Talking Michigan Politics

Matt McLogan, vice president of university relations at GVSU, joins Grand Rapids Press political editor Jeff Cranson on this week's Talking Michigan Politics. recorded at One Trick Pony in downtown Grand Rapids. Thanks to proprietor Dan Verhil. The topics include: 1. The race for governor. A poll out Tuesday (PDF) from Lansing-based EPIC MRA confirms that the Democratic field has a ways to go in capturing interest, let alone excitement. Some 72 percent of those polled said they don't recognize the name of Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, and 53 percent don't recognize House Speaker Andy Dillon who was preparing a run for months before sending more obvious signs upon Lt. Gov. John Cherry's departure from the race. In the poll, Dillon leads Dems with 22 percent, followed by Bernero with 15 percent and the candidate in the field the longest time, state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith of suburban Ann Arbor, with 11 percent. On the GOP side, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland continues to lead with 27 percent; w

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder discuss: 1. Health Care. Is the health care vote really going to be the big issue in November, or is it still about jobs? Some believe the vote will solidify an alliance between social and fiscal conservatives in the GOP base. As former George W. Bush speech writer David Frum, who's rapidly falling out of favor with his party, asks: Do Republicans write a one-sentence bill declaring that the whole thing is repealed? Will they vote to reopen the "doughnut" hole for prescription drugs for seniors? To allow health insurers to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions? To kick millions of people off Medicaid? Frum makes the argument that only talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh benefit from the vitriol: "If Republicans succeed -- if they govern successfully in office and negotiate attractive compromises out of office -- Rush's listeners get less angry. And if they are less angry, they listen to the r

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, topics include the governor's race, education funding (and Saturday's controversial Meat Out), and the 3rd District Congressional race. Grand Rapids Press politics editor Jeff Cranson chats with Matt McLogan, vice president for community relations at Grand Valley State University, who is pinch-hitting for Ed Golder. 1. Getting negative The race for governor heats up with allegations from Attorney General Mike Cox suggesting that fellow GOP candidate Pete Hoekstra is not the fiscal conservative he claims to be because of votes in favor of the $850 billion bank bailout, raising the debt ceiling, earmarks and his refusal to take the no-tax pledge. A Hoekstra spokesman responded: "Today's negative attack from the Cox campaign is not a surprise. It is a desperate attempt to divert attention from the string of controversial stories and scandals the Cox campaign has had to deal with in the last week. Unfortunately for the Cox campaign, the people of Michigan

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder tackle: 1. The race for governor. A new poll, released exclusively to the Grand Rapids Press and Booth Newspapers, finds Pete Hoekstra solidly out front on the GOP side with Rick Snyder continuing to surge on the strength of his TV blitz. Attorney General Mike Cox seems to be waning. On the Democratic side, Andy Dillon holds a narrow lead over Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, though a large number of voters remain undecided. In other news, robocalls have sparked hostility and investigations by the Secretary of State. Could the state pass campaign finance laws to require disclosure of the money behind robocalls? 2. Teacher's fault? Do teachers' unions deserve the blame for Michigan's failure to get Race to the Top funds for education from the federal government? A Detroit News editorial makes the case. An MEA leader told MIRS news the union would have "sold its soul" had it signed off on the Race to the Top

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, recorded at Rocky's in Grand Rapids, Jeff and Ed discuss: 1. The race for governor. The Democratic field is growing. Former Genesee County Treasurer Dan Kildee filed to explore a run and long-exploring candidate Andy Dillon, state House speaker, made his run official Monday. Do Kildee and Lansing Mayor Verg Bernero split the labor base and help Dillon? How does Dillon's pro-life status factor in the primary? On the GOP side, the campaign of Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder has filed two complaints with the Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Attorney General Mike Cox alleging that groups behind a series of attack ads are violating Michigan’s campaign finance law. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra was noted in the Washington Post's Fix column today in an analysis that Texas voters rejection of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson in the gubernatorial race revealed a more vitriolic anti-Washington mood. 2. Grand Rapids Congressional race. Before a crowd of ab

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder discuss candidates in the race for Vern Ehler's Grand Rapids-based Congressional seat.

