The words spoken this week by potential Democratic candidates for governor in 2018 were all about the 2016 presidential election. But change a few words and they could easily become a classic stump speech for the upcoming race for the state’s top job.
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, and former Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, are the names most often mentioned as potential candidates, and both acknowledge that they’re looking at the race.
The two are in Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention this week and have been a visible and vocal presence to delegates. Whitmer, who also is serving as interim Ingham County Prosecutor, hosted the opening day breakfast Monday for Michigan delegates attending the convention, while Kildee spoke to delegates Tuesday morning and sponsored a lunch Tuesday for the delegation that wasn’t open to the media.
Both were playing to their strengths this week, with Whitmer focusing on the historic nature of Democrat Hillary Clinton’s possible path to the White House as the first female U.S. president and Kildee emphasizing the public health crisis in his hometown of Flint where the water became contaminated by lead.
“This is Day 1 of a historic moment in this country, and that’s why I wanted to bring my daughters out here for this nomination,” Whitmer told delegates on Monday. Hillary Clinton “has shattered glass ceilings throughout her career, while the other candidate demeans women every chance he gets.”
Kildee said what happened in Flint is one of the consequences of elections and put the blame squarely at the feet of Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and his administration.
“It created a philosophy of government that sounds rather familiar in the context of this presidential campaign: that puts dollars and cents ahead of people and that puts every question on a dashboard,” he said, referring to a term Snyder uses to gauge success in the state.
It’s not a surprise that both are in Philadelphia to court the most passionate activists in the Democratic Party to their side.
“This week, like any other convention, is about getting here with people who are really active with the party from Michigan who want to move us forward,” Whitmer said, adding she expects to make a decision about running for governor during the first quarter of 2017.
“What we’ve seen in Michigan with Gov. Snyder or (Attorney General) Bill Schuette or (Lt. Gov.) Brian Calley is a Michigan that’s not moving forward for people. We deserve better; we can do better.”
Kildee said he’s getting a lot of encouragement from people about the race and will start thinking about the future when the dust settles from the 2016 election cycle. But he clearly equates Snyder with Republican nominee Donald Trump — both businessmen with no political experience when they entered into the campaign arena.
“If you live in Michigan, what has happened under the watch of Rick Snyder is so aligned with the fears that many of us have about Donald Trump,” he said. “The challenge for us in our home state and in this country is to have political leaders; to have politics embrace the optimism that comes in the eyes of every one of those children in Flint, who have their futures cast in doubt because of the callous choices made by the Snyder administration.”
Former Gov. Jim Blanchard, who served two terms as governor, said the last six years with a Republican governor will set up the eventual Democratic nominee for victory in 2018.
“After two terms of a governor, there is a natural cycle that will favor our candidate. And the state of things in Lansing is such that our voters are going to strongly prefer a Democratic governor,” he said. “And we’ll have several really good candidates, two of them have already spoken and they’re both very talented and very good.”
Kildee will have one advantage: money. According to reports filed earlier this month with the Federal Election Commission, Kildee has raised $767,637 in the past two years and has $411,247 in cash on hand for his re-election race in a solidly Democratic congressional district. Anything left over after the 2016 election cycle could be transferred to a statewide race, said Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams.
In contrast, Whitmer’s Leadership PAC has $39,724 in available cash, but she’s been using that fund to help candidates running for the state House of Representatives.
Other possibilities for the 2018 gubernatorial race include John Austin, president of the state Board of Education, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara McQuade and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.
Austin has to run for re-election to the state board of education this year, but has been making moves that reveal larger ambitions. He’s also the director of the Michigan Economic Center and talks about what the state needs to do to ensure a vibrant economy.
“I can’t take anything for granted for my election this year. We need to rebuild support for public and higher education,” he said. “But when the dust settles after that, we’ll see where we are. I would love to provide direction to the state on the economy. The big picture is what can we do to create a decent life and opportunities for the people of Michigan.”
One name that many Democrats would like to see on the ballot in 2018 — but probably won’t — is Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
“And there’s another possibility, although he will tolerate no talk of this, and that is Mike Duggan,” Blanchard said. “He’s focused on being mayor and getting re-elected as mayor. He would make a great candidate.”
Detroit political consultant Jamaine Dickens said if he had the mayor’s ear, he would advise that 2018 would be a perfect time for a run for governor because it’s an open seat — Snyder can’t run for a third term because of term limits — and the circumstances of the election favor a Democrat.
“It will be really hard for a Republican to overcome the Snyder administration and its snafus,” he said. “The Flint water crisis got international attention and it plays into the narrative about Republicans caring about only the wealthy and the lives of those who aren’t wealthy don’t matter as much.”
Despite the allure of a Duggan candidacy, Dickens doesn’t discount Kildee or Whitmer.
“He comes from a place that is similar to the profile of Detroit. He has the energy to do the work needed,” he said of Kildee. “And Gretchen has had a very distinguished career and is probably in a good position to raise money for a run like that. People respect her intellect and her political savvy.”
On the Republican side, Schuette and Calley are the two main players in the gubernatorial race, and according to campaign finance reports filed earlier this month, Schuette has $604,850 in cash available for his next race, while Calley has $457,574.
