Michigan, 2006

[Snefix]

A big problem with Michigan is that we have a really weak bench of state legislatures where they simply have to win the primary to win the state house seat.  They don't have to work to moderate their views, or campaign hard to get the "middle" or "median" vote in order to achieve office.  So when it comes time to win a larger or state-wide race where you have to appeal to the middle in addition to holding onto your base, a lot of Republicans don't have the experience to know how to do that.

It also doesn't help that we have a large number of state legislators that are more interested in advancing their own careers than beating Democrats.  Stabenow may have very little to hang her hat on during the past six years, but at least she had the stones to step out of a safe Democratic US House seat that she probably would've had for life, to run against an incumbant Republican Senator.  Right now, the Michigan GOP doesn't seem to have anyone like that.

I know a conservative GOP state rep and a libertarian GOP state rep that would love to beat Stabenow, but they're not prominent enough to really pull it off.

Personally, I'm hoping Candice Miller actually steps up, follows the suggestion of President Bush, and runs against Stabenow.  That would open up her seat for the previously mentioned libertarian GOP state rep to run for her seat. :-)