Photo by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog
In 2008, former Republican Congressman Joe Schwarz jumped party lines and endorsed Democrat Mark Schauer in the 7th Congressional District race (which Schauer eventually won.) It was a strong statement about Walberg’s far-right tea party obstructionist positions to have a well-known Michigan Republican endorse his Democratic opponent. Schwartz later went on to say, “I think Mark Schauer has made a legitimate effort at trying to represent the whole district and is far more aware of what the real issues that the voters in the 7th district care about might be than Tim Walberg. I think Schauer in his year has proven himself to be a more effective Congressman for the 7th district that Walberg was in his two years.”
This week, history is repeating itself. This time it is legendary Republican and former Michigan Governor William Milliken doing the endorsing:
Former Gov. William Milliken crossed party lines today to endorse congressional hopeful Gretchen Driskell, a Saline Democrat, in her bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton.
The Traverse City Republican, who served as Michigan’s governor from 1969-1983, said voters in the 7th Congressional District have the opportunity to choose a representative who will work in a “constructive way to fashion solutions to the challenges we face as a state and a nation.” […]
“She recognizes that we are one state and one nation and that in the end we all go up or down together,” Milliken said in a statement released today. “We need people in Washington who work to find common ground and common solutions to our problems.”
William Milliken has long been known as a moderate and wise Republican, something that is rare to find these days. His endorsement of Driskell proves he’s remained wise over the years and cares more about good government than partisan politics.
Meanwhile, Walberg has jumped on the Donald Trump bandwagon saying that he’ll “support the [Republican] nominee” for president. It will be fun to watch him defend Trump’s misogyny, racism, and hateful rhetoric over the next few months.
If you’d like to support Gretchen Driskell’s campaign, click HERE.
