Because we are not Detroit, that’s why!

The race for the primary election in Michigan’s First District, is in its last leg. The primary is August 3rd, and there is a definite feeling of a higher than normal turnout at the polls.

Right now, polling is sparse, we have only an Inside Michigan Politics poll that sampled 4000 voters with replies of only about 140 people or so, but it shows a lead by Benishek over Allen 20.7 to 19.3.

The July 15th deadline for campaign donation reporting showed Benishek with more than $100,000 over Allen, $280,000 to $177,000. The Allen campaign is complaining that the Benishek Camp’s transparency is not up to snuff, questioning where he got his initial money. But, I know where he got it-from grassroots conservatives all over this great nation, who watched Bart Stupak betray this country, and wanted him defeated. They sent checks of $10, $20, sometimes $5, anything they could afford to defeat Stupak. Then Stupak announced his retirement, and Senator Jason Allen moved into the district to run a seemingly easy race. The veteran campaigner moved from Traverse City and his political background as a commissioner in Traverse City then on to the House, then Senate. Michigan has term limits, and now Allen can no longer run for office in Michigan. But Benishek has quite a few very astute and loyal followers and volunteers.

I’ve written extensively about Allen and his approach to politics. He touts himself a conservative when he is nothing of the sort. So it doesn’t surprise me that Allen received the endorsement of the Detroit Free Press.

Other races: 1st District

(The Upper Peninsula plus the northernmost and northeast Lower Peninsula, running diagonally from Antrim County down to Bay County)

The retirement of Democrat Bart Stupak after nine terms attracted six Republican candidates vying for the nomination to run against state Rep. Gary McDowell of Rudyard, who is unopposed on the Democratic side.

Based on experience and achievements, state Sen. JASON ALLEN, 47, of Petoskey runs head and shoulders above the GOP field and would be the strongest candidate against McDowell. An accomplished conservative legislator with a background in local government, small business and the National Guard, Allen is a broad thinker who knows how to build coalitions around issues to get things done. Allen has creative ideas for using what he calls northern Michigan’s “strategic assets” to create jobs and business opportunities. He’s the principal author of the state’s Main Street Redevelopment Act, a bipartisan effort to aid the redevelopment of the state’s struggling small and mid-size cities.

Some reaction. First of all, Dan Benshek is about 6’4″ tall, so in fact, he actually stands head and shoulders above Allen, literally. Allen would be barraged by the Democrat in the general for being a corporate crony, a deal-maker for the rich, and by Allen’s past actions, it would be a very solid argument. Allen is not conservative, although he says he is in almost every breath, kind of like John McCain does. A broad thinker means that he is willing to go so far to the Democrats side, he is often putting up legislation that they then copy. But what is funniest about this endorsement is it is exactly the perfect example of why Jason Allen is out of touch with the First District.

We suffered through all the years of Stupak making decisions for us, perhaps under the radar, but the First District of Michigan is Wide Awake now, and it is with the vigor of the tea party rallies across the district that make us all stand up and shout–

WE ARE NOT DETROIT!

After the Stimulus bill passed the House, the State’s map showed that our rural, sparsely populated district of farmers, loggers, truck drivers and miners, shown blue as well as a part of Detroit, meaning that Stupak’s vote was cast the same way the representatives of Detroit had. I remember thinking, we have nothing in common with Detroit–absolutely nothing.

Interestingly, Michigan has been awarded 7 billion in stimulus funds and only received 2.2 billion that delivered less than 15,000 jobs, you can check your own state here, but that aside.

And so it is the case here, that a Detroit paper with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever in the problems, concerns and workings of this northernmost district, endorses a candidate who, in turn, has no knowledge on how the district wishes to be represented because he has more in common with Detroit than us.

Actually, it is very telling that a liberal paper endorses Allen, especially when you consider that during the general, the paper will attack him when up against an actual Democrat.