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder are joined by Grand Valley State University Vice President Matthew McLogan to discuss: 1. How national political developments will affect Michigan and Grand Rapids-area races. Sen. Carl Levin said this week he thinks third-party candidates, like those in the Tea Party movement, could help the Democrats in general elections in some states. Would such a movement be akin to Ross Perot in 1992? Is Obama's jobs chart scoring any points? Is the moderate 3rd Congressional district ready to make a hard right with a candidate like Justin Amash? Former state Sen. Ken Sikkema, long interested in the seat, announced Wednesday that he would not seek it. How will that race affect down-ticket races in the district, which includes all but a few precincts in Kent County? Kent County Commission races are already taking shape. 2. The race to be governor of Michigan. In the revolving door that defines the Democratic side,

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, Jeff and Ed discuss U.S. Rep. Vern Ehlers' retirement and the GOP governor's race turning ugly.

On this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast, Grand Rapids Press politics editor Jeff Cranson and editorial page editor Ed Golder discuss: 1. Fund-raising in the governor's race. Some surprising figures on the GOP side showed Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard near $900,000 despite low poll numbers; U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, despite campaigning for several months, raised around $475,000 with $170,000 cash on hand. Attorney General Mike Cox, who leads in the polls even after noise in the fall about whether he scuttled an investigation into activities involving former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, raised $1.8 million and had $1.47 million in cash on hand. Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder, who is yet to crack double digits in the polls, raised $3.2 million, with $2.6 million in loans to himself. The discussion: Once Snyder goes on TV, including an ad on the Super Bowl Sunday, does he gain quickly? Will his personal spending affect voters' views

Following a gubernatorial candidates' forum in Grand Rapids on Friday, Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder recorded a special edition of the Talking Michigan Politics podcast.

Partisan politics at State of the Union; Michigan governor's race

In this week's edition of the Talking Michigan Politics podcast recorded at Rocky's, Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder discuss: 1. What does the Massachusetts Senate race mean to the remaining 2010 races? And is it a referendum on health care reform? Scott Brown won because his message moved independents, who will control many election to come and will continue to swing, demonstrating an impatience with office holders who don't get anything done. 2. The race for governor and speculation on other state and local races. Do Tuesday's results signal anything in the governor's race? Could it possibly have an impact on the primary? Will any of the GOP candidates for governor jump on a Senate Republican plan put forward Tuesday to cut the pay and require higher health-care contributions from all public employees, including teachers and legislators? Is taking pay and benefits away a race to the bottom, or is it a reasonable proposal in light of givebacks in pay and benefits among private

In this week's edition of the Talking Michigan Politics podcast, Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder discuss: The race for governor: Anticipation builds over a Denise Ilitch candidacy when Kent County Democrats announced she would attend a party event Wednesday night, also featuring Gov. Jennifer Granholm. ilitch.jpgDenise IlitchThe Associated Press reported that President Obama made an appearance at a meeting Ilitch was having with officials at the White House. Meanwhile, Oakland County Executive and GOP honcho L. Brooks Patterson told reporters Republicans had hoped Lt. Gov. John Cherry would remain in the governor's race. Fishy politics: Michigan Attorney General and Republican candidate for governor Mike Cox turned up the heat on the state of Illinois and the Obama administration Wednesday to stop the invasive species known as Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, if it's not too late already. He launched a Web site where people can sign a petit

In this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder discuss the race for governor, developments in the Grand Rapids-based 29th Senate District race, and a change in leadership on the Kent County Board

Detroit terror, 2010 Michigan governor's race, partisanship in Washington and Race to the Top school funding

Is Virg Bernero serious about Michigan governor's race? Will Pete Hoekstra's bailout vote come back to haunt him? Plus health care reform, Race to the Top legislation and brain drain