Santorum can claim partial Michigan win

By Rick Pluta

Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum lost the popular vote to Mitt Romney by a slim margin in the Michigan Republican primary. It appears Santorum’s in line to pick up about half the state’s national convention delegates.  

Rick Santorum proved popular enough among social conservatives in northern and western Michigan to win six or seven, maybe eight of the state’s 14 congressional districts and the delegates that go with them.

Santorum told an election night party that he’s proud of how he forced Mitt Romney into a fierce battle for his home state.

“A month ago they didn’t know who we are, but they do now!”

Santorum said that shows he’s the best candidate to win the industrial Midwest and deny President Obama a second term in the White House.

Santorum may have been helped at least a bit by Democrats who crossed over to vote against Romney in the G-O-P race.

Copyright 2010, MPRN

Medical marijuana debate to continue through March

By Laura Weber

Michigan’s medical marijuana law is the focus of ongoing discussions at the state Capitol this week. Lawmakers are considering proposals that would add regulations to how users can grow and store medical marijuana, and could change how police officers gather information about medical marijuana I-D holders. Michigan Public Radio’s Laura Weber has more.

Republican state Representative John Walsh chairs the House committee discussing the medical marijuana proposals. He said he knows not everyone will be happy with the measures, but he said it’s not his intention to dramatically alter the medical marijuana law as it was approved by voters.

“We’ve worked hard to be as open as possible, and to prove to the skeptics that we’re open minded.”

Supporters of medical marijuana say lawmakers are “nipping away at the edges” of the medical marijuana law by considering the changes. And they say they are particularly concerned with a proposal in the state Senate that would eliminate glaucoma as a medical condition that is treatable with marijuana.

Copyright 2010, MPRN

Romney wins Michigan primary

By Laura Weber

Mitt Romney said his victory in Michigan’s Republican presidential primary is particularly special to him because he was born and raised in the state. Romney won by a slim margin over his chief opponent Rick Santorum.
   
Romney acknowledged early in his victory speech that it was a close race.

“We didn’t win by a lot, but we won by enough, and that’s all that counts.”

But Republican National Committeeman Saul Anuzis said the win is bigger than percentages and numbers.

“Well I think this is huge. It gets the momentum going in the right way, everybody’s pretty excited about what we ended up doing here.”

Anuzis, a Romney supporter, said winning both Michigan and Arizona is a boon for the Romney campaign as it rolls into Super Tuesday. Ten states are scheduled to hold their contests next week, including Ohio and Romney’s home state of Massachusetts.

Copyright 2010, MPRN

Romney supporters feeling good about MI primary

By Laura Weber

Vote tallies are starting to come in for Michigan’s Republican primary. Early results show Rick Santorum with a slim lead over his rival Mitt Romney. But Romney’s supporters in southeast Michigan say they’re optimistic and feeling good about the Michigan native’s odds.
   
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is heading up Romney’s campaign efforts in the state. Schuette said he is disgusted that Santorum encouraged Democrats to vote in the G-O-P primary against Romney.

“I think that’s stupid, and I think most people view that as cynicism or hypocrisy in its worst form. I don’t get too stressed by it. What it really does show is there’s something in the air of desperation from the other side.”

But Schuette said he thinks Romney will walk away with a win in Michigan tonight.  

Romney hits Santorum over robo-calls

A controversy over robo-calling dominated much of the final day of campaigning in Michigan’s presidential primary. G-O-P hopeful Mitt Romney accused Rick Santorum his rival of trying to “kidnap” the vote. That’s because Santorum’s campaign paid for a robo-call inviting Democrats to vote for him. Santorum said it was simply an effort to build a broad coalition that includes Republicans, Democrats, and independents.
    
“The whole point is to get, to have a conservative message, which I have, and to go out and get conservatives of all stripes to join us. That’s how we’re going to win Michigan.”

Santorum compared his effort to President Ronald Reagan’s broad coalition of support that that included blue-collar Democrats.

It’s not clear yet how much of a role Democratic crossover votes played in the election.
 
Copyright 2010, MPRN

Michigan primary helps set the stage for Super Tuesday

By Rick Pluta
   
There are 30 Republican national convention delegates up for grabs in today’s primary. Today’s vote is about more than just delegates.

