GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The decision by Republican presidential candidate John McCain to essentially abandon his Michigan campaign could hurt other Republicans further down the ballot.
That, according to Calvin College political scientist Doug Koopman. "With McCain pulling out of Michigan ... you lose money, you lose advertising, you lose energy, and that hurt's everyone on the Republican side of the ballot," Koopman said Friday.
Koopman notes diminished Republican turnout could also hurt conservative's efforts to defeat Proposal 2, the plan to loosen limits on stem cell research.
However, former State Senator William VanRegenmorter, an opponent of Proposal 2, said Friday, "There will be an impact but it will not be serious."
Grand Rapids features a state house race critical to Republican hopes of recapturing control of the chamber. Republican challenger Dan Tietema said Friday, "It means that we'll continue to work harder in the 75th to win this."
Saulius Anuzis, the Michigan Republican Chairman, sent an urgent fundraising email out Friday. It read in part, "This move leaves a tremendous hole in our ground campaign that we must now fill...I won't sugar coat it; the McCain Campaign's decision to pull out of Michigan is a tough blow. But we cannot let it deter us."
U.S. Reps. Joe Knollenberg of Oakland County's Bloomfield Township and Tim Walberg of Tipton both face well-financed Democratic challengers, and turnout could be key in their elections.
Peter RossIn your voice
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