UPDATE: The Detroit Free Press is reporting this morning that Terri Lynn Land’s convoluted finances raise questions about the legality of her $3 million contribution to her Senate campaign.
Here’s a portion of the Freep story:
“Republican U.S. Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land has
given her own campaign nearly $3 million this year and last, but nowhere in her
federal financial disclosure form has she listed any bank accounts or
other assets in her control worth that much.
given her own campaign nearly $3 million this year and last, but nowhere in her
federal financial disclosure form has she listed any bank accounts or
other assets in her control worth that much.
“Her campaign says it’s an
oversight, claiming Land — who for two terms as Michigan’s secretary of state
oversaw the enforcement of election laws — inadvertently failed to disclose a
joint account she has with her husband, Dan Hibma.
oversight, claiming Land — who for two terms as Michigan’s secretary of state
oversaw the enforcement of election laws — inadvertently failed to disclose a
joint account she has with her husband, Dan Hibma.
“In Land’s tax forms and her 2014 financial disclosure,
she and her husband listed no joint assets, nor any checking account controlled by either
with more than $250,000 in it. The vast majority of their considerable wealth
was listed solely in his name.
she and her husband listed no joint assets, nor any checking account controlled by either
with more than $250,000 in it. The vast majority of their considerable wealth
was listed solely in his name.
“Recently, Land has also made a point of noting that any
assets related to her family’s real estate company, Land & Co., are
controlled by her husband, not her.”
assets related to her family’s real estate company, Land & Co., are
controlled by her husband, not her.”
*****
The two polls released on Tuesday in the governor’s race
gave conflicting numbers for the contest though both surveys were conducted at
nearly the same time.
Voters must have been scratching their heads when one
poll, conducted by Denno Research for Vanguard Public Affairs, gave Republican
incumbent Rick Snyder a solid 8-point advantage, 43-35 percent, over Democratic
challenger Mark Schauer while the NBC News Marist poll indicated that the race
was a statistical tie, with Snyder up 46-44, which is within the margin of
error.
poll, conducted by Denno Research for Vanguard Public Affairs, gave Republican
incumbent Rick Snyder a solid 8-point advantage, 43-35 percent, over Democratic
challenger Mark Schauer while the NBC News Marist poll indicated that the race
was a statistical tie, with Snyder up 46-44, which is within the margin of
error.
I’ll leave it to the experts to sort that out. Josh Hovey at the Truscott Rossman public relations firm might be a good choice to analyze
the polls. Hovey has put together a list of seven ways that polls can come upwith misleading results.
the polls. Hovey has put together a list of seven ways that polls can come upwith misleading results.
Meanwhile, the two polls provided Democratic Senate
candidate Gary Peters with a streak of nine consecutive surveys that put him in
the lead over Republican Terri Lynn Land. The NBC/Marist poll shows Peters leading 43 to 37, and the other poll from Vanguard Public Strategies has Peters up 40 to 37.
candidate Gary Peters with a streak of nine consecutive surveys that put him in
the lead over Republican Terri Lynn Land. The NBC/Marist poll shows Peters leading 43 to 37, and the other poll from Vanguard Public Strategies has Peters up 40 to 37.
The surveys seem to show that Peters is surviving despite a lackluster campaign and Land is failing to take advantage of her big fundraising lead.
At the same time, a Land TV ad that was praised by some national
political pundits weeks ago is emerging as possibly the least effective congressional ad in
America.
political pundits weeks ago is emerging as possibly the least effective congressional ad in
America.
On Tuesday, the National Journal rated the land TV spot as “the worst
of the (congressional election) cycle so far.”
of the (congressional election) cycle so far.”
In April, as she enjoyed a small lead in the polls,
Democrats criticized Land for her opposition to equal-pay legislation. In
response, her campaign aired an ad , titled “Really?”, mocking
the notion that she was part of the “war on women,” one of the
Democrats’ primary election buzzwords.
Democrats criticized Land for her opposition to equal-pay legislation. In
response, her campaign aired an ad , titled “Really?”, mocking
the notion that she was part of the “war on women,” one of the
Democrats’ primary election buzzwords.
The 30-second spot tried to create a dramatic
effect by having Land, the former Michigan secretary of state, remark
incredulously that Congressman Peters had claimed that he understands women’s
issues better than she. “Let’s think about that for a minute,” the presumptive
GOP nominee said, which was followed by about 20 seconds of silence that saw
her sip a cup of coffee and check her watch.
effect by having Land, the former Michigan secretary of state, remark
incredulously that Congressman Peters had claimed that he understands women’s
issues better than she. “Let’s think about that for a minute,” the presumptive
GOP nominee said, which was followed by about 20 seconds of silence that saw
her sip a cup of coffee and check her watch.
“The goal of the spot was to point out the
ridiculousness of the attack. But by not engaging in the argument, she may have
unwittingly accepted the premise — at least in the eyes of viewers,” National
Journal intoned.
ridiculousness of the attack. But by not engaging in the argument, she may have
unwittingly accepted the premise — at least in the eyes of viewers,” National
Journal intoned.
A few
weeks ago, political guru Frank Luntz and Fox News called the ad the “stink bomb of the season” and said that a focus group
of voters providing real-time reaction to the ad for Luntz provided this result:
“The dials just went into
the gutter.”
weeks ago, political guru Frank Luntz and Fox News called the ad the “stink bomb of the season” and said that a focus group
of voters providing real-time reaction to the ad for Luntz provided this result:
“The dials just went into
the gutter.”
Luntz said that the
lack of substance in the commercial led to the most dramatic response to an ad
that he has ever witnessed in his many years of testing voter reactions to Republican
campaign messages.
lack of substance in the commercial led to the most dramatic response to an ad
that he has ever witnessed in his many years of testing voter reactions to Republican
campaign messages.
“I’ve never had that
in politics before,” he said, referring to the sudden, sharp negative reaction
by his focus group.
in politics before,” he said, referring to the sudden, sharp negative reaction
by his focus group.
Earlier today, Land, who is still dodging the press, introduced a new TV ad that praises Michigan’s heritage and features images of
an auto assembly line.
an auto assembly line.
Here is the narration provided by the candidate: “In
Michigan, we make things, we move things, we invent things, and we lead. But
because of the broken policies of Washington politicians, Michigan is being
held back. I pledge as Michigan’s next U.S. senator to put Michigan first, like
I did when I was secretary of state. I will work to cut spending and balance
the budget, I will work to repeal and replace Obamacare, and I will work to
grow our economy, because by working together we can create more good-paying
Michigan jobs.”
Michigan, we make things, we move things, we invent things, and we lead. But
because of the broken policies of Washington politicians, Michigan is being
held back. I pledge as Michigan’s next U.S. senator to put Michigan first, like
I did when I was secretary of state. I will work to cut spending and balance
the budget, I will work to repeal and replace Obamacare, and I will work to
grow our economy, because by working together we can create more good-paying
Michigan jobs.”
Democrats are hoping to contrast the new ad with comments
Land made in 2012 in which she supported Mitt Romney’s opposition to a taxpayer
bailout of General Motors and Chrysler.
Land made in 2012 in which she supported Mitt Romney’s opposition to a taxpayer
bailout of General Motors and Chrysler.
