staff quashed most speculation this spring, promising to stay on as leader of the Democratic caucus in the Senate until the end of his term in 2010. Most observers– including journalist Jack Lessenberry— thought he would have been a formidable candidate, but Schauer seemed determined to sit this election out.
But all of that might be changing.
For those that don't recall, Michigan's 7th District is currently represented by far-right wing Congressman Tim Walberg. Walberg is one of those conservatives who opposes little things, like taxes and the separation of church and state. He defeated the well-respected moderate Congressman Joe Schwarz (a Republican also from Battle Creek) in a very nasty primary funded mostly by the Club for Growth.
But back to Mark Schauer. Starting last night, I started hearing rumors that Schauer might be reconsidering his previous decision. Then the subscription-only MIRS News service reported that Schauer would contact Jim Berryman and David Nacht sometime today to let them know whether or not he would “seriously consider” running in 2008. Then the AP picked it up:
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, may challenge U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg in the 2008 election after brushing off earlier overtures to enter the race.
Schauer, who had pledged to Senate Democrats to serve out his full four-year term through 2010, said Wednesday he is discussing a bid for Congress with family, colleagues and constituents before making a “final decision.”
“I would bring the same commonsense, results-oriented approach to this role as I have to my entire career in public service,” Schauer, 45, said in a statement.
Schauer said it had become “painfully clear that Tim Walberg cares more about what's best for Republican leadership in Washington than what's best for Michigan's 7th district. […]
Former Rep. Joe Schwarz, R-Battle Creek, said Wednesday he spoke to Schauer earlier in the day and the state senator told him “he was looking at” the congressional race. Schwarz said Schauer did not indicate when he would make a final decision.
Schwarz, who was defeated by Walberg in last year's Republican primary, said he had not made a decision on whether he would re-seek his old congressional seat.
Schwarz, a physician, is chairing a task force on health care needs in southeast Michigan and said he would not announce any plans on the congressional race until his task force releases a report in September.
The plot thickens further with Michigan Liberal's lpackard's discovery that the domain schauerforcongress.com has been registered.
I've been following this all day today with e-mails and phone calls to a bunch of different people, and this is what I've got: Schauer has not announced whether or not he'll run, and likely hasn't made a final decision. As is suggested by the article above, we're now in a period where he may be watching to see what kind of support he may have. “Testing the waters,” as it were.
In other words, if you want Mark Schauer to run for Congress, now would be the time to let him know about it.
UPDATE: Apparently, MIRS is reporting that a DCCC poll conducted showed Schauer leading Walberg by three percent, and by eight percent when positives and negatives of each are read.
Anyone following the run-up to the 2008 election in Michigan’s 7th district can be glad to know that a serious contender has emerged. I have heard that David Nacht has raised $155,000 this past quarter. This is exactly what this race needs, a real challenger who can generate excitement and support. Through his actions and words, Tim Walberg has proven that the 7th district is a winnable district for Democrats in ’08. Nacht’s ability to raise money puts him in a strong position to challenge Walberg. Nacht not only has the ability to raise money, but he has also worked for John Glenn, gaining DC experience, and successfully unseated a Republican township board, showing his ability to build and sustain grassroots support. Fundraising success, grassroots support, and practical experience all serve as a great foundation for making a successful run at Congress. If you are looking for more information on David Nacht, check out his website, www.nacht4congress.com.
Today we’re excited to announce that our campaign raised more than $427,000 in the second quarter, which breaks the previous fundraising record we set earlier this year. Combined with the last three quarters when Sen. Schauer outraised incumbent Tim Walberg, we have brought in more than $1.33 million and have more than $928,000 cash on hand.
