© 2024 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Voters to choose among three GOP candidates in 7th congressional district

By Gretchen Millich, WKAR News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-915212.mp3

BRONSON, MI –
https://wkar.org/newsroom/images/election2010-title.jpg
Voters in Michigan's 7th congressional district go to the polls Tuesday to choose a nominee to run against Democrat Mark Schauer. The race is likely to be one of the most closely watched in the country.

The three men running in the GOP primary, Tim Walberg, Brian Rooney and Marvin Carlson, are pretty close on the issues, and that's making it hard for voters to make up their minds.

AUDIO:

When the tiny town of Bronson celebrated its Polish Festival earlier this month, Phil Lindner had a front row seat for the parade. Here, most people like their beer cold and their politics conservative. Like many in Bronson, Lindner intends to vote in the GOP primary.

Lindner says, "I'm looking for honesty and old-fashioned values. I'm old-fashioned enough to believe in God."

Tim Walberg is a familiar face in these parts. This is the fourth time he's run for this congressional seat. He won in 2006 and served in Washington until he was narrowly defeated in 2008 by Democrat Mark Schauer.

Walberg's walking in the parade, leading what he calls his "Orange Crush," volunteers and supporters all wearing bright orange t-shirts.

Lindner voted for Walberg in 2006 and again in 2008, but this year, Lindner doesn't know who he'll vote for, but he knows some of his friends are backing Brian Rooney.
Rooney is newcomer to politics and to Michigan. He moved here a couple of years ago to work as a constitutional attorney for the Thomas More Law Center, a conservative law firm in Ann Arbor. He's an Iraq war veteran and part of the Rooney family that owns the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Political analyst Bill Ballenger thinks Rooney may emerge as the popular favorite, "There's kind of a whispering campaign or an undercurrent all during this year that Rooney is a fresher face, he's younger, and he might be a better general election candidate against Schauer than Walberg would be because Walberg has been around the track so many times and people think, you know, he's been voted out of office, let's give somebody else a chance. There's that feeling."

But that feeling isn't showing up in the numbers. Ballenger polled likely Republican voters and found Walberg had a roughly three-to-one lead over Rooney. Other analysts speculated that Rooney, who comes from a wealthy and politically connected family, would far outspend Walberg on media advertising, but that hasn't happened.

As of the last financial reporting period, Rooney had just over $419,000 on hand. More than half of that he personally lent his campaign. Walberg had raised $364,000. Carlson trailed with less than $2,000.

Rooney is also in the parade. He stops to have his picture taken with Marcey Kosachuk of Coldwater.

Kosachuk voted for Walberg last time, but now she's supporting Rooney and says more and more people she knows are making the switch, "Because he's a constitutional lawyer. At a time when they're tearing our Constitution apart I think we need a constitutional lawyer to bring some sense to what's going on up there."

Marvin Carlson is not in the parade. This is the first time he's run for office and polling shows he has only about 6 percent of the vote.

Carlson has a background in investments in housing and commercial property in Ann Arbor. He says he's the only candidate in the race who has actually created jobs.

The Polish Festival wraps up with a bowling tournament at the Bronson Strike Zone. Karole Baker heads the Bronson Bowling Association.

Baker hasn't decided whether she'll vote in the Republican primary. She says she's an independent, "If I think a Republican will do better, I'll vote for a Republican or a Democrat or an independent or a Green."

Baker voted for Mark Schauer two years ago, but says this time she might vote for a Republican.

Baker is just the kind of voter Republicans are counting on to give them the edge in November.

After Tuesday, the GOP ticket will have its nominee: Carlson, the businessman; Rooney, the Iraq war veteran; or Walberg, the ousted one-term congressman looking to get back in. A Walberg victory would set up a re-match, spurring one of the biggest political showdowns in the country.


Election 2010 - WKAR
For more election reporting, interviews and analysis from WKAR, visit WKAR.org/election2010

Journalism at this station is made possible by donors who value local reporting. Donate today to keep stories like this one coming. It is thanks to your generosity that we can keep this content free and accessible for everyone. Thanks!