ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.

There have been many troubling developments in Campaign 2018 thus far, and perhaps one of the most striking is the tragic story of Lt. Gov. Brian Calley committing political suicide by taking a moral stand.

Calley almost two years made the politically fatal mistake of withdrawing his endorsement of Donald Trump for president after public revelations of the now infamous “Access Hollywood” audio and video tapes. A conservative Christian, he announced he couldn’t support such boorish and immoral behavior.

Calley said he did vote for Trump in November 2016, but he just couldn’t betray his conscience and endorse him.

Calley’s chief opponent in the 2018 campaign for governor, Attorney General Bill Schuette, has used ruthless opportunism since then to hammer Calley for not backing Trump. By contrast, he has trumpeted loudly and proudly the President’s endorsement.

Perhaps this is not the only reason Schuette is leading by double digits in the polls. Calley has been touting a comeback in Michigan that too many don’t seem to be feeling. He and his immediate superior, outgoing Gov. Rick Snyder, have had to endure complaints about bad roads, the Flint water crisis, the crumbling infrastucture and Nestle stealing one of Michigan’s most precious natural resources at bargain basement prices.

But over the airways in marketing and advertising, which carries far too much clout in helping voters decide, Schuette seems to have been successful in crafting a “tough guy” image and he has tenaciously dug his claws into the coattails of Trump. The President’s approval ratings in this state seem to be in free fall, but among the loyal GOP he clearly is still “The Man.”

This means too many Republicans, who so often identify themselves as evangelical and fundamentalist Christians, don’t really give a tinker’s cuss about Trump’s personal dalliances. And too many are perfectly willing to set aside their deeply held moral beliefs and punish a flawed, but decent lieutenant governor for daring to call out his party’s leader for conduct unbecoming of a Christian.

I personally have known Brian Calley in my checkered career as a community journalist. Though I don’t like his politics, I’ve found him to be a decent human being who has at least an ounce of compassion I find lacking in Schuette and Trump. That ounce of compassion and morality apparently will cost him dearly on Aug. 7.

Consider this a feeble and belated endorsement of Calley for the GOP nomination for governor.