It’s also about momentum going into the next round of primaries. There are relatively few delegates at stake in the Michigan and Arizona primaries. But those two elections set the stage for Super Tuesday. Ten states will vote. 419 delegates are at stake. That’s a third of what any candidate needs to win the nomination.

Michigan State University political science professor Matt Grossman.

“So, there’s a lot of potential for momentum from Michigan to matter in other states.”

Grossman said if there’s a big winner on Super Tuesday, that candidate could credibly claim frontrunner status as the Republican most likely to face President Obama on the November ballot.

Copyright 2010, MPRN

Enthusiastic crowd greets Ron Paul at MSU

By Rick Pluta

Congressman Ron Paul spoke out against wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and drug laws at a rally on the campus of Michigan State University. He also promised to slash one trillion dollars from the federal budget in his first year on the job of he is elected president.

“President Paul! President Paul!…”

The Republican hopeful wrapped up a day of campaigning before an enthusiastic crowd who packed an auditorium that normally seats about four thousand.
   
Paul said states like Michigan should be allowed to enact medical marijuana laws without worrying about interference from the federal government; and spoke out against the war on drugs.
   
“Drugs are very, very dangerous, but the war on drugs, I think, is more dangerous than the drugs themselves…”
   
Paul said he’d also like to repeal the amendment that allows a federal income tax, eliminate indefinite detention laws, lift the ban on trade with Cuba, and end the Federal Reserve system.
 
Copyright 2010, MPRN

Some Democrats hope to effect MI GOP primary

By Rick Pluta

As Republicans head to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the G-O-P presidential primary, they could be joined by thousands of Democrats.

Call them “Democrats for Rick Santorum for a Day.”

Democratic political consultant Joe DiSano said he’s identified thousands of non-Republicans willing to meddle in the G-O-P primary…
    
“I’m going to be doing everything in my power to help move them to the polls.”

That includes robo-calls and e-mail blasts. DiSano said he wants Mitt Romney to suffer a home state upset, but he also thinks Santorum would be a weaker rival to President Obama
   
DiSano said for his scheme to work, Democrats have to coalesce behind one Republican the way they did in 2000 when John McCain staged a Michigan upset over George W-Bush.
   
Republican political consultant David Doyle said that does not appear to be happening this year.

“They’re all over the board.

Doyle said a few votes could make a big difference, but non-Republicans appear divided between Santorum, Romney and Ron Paul.

Copyright 2010, MPRN

Santorum campaigns as underdog one day out from primary

By Laura Weber

Rick Santorum is making his final campaign stops across southern Michigan before the state’s Republican primary. Santorum is campaigning as underdog in the race.

Santorum spoke to a crowd of about 300 people at a small hotel ballroom in Lansing. He whipped up the enthusiastic crowd over the prospect of ousting President Obama in the fall. And Santorum said the Republican Party’s chances hinge on Michigan’s primary.

“I need your help. It could be a game-changing day.”

That’s true, said Republican state Representative Aric Nesbitt. He attended Santorum’s rally, but as a Romney supporter. Nesbitt thinks support for Santorum has slipped in Michigan because…

“People thought they liked what they saw, but all of the sudden they see that he actually does have a record in Washington as somebody who is a big-government Republican.”

But Santorum said he is the true conservative in the Republican primary, regardless of what Romney and his supporters say.

Copyright 2010, MPRN

GOP candidates make closing arguments in MI GOP race

By Rick Pluta

Republican presidential candidates will be criss-crossing Michigan Monday. G-O-P hopefuls Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul all have Michigan campaign stops planned.

There is no let-up expected in campaign advertising.

This has largely been what’s called a “contrast” campaign, which is a euphemism for attacking one’s opponents.
   
Bobby Schostak is the Michigan Republican chairman. He said Republicans don’t simply want someone who can beat President Obama in November.

“The message that they’ve got to leave with Michigan people is, I’ve got solutions for this economy; I’ve got solutions for a manufacturing state rebound; I have a solution for joblessness.”

That said, Schostak expects Republicans will unite behind whoever winds up with the nomination. And he predicts Michigan will be a competitive state come November. Michigan has not gone with a Republican presidential candidate in the general election since 1988.
 
Copyright 2010, MPRN