2007 - What's next?

Well, it's now a new year and there's no presidential or gubenatorial elections. That doesn't mean things aren't going to be interesting. They are going to probably heat up quickly.

In early February, we have the filing deadline for May elections. It's school board time again. Howell and Brighton have their school board elections at this time. It'll be interesting to see who runs. It'll also be interesting to see what the MEA, Love Group PAC, Concerned Taxpayers Group PAC, Livingston Taxpayers Association (Dave Hamilton's org), GOP, Democrats, and newsmedia do in this election. The Concerned Taxpayers Group set a good precedence in 2005 with the millage and in 2006 with its endorsement process. I hope we have some good candidates.

The preseason for 2008 will get pushed into high gear. We have the Iowa Straw Poll sometime in August. We'll have several announcements of running and who is in or out, as well as everybody who ever was anything or thinks they were anything making an endorsement.

The big event though either this August or September is the GOP's Mackinac Leadership Conference. Every two years, the GOP has a major conference up on Mackinac Island. There may be a straw poll there(hence, part of the reason McCain's people wanted Saul gone). There will also be several candidates there. In 05, we had Brownback, Romney, and Tommy Thompson. 07 should be much more active than 05 - and that was fairly active.

Most of the primary presidential season will likely be over before the end of the year - and down to 3-4 people at most. Who those will be? I have no idea. (Many thought in 1999 it would be Liddy Dole vs Hillary)

It should be a real interesting year.