DeVos makes county rounds - Businessman seeks GOP nod in bid for state's top job in 2006
The man who many Republicans hope will be the state's next governor campaigned Thursday in Livingston County.
Dick DeVos, son of the founder of Amway and leader of the failed 2000 ballot initiatives to allow private-school vouchers in the state, made several stops in the county, including a visit to Cleary's Restaurant Pub and Banquet Center in Howell.
He said his goal was to listen to what voters want.
"I've been traveling extensively through the state to listen to the people of Michigan as to their concerns, fears and hopes and dreams for the future," DeVos said.
Dick DeVos was at four events in Livingston County yesterday. I'm active in the county GOP, so I was at two of the events. I saw many positives there.
The first thing I noticed is that he did not use notes in hid speeches. That sounds minor, but to me is shows that he knows his subjects, and is more likely to think on his feet. There was only two questions, and he answered them well. I heard the Teenage Republicans asked some good ones earier at their event.
Another thing is that he did not mention Granholm once. We all know that Granholm is unacceptable, but DeVos has to give us all reasons to vote FOR him, and not just AGAINST Granholm.
He mostly mentioned his family background and the business climate in Michigan, and related the two. We're the only state losing jobs, and we are losing most of them to Ohio, Indiana, and South Carolina. Two of the major culprits of that is the SBT tax and red tape regulations. Many people are leaving the state for work, lowering the tax base here, which affects the budget as well as school funding.
Dick DeVos also did a lot of listening. He talked to every single person in the room at both events I was at. Not all candidates do that (usually locals do), and few make the same effort at that as DeVos did. This is especially the case when the event is not a fundraiser.
I'll also mention that he drives an American car. That may not mean a lot to some folks, but I grew up in a "Big 3" family, so that's good to see.
I think this race is winnable. DeVos has a large social conservative following. If he can sell the jobs policies in Macomb, the UP, Alpena, Battle Creek and other blue collar swing and slightly democrat areas, we can take this and put Michigan on the right track once again.
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