Detroit News- Early Primary Gives Mich. More Clout

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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Early primary gives Mich. more clout

Saul Anuzis

Michigan's economy continues to flounder. Home foreclosures are among the worst in the nation. Unemployment is the worse it has been in more than a decade. Congress wants to hobble Detroit with unattainable fuel economy standards.

These are the important issues the candidates who want to be our next president should be discussing, and they should be discussing them here in Michigan.

With a bipartisan agreement, Michigan moved up its primary to Jan. 15, immediately following Iowa and, probably, New Hampshire. Now, a small, but vocal faction within the Michigan Democrat Party is working behind the scenes to scuttle our chance to play a pivotal role in selecting the presidential nominees.

The benefits of moving up Michigan's primary are real. It makes sure our voice is heard nationwide. Candidates continue to spend time here and develop relationships that will matter when they are elected. Millions of Michigan citizens get to participate in a primary versus the thousands that would under any party caucus system.

Most important, Michigan helps determine who will be the next nominee from both parties, ensuring better representation of our people, issues and state.

Just last month, nine GOP presidential hopefuls met in Dearborn for the first debate to focus on economic issues. In the shadow of the Big Three automakers, these candidates talked about issues that matter to Michigan -- manufacturing, foreign trade, legacy health care costs -- issues that would never come up if they only campaigned in Iowa and New Hampshire.

It is time for Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives to act and adopt legislation -- that passed the state Senate -- to once and for all set Michigan's primary for Jan. 15.

Saul Anuzis is the Michigan Republican Party chairman. Please fax comments to (313) 222-6417 or e-mail them to letters@detnews.com.