2010 LOCAL CANDIDATES - Charles Brunner, Mark Janer, Jennifer Barnes, Jeff Mayes, Mike Green and Harry Gill. Upsets, Close Battles Highlight Bay County General Election Races
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Election Day 2010 was, as the saying goes, "one for the books."
Low key Mark Janer, Bay County Director of Criminal Defense, appeared to be heavily out-spent by Jennifer Barnes but somehow managed a surprise 19,982 to 15,267 vote victory over the incumbent District Judge.
Equally low key Harry Gill notched a 20,106-11,351 win over Darrin Nichols for Bay County Circuit Court Judge.
Barnes, who had scored the appointment from Gov. Jennifer Granholm last April, had strong endorsements from not only the governor but also legendary former attorney general Frank Kelley, and The Bay City Times.
Janer waited until two days before the election before coming out with an effective two-page spread in the local newspaper listing hundreds of grass roots supporters as well as taking part in a last-minute prominent internet campaign in the online newspaper, MyBayCity.com
Janer's win was among the major upsets in a day of unusual results, perhaps unparalleled in recent Bay County politics.
Uber-conservative Republican Dan Benishek even beat moderate Democrat Gary McDowell, 5,700 to 4,780 in Bay County.
Rick Snyder skinned Virg Bernero, Lansing mayor, by 23,603 to 15,138 in Bay County, and the GOP's Ruth Johnson for secretary of state and Bill Schuette for attorney general followed suit. Johnson toped Democrat star Jocelyn Benson 18,583 to 17,791 while Schuette took the county 20,494 to David Leyton's 16,299.
Republicans swept through Bay County like it was the 1940s with Chairman Ben Calvin in charge. Calvin held sway until the mid-1950s until Tony Bielawski came to town from Grand Rapids and organized the Dems.
As the story goes, Calvin gained control by all-you-can-eat chicken dinners and endless beer for $2 a head at township halls. Bielawski, soon aware of Bay County's appetites, pulled a coup with $1 for chicken and beer and held the county for decades.
Every race Tuesday went to the GOP except that of Charles Brunner who topped Dennis Poirier for the 96th Michigan House seat 17,052 to 15,668. And, of course, the ageless Dale Kildee who squeaked out a 700 vote margin over the GOP's John Kupiec in the county.
Poirier seemed to barely campaign until the last minute while Brunner, coasting off heavy publicity from the auto industry rescue of last year, tried to outdo Candidate Jennifer Barnes in yard signs.
Even the darling of local Democrats, the popular term-limited state representative Jeff Mayes, fell in Bay County to farmer/businessman and former state representative Mike Green of Mayville. Few would have imagined that Green would win a 45-vote margin over Mayes in Mayes' own home territory of Bay County.
The Mayes loss not only showed the power of the Republican uprising but also the threat of GOP spending from hundreds of overseas and corporate donors. That power was manifested across the country except for a few isolated Democratic enclaves or where GOP candidates were so flawed they couldn't convince enough voters, such as Nevada where Harry Reid punched his was out of trouble over gaffe-ridden Sharron Angle.
Green reportedly lavished more than three-quarters of a million dollars of Republican "mad money" on television attack ads.
The Republican tidal wave washed over veteran road commissioner Gerald M. Redmond who was beaten by Michael Rivard 21,982 to 16,102; Joe Davis got 17 more votes than Colleen Maillette in the 4th District County Commission race; and Christopher T. Rupp snatched the South End and Salzburg 8th District from former city commissioner M.J. Gorney in a 2,025 to 1,864 stunner.
In other races of interest, former Bay City school board member Zigmond Kozicki lost to Kathy Ellison in the Midland district for Delta College trustee, 15,733 to 10,473.
Besides the close Davis win over Maillette, apparently ousting the incumbent county commissioner, another race that may end in a recount is a one-vote win by Republican Vince LaFramboise over Democrat Connie M. Pierson, 429 to 428, for Pinconning Township trustee. ###
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mosher Says:
On November 08, 2010
at 08:46 AM
Good analysis, Dave. Thanks.
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Dave Rogers |
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