By Scott Pohl, WKAR
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EAST LANSING, MI –
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With Representative Rick Jones leaving the state House because of term limits, the 71st district covering most of Eaton County will choose a new Representative on November 2nd.
WKAR's Scott Pohl reports on the two women hoping to replace Jones at the Capitol.
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The primary election in August saw a field of nine candidates narrowed down to two. Republicans nominated Deb Shaughnessy, while Democrats chose Theresa Abed.
Shaughnessy got more than twice as many votes as Cheryl Haddock, her nearest rival in the primary, even though Haddock had the support of Representative Rick Jones.
Jones is now backing Shaughnessy.
The former Mayor of Charlotte touts her government experience, not just as mayor, but as a legislative aide.
"I have been involved in local government for more than eight years," Shaughnessy says. "I have been involved in state government as a staff member, which basically means I've done everything that a legislator does except cast the vote. So, I am definitely very well prepared."
Shaughnessy says that as Charlotte's Mayor, she was a consensus builder and savvy negotiator.
Abed can boast of her own government experience, as a member of the Eaton County Board of Commissioners. She's proud of her role in moving board meetings to evening hours so more people can attend, and of the county's creation of an affordable dental clinic.
She says she's learned how things like zoning laws can impact job creation, citing her effort on behalf of a small business owner on the verge of shutting down.
"The person became unemployed, and so they decided to start their own business, and they found out that there was a problem with zoning, and so instead of closing the doors, I worked with them, set them up with certain people that they were finally be able to make an amendment at the county level, and that business is supposed to stay open," Abed says. "So, any way that we can help encourage businesses to grow and to sustain, and also start new businesses."
Abed thinks Michigan's Business Tax Surcharge should be repealed, and she wants to fight the outsourcing of jobs.
Shaughnessy says the most important issue is making Michigan more competitive for jobs again. She promotes lower taxes and less regulation on business to do that.
Eaton County's historic support for Republicans has been eroding. Four years ago, Democrats took control of the County Commission for the first time ever, and they held on to that control in 2008.
Now, Abed says it's important that Representative Rick Jones be replaced by a Democrat in Lansing.
"I think we will look at how to protect the middle class, we need to look at government reform, we need to look at ways to fund education that's stable and equitable," Abed says. "So, I think the goal may be the same, but how we get there and what that goal is going to look like would be different between a democrat and a republican."
Shaughnessy, naturally, disagrees.
"This year, it's looking very possible that the Republicans could take back control of the house," Shaghnessy says. "So, it is critical that we hold on to this seat, and also that we send a message that maybe those last two elections were just something, you know, that is out of line with how we truly are represented here in Eaton County."
Throughout her campaign, Abed has vowed not to go negative or use robocalls, but she complains that she's been the target of those tactics. She points to a mailing from the Michigan Republican Party claiming that she voted to provide free lifetime health insurance to career politicians in Eaton County. The non-partisan Michigan Truth Squad has labeled the mailer a "foul" for giving voters incorrect and misleading information.
The Michigan Truth Squad has not cited Abed's campaign for any "fouls".
Shaughnessy says it's unfortunate that negative campaigning has been waged on her behalf, but she says she doesn't know who's behind robocalls in the district. She adds that people don't need permission to send something in the mail, and she doesn't think she could have an influence on that.
It's a year when Republicans are expecting to make gains, and perhaps take control of the state House. Democrats hope that a win in the 71st would help keep that from happening.
Election 2010 - WKAR
For more election reporting, interviews and analysis from WKAR, visit WKAR.org/election2010