Congressman Mike Rogers made his surprise announcement on
Friday that he is stepping down, and on Monday we already have a potential bitter
split in the Republican Party. And this time the tea party cannot be blamed.
Bishop
Former Michigan Senate Leader Mike Bishop of Rochester
appears ready to jump at the chance to run for the open 8th District
seat, a district which comprises Ingham and Livingston counties and northern
Oakland County. A Facebook page created on Friday encouraging him to launch a
campaign has accumulated 250 likes so far. 
Standing in the way is Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan
Barnett, who apparently has the backing of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks
Patterson.
On Michael Patrick Shiels’
radio program this morning, state Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak said there would be a
“meeting of the minds” over Barnett and Bishop.

Barnett

Schostak did admit that Bishop is “associated
with those years” when asked
directly by Shiels if Bishop was tainted by the tax and budget fights
with then-governor Jennifer Granholm.

With the moved-up filing deadline set for April 22, a move
is purportedly afoot by party leaders to put together a closed-door meeting today
or Tuesday to hash this all out.
In the midst of this flurry of activity, Beverly Kelly, a
conservative Republican activist put out an email commentary that essentially
amounts to an attempt to quickly wound Bishop’s campaign before it gets
started. 
Here’s a look at what she had to say to fellow “grassroots”
Republicans:
This coronation is
strangely reminiscent of the one called … “McCottergate,” when establishment
Republicans anointed ex-(state)Sen. Nancy Cassis against conservative activist Kerry Bentivolio in the 2012
Republican primary for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District.

An online graphic opposing Bishop

 

Bishop, who inherited political office from his father, a politician of the
first order in his own right, has been dependent on the teat of government for
most of his professional life — as a member of the Michigan House of
Representatives, a member of the Michigan Senate, majority leader of the
Michigan Senate, the losing Republican candidate for state attorney general,
and the losing Republican candidate for Oakland County prosecuting attorney.
Despite losing his last two races Bishop is apparently back despite professing
his passion for a life in the private sector. Does anyone even know if Bishop even won his own precinct when he lost
last time?

Of course, this has deeply troubled many Republicans, and in particular the
grassroots, who remember Bishop for cutting a smoke filled-backroom deal with
then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm to
shut down state government in 2007, thereby allowing Democrats to pass a $1.3
billion tax increase — the largest in Michigan’s history.
Conservative activists and taxpayer rights advocates across the 8th
Congressional District, which spans parts of Oakland, Livingston and Ingham
counties, will need to guard their wallet with Bishop seeking a congressional
seat. While he talks the talk, he is the epitome of the blue-blood Republican
establishment.

Another bit of intrigue surrounding the “Run for the Rogers” seat is the contention that the
timing and plotting is all part of a payback by the congressman against state Sen. Joe Hune, who represents all of
Livingston County and apparently would like to take a shot at a congressional
run. Conservatives say that Hune outmaneuvered Rogers’ brother, Bill Rogers, for a seat in the
Michigan Senate four years ago.
 

Meanwhile, in a case of wishful thinking, former Michigan House Speaker Craig
DeRoche, whose reputation took a plunge after a drunken driving incident and
some erratic behavior, felt the need to issue a press release announcing that
he will not run.
Former state party chair Saul Anuzis has also expressed
an interest in the seat, with mixed results.
On
the Democratic side it appears that much of the buzz surrounds Virg Bernero,
the outspoken Lansing mayor who lost the 2010 gubernatorial race to Rick
Snyder, and Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, a former state representative.
State
Rep. Sam Singh (D – East
Lansing) has declined to run, choosing to stick with his state House seat.

Recent Posts: