Race for Governor in 2010 Already Shaping as Cherry vs. Patterson or Cox

Dark Horses: George Perles for Dems, Terry Lynn Land for GOP

February 18, 2009
By: Dave Rogers

Politicians are already lining up at the gate.

It's getting close to post time.

The stakes? Governor of Michigan.

The race: Gubernatorial Election of 2010, Nov. 2.

Here's the lineup as the horses are nervous and raring to go:


For the Democrats, the big horse is Lt. Gov. John Cherry, already using the power of incumbency to position himself as the frontrunner.

Republicans are led by Attorney General Mike Cox, who has been trying to out-Dem the Dems with his populist moves.

Coming up on the outside is L. Brooks Patterson (Pictured Above), ultra conservative Oakland County executive, not always known as a steady horse but one who gets attention.

Terry Lynn Land, a longshot filly, hopes to parlay her exposure as Michigan Secretary of State into the Republican nomination.

Apparently, the 2006 runnerup, Dick DeVos, has been scratched. His name has only surfaced in pundit's comments about spending $100 million and finishing out of the money.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, the Canadian flash, is filling out her term, apparently without a bid for a higher stakes race in Washington. Trainer Obama hasn't placed the call that many were sure was coming, although she reportedly turned down a chance at the Secretary of Labor post.

Hilda Solis, California mud runner, instead took on that no win job with the task of passing the highly controversial card check bill for unions.

At the far end of the paddock are such longshots as Andy Dillon, speaker of the House, George Perles, former Michigan State University football coach now a MSU trustee, on the Democratic side, and U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland and Dr. Tom George, state senator from Flint, on the Republican side. The likeable Sen. George if he mounts a successful bid, would be the first physician to hold the governorship in Michigan.###