CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly reported that Mitchell won a St. Clair City Council seat
in 2012. He won that election in 2007. As a result, the headline was changed to “… 7 political jobs in three years.”
—————————————————————————–
“Out of common courtesy, I will be
sending him a fruit basket welcoming
him to the district.”
— Alan Sanborn, Republican candidate for the 10th Congressional District seat being vacated
by Rep. Candice Miller, jabbing his newly announced opponent, Paul Mitchell,
by Rep. Candice Miller, jabbing his newly announced opponent, Paul Mitchell,
who ran for the 4th Congressional District seat a year ago
Alan Sanborn’s tongue-in-cheek quote (above), essentially
calling Paul Mitchell a carpetbagger based on Mitchell’s declaration to run for
office in the 10th District, was selected by the MIRS
news service as its “quote of the day” on Monday.
Expect Mitchell, leader of the successful campaign to defeat
the Proposal 1 road tax plan, to face a lot of questions and criticism about
changing his residency – yet again – and pursuing an eighth political job in
less than three years.
A longtime wealthy businessman as the former CEO
and later owner of Ross Medical Education Center, Mitchell moved his residency from
Saginaw to a farm in Dryden Township, Lapeer County, in order to run in the 10th
District, which stretches from Sterling Heights, through northern Macomb County
and to the tip of the Thumb Area. It appears that he moved just before the
announcement of his congressional candidacy.
Sanborn, a former state senator from north Macomb’s Richmond
Township, state Sen. Phil Pavlov of St. Clair and Shelby Township Treasurer
Mike Flynn, also of north Macomb, are the other contenders for the GOP
nomination in the solidly Republican district.
and later owner of Ross Medical Education Center, Mitchell moved his residency from
Saginaw to a farm in Dryden Township, Lapeer County, in order to run in the 10th
District, which stretches from Sterling Heights, through northern Macomb County
and to the tip of the Thumb Area. It appears that he moved just before the
announcement of his congressional candidacy.
Sanborn, a former state senator from north Macomb’s Richmond
Township, state Sen. Phil Pavlov of St. Clair and Shelby Township Treasurer
Mike Flynn, also of north Macomb, are the other contenders for the GOP
nomination in the solidly Republican district.
A bit of a spotty reputation dogs Mitchell in some GOP
circles because he has drifted from one political post to the next, lasting
only a few months in most of those endeavors.
Here is the Mitchell chronology:
* Fall 2007 – In his first run for office,
Mitchell was elected to the St. Clair City Council; resigned a few months later
after a spat with his council colleagues, which caused him to bemoan the
political process.
Mitchell was elected to the St. Clair City Council; resigned a few months later
after a spat with his council colleagues, which caused him to bemoan the
political process.
* Spring 2013 – As a Saginaw Township resident, he
announced plans to run for an open state Senate seat in 2014; quit the race a
few months later, more than a year before the election.
announced plans to run for an open state Senate seat in 2014; quit the race a
few months later, more than a year before the election.
*
Summer 2013 – Changed his residency to his
northern Michigan summer home, reportedly with plans to run for a different open
state Senate seat; changed his mind and restored his Saginaw Township
residency.
Summer 2013 – Changed his residency to his
northern Michigan summer home, reportedly with plans to run for a different open
state Senate seat; changed his mind and restored his Saginaw Township
residency.
* Fall 2013 – Created and
self-funded a new federal super-PAC, Pure PAC, that was created to defeat Gary
Peters in last year’s U.S. Senate campaign; Pure PAC’s operations faded away
long before Peters won the November 2014 election.
self-funded a new federal super-PAC, Pure PAC, that was created to defeat Gary
Peters in last year’s U.S. Senate campaign; Pure PAC’s operations faded away
long before Peters won the November 2014 election.
* Winter 2014 – Appointed finance
chairman of the Michigan Republican Party; quit several weeks later to pursue
an open congressional seat.
chairman of the Michigan Republican Party; quit several weeks later to pursue
an open congressional seat.
* Spring 2014 – Announced his candidacy for
mid-Michigan’s 4th District seat after incumbent Rep. Dave Camp decided not to
seek re-election.
mid-Michigan’s 4th District seat after incumbent Rep. Dave Camp decided not to
seek re-election.
* Summer 2014 – Lost the GOP primary to John Moolenaar, who
went on to win Camp’s seat in November; faced campaign criticism as a
carpetbagger and for spending $3.5 million of his own money on the race.
went on to win Camp’s seat in November; faced campaign criticism as a
carpetbagger and for spending $3.5 million of his own money on the race.
* Fall 2014 – Named chairman of the Faith & Freedom
Coalition, replacing the outgoing Glenn Clark, a longtime Religious Right
advocate.
Coalition, replacing the outgoing Glenn Clark, a longtime Religious Right
advocate.
* Winter 2015 – Headed up the Coalition Against Higher Taxes and Special Interest Groups, the
lead group that fought Prop. 1.
lead group that fought Prop. 1.
* Summer 2015 – Several weeks after the Prop. 1
election, declared his candidacy for the open seat in the 10th District created
by Congresswoman Miller’s decision to retire.
election, declared his candidacy for the open seat in the 10th District created
by Congresswoman Miller’s decision to retire.
In an interview last February on Public TV’s
“Off The Record,” the panel peppered Mitchell with questions about his “whirlwind”
entrance into politics and what his plans were next after the May 5 special
election on the road funding proposal. Mitchell insisted that he had no “end game,”
that he was not a political animal, and he was not seeking to use the Prop. 1 campaign
as a jumping-off point for another political run.
“Off The Record,” the panel peppered Mitchell with questions about his “whirlwind”
entrance into politics and what his plans were next after the May 5 special
election on the road funding proposal. Mitchell insisted that he had no “end game,”
that he was not a political animal, and he was not seeking to use the Prop. 1 campaign
as a jumping-off point for another political run.
“… Once you run for any office and you
failed to succeed you’re — the
rumor mill is — you’re … instantaneously running for every other
office that exists.”
failed to succeed you’re — the
rumor mill is — you’re … instantaneously running for every other
office that exists.”
In Paul Mitchell’s case, it seems that the
rumor mill can barely keep up.
rumor mill can barely keep up.
As someone who volunteered with the anti-prop one group I know that Mr. Mitchell did not resign Faith and Freedom to lead that charge. He stayed in both roles. Just an fyi.
Paul Mitchell had no business being in any part of the Faith and Freedom Coalition: if Mitchel is the kind of individual they want to be in any leadership position, I will never donate one penny of the resources that the Lord provides for me to them, if they believe that Rep. Mitchell is a true believer! His voting record as my representative in the 10th Congressional District has been dismal! He’s proven to be a RINO with absolutely no courage, and a typical politically correct coward with no backbone when it comes to Standing Up for Biblical principles and Truth: he’s been absolutely silent and absent on the Truth of Holy Scripture!