ACHTUNG: The following is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
Last week Townbroadcast examined GOP primary election candidates for state representative in the 43rd and 79th districts. This week, it’s the state senate candidates’ turn for the 18th and 20th districts.
Three Republicans are competing in the Aug. 2 primary in the 20th District and two will vie for the same post in the 18th. And pretty much the same as the state rep. races, I think they’re all bozos on this bus.
I made an exception for Rachelle Smit in the 43rd state rep. race because she’s been a creditable Martin Township Clerk. I’ll do the same for Ryan Mancellini in the 18th District, but I fear that, “eer, he’s got no chance!”
Mancellini gets my nod, for what it’s worth, because he recognizes that something needs to be done soon about climate change, an issue the GOP continues to laugh off and ignore. He also has indicated he’s sick and tired of the failed War on Drugs.
But his opponent, Thomas Albert, has been in Lansing for the last six years as a state representative and seems to have a huge advantage with name recognition and fund-raising. Albert is a classic GOP legislator, opposing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at almost every turn.
The odds-on favorite for the 20th District is incumbent Aric Nesbitt, who cleaned Allegan County Clerk Bob Genetski’s clock four years ago after announcing he is a supporter of Donald Trump.
It’s depressing that so many Republican candidates declare they worship at the altar of Trump, and talk a lot about non-issues such as Critical Race Theory and government overreach (except on abortion). Trump apparently still has an iron grip on this party. It’s a damn shame because he was the architect and ringleader of a failed attempt to overthrow the United States government. And he still has many disciples in West Michigan.
The other two candidates, like Mancinelli, have about as much chance of winning as do the Detroit Tigers the World Series this fall. They are Austin Kreutz, a pastor who wants to establish a theocracy, and Kaleb Hudson, who looks like he just won an election for student council.
The issues? They don’t matter. The winner will be whoever genuflects best at Trump’s altar.
The gubernatorial primary race among five Republican bozos has become even more troubling. It’s gotten so bad they’re tuning on one another over who likes Trump the most or least. And Ryan Kelley, the guy who was arrested at the nation’s capital, has taken classless and misleading political advertising to new heights with his cherry-picked evidence that somehow the governor, whom he calls “Insurrection Gretchen,” led a ruckus, which she did as a state senator, in opposition to the hastily rammed through Right to Work law by lame-duck politicians.
There is a huge difference between violently trying to overthrow the government and leading a protest protected by the First Amendment. But Kelley is counting on prospective voters not to know or care.
I repeat, they’re all bozos on this bus. I’ll stick my neck out and predict that Tudor Dixon, with financial support from the House of DeVos, will win Aug. 2 and set up the first governor’s race between two women.
Otherwise, there will be a couple of millage propositions on the ballot. The most important is the Wayland school bond, which I support. I also back the Martin Township Fire Department and Yankee Springs Fire Department millage renewals.
And I recommend a “yes” to Yankee Springs Township residents approving coverage by the Henika Library in Wayland. There are 1,800 residents without full library services in the township, which are also located in Wayland school system. Residents have been working for many years to achieve these services and finally the voters can decide on the Aug. 2 ballot with a proposal to increase the local tax levy by up to 1.5 mills.
A message to all those voting in the Republican primary. Your candidate, if he or she wins Aug. 2, likely will win in November. So it matters now.
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