Democratic U.S. Rep. Gary Peters received endorsements for his 2014
Senate campaign from police organizations across the state at a Monday
press conference in Warren while critics of his Republican opponent,
Terri Lynn Land, claimed that she has coasted through the first six
months of her campaign.
At a Fraternal Order of Police hall, Peters was endorsed by the Michigan
Association of Police Organizations, or MAPO, which represents an array
of police labor groups that includes the Detroit Police Officers
Association, the Police Officer Labor Council, Warren Police Officers
Association, Michigan State Police Troopers Association, and the
Michigan Association of Police.
campaign has made a minimal impact since she declared her candidacy in
early June, even as the potential GOP rivals of the former Michigan
secretary of state all declined to run.
“She attended over 40 GOP events over the summer when it looked like
there would be a primary and now that she is the presumptive nominee has
made some adjustments to her schedule to gear it more towards a general
election,” said John Yob, her team’s leader under the title of campaign
consultant.
“She is attending several holiday events and then will have an
aggressive schedule in the New Year to bring her message of fixing
Washington’s broken government to working families across Michigan.”
week – none consisting of official Land for Senate events – she has been
a no-show at times.
Land cancelled an Oct. 15 appearance scheduled before the Grosse Pointe Farms-based Eastside Republican Club.
On Oct. 21, she did not appear at a Birmingham/Bloomfield Hills GOP
event where she was billed as the keynote speaker, saying that she had a
scheduling conflict.
And on Nov. 14, the Senate candidate declined another keynote speaker
appearance before the 9th Congressional District Republicans – the GOP
opposition in Peters’ district – at a gathering in Warren.
avoiding the very people she’s supposed to represent and refusing to
answer serious questions?,” said Peters’ campaign manager Julie
Petrick. “Since Terri Lynn Land has found the time to fundraise with the
tea party in Washington, D.C., but not hold any events in Michigan,
it’s clear who has Ms. Land’s ear, and it’s not folks in Michigan.”
Nonethless, Land, a Kent County Republican, can boast of a strong
showing in early polls though her campaign is just getting started.
In two recent statewide surveys, Land is in a statistical tie with
Peters and in a third the congressman holds a narrow 43-38 percent lead.
collecting $1 million in campaign cash, in addition to a $1 million
infusion of her personal funds, matching Peter’s reported third quarter
contributions in the most recent campaign financing reports filed in
October.
But Land’s fundraising prowess could present a double-edged sword.
Last week, she was treated to a big-time fundraiser in Washington that
was hosted by 18 Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Rand
Paul, also of Kentucky.
Tickets for the event, which Yob said as attended by about 100 people,
ranged from $2,500 to $10,000 for individuals and political action
committees, or PACs. That represents a significant one-day windfall of
campaign cash and a sound affirmation that her race holds national
significance.
But it could also turn off some Michigan tea party supporters who want a
GOP nominee who is not tied to the Washington establishment.
Land has already struggled to win a warm embrace from all the key
players within the Michigan Republican Party and the tea party faction.
decades in office, but the coveted Senate seat he is leaving open has
produced no early drama whatsoever. Peters and Land emerged as their
respective party’s presumptive nominees, respectively, nearly 18 months
before the November 2014 general election.
Land made it clear in the early stages of her candidacy that she intends
to focus on winning Macomb County, one of the key political landscapes
in the state. But Peters months ago secured the Democratic endorsements
of County Executive Mark Hackel and Macomb’s Big Five – Sheriff Anthony
Wickersham, Prosecutor Eric Smith, Clerk Carmella Sabaugh, Treasurer Ted
Wahby and Public Works Commissioner.
events since he announced his run in May. Land backers counter that the
West Bloomfield Township Democrat has to work harder and make up ground
because he has never run a statewide campaign.
In fact, Yob said he considers it laughable that 44 Land campaign appearances a year before the election is considered sluggish.
The former Kent County clerk, Land won statewide election by large margins in 2002 and 2006 for secretary of state.
Information Research Service, or MIRS, concluded that Land’s low-profile
approach has perplexed some political strategists.
The candidate’s June 3 Senate campaign announcement was done on Facebook
and was not followed by a traditional tour of the state where she would
meet with media outlets. Her use of Twitter has been sporadic and her
rudimentary website contains no contact information or a list of her
campaign team, only a Land biography, a video of the candidate speaking,
and a link to donate money via credit card to her election effort.
Yob said that in addition to his service as a campaign consultant, the
campaign staff consists of Matt Golden as deputy campaign manager and
Lauren Gervason as finance director.
on issues and identifying her stances. The GOP candidate publicly
opposed a U.S. missile strike on Syria and has continually bashed the
Obamacare program, which her Democratic opponent warmly supported.
It’s clear at this point that Peters will be criticizing the broader
issues exposed by the October government shutdown, which was blamed on
congressional Republicans.
Behind the scenes, MIRS and political pundits have pointed out that
Land’s limited public speaking abilities may be a significant liability.
The perception of weak performances on stage was labeled as the main
reason for her abrupt withdrawal from the 2010 race for governor.
