The fallout from Michigan GOP Chairman Bobby Schostak’s disparaging remark about the 2012 Republican field for Senate continues to swirl, with The Washington Post now taking notice.
In case you missed it, Schostak said he’s confident there is a candidate out there somewhere who is “head and shoulders” above the current list of potential contenders.
That drew a response from former secretary of state Terri Lynn Land – one of those on the 2012 list – who called it “rude” and inappropriate, particularly for a party chairman.
Another potential candidate, former Congressman Pete Hoekstra, was also miffed.
“It’s difficult enough when you’re dealing with your opponents in a primary,” the west Michigan Republican said, “and then if there’s any indication at all that … a state party chairman may or may not be behind a particular candidate or the field of candidates, that gives you a brief moment of pause.”
The third possible candidate most frequently mentioned, former state GOP chairman Saul Anuzis, dismissed the remark as a gaffe that doesn’t reflect Schostak’s true feelings.
The Post’s Rachel Weiner, offering the inside-the-beltway perspective, sums up the race this way:
“Whether a simple case of misspeaking or not, Schostak’s comments have turned a spotlight on the Wolverine State, where in 2010 Republicans won not only the governor’s race but also picked up two House seats from Democrats as well.
“The state’s still struggling economy — Eminem commercial notwithstanding — has made it tough on incumbents of both parties. Because Democrats largely controlled Michigan’s elected office following the 2006 and 2008 elections, they have been visited with broader and deeper losses.
“The fundamental question is just how much that political environment will impact Stabenow. After winning in 2000 with just 49 percent, Stabenow cruised to a 16-point win six years later against Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
“While polling suggests Stabenow’s numbers are in dangerous territory, running with President Obama on the top of the ticket should help Stabenow drive African-American turnout. (No Republican presidential candidate has carried Michigan since George H.W. Bush in 1988.) Stabenow also has $2 million in the bank as of the end of 2010, putting her towards the top of the pack of vulnerable senators in cash.”
