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By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
Sandy Pensler knows a thing or two about running a business. He has a history of taking failing companies on the verge of death and turning them around, saving jobs and raking in big profits in the process.
Now Pensler's planning a hostile takeover of Debbie Stabenow's US Senate seat, and he says he'll spend millions out of his own pocket to #DumpDebbie and give Michigan the state's first Republican Senator in nearly 20 years.
According to his website, Pensler "put his teachings and experience into practice by founding Pensler Capital, starting numerous businesses and currently owning and operating four manufacturing plants, including the Korex Corporation plant in Wixom, which provides over 100 jobs to Michigan workers. The Wixom plant was losing millions and slated for closure when Sandy took control. He rebuilt the Wixom plant, saved the jobs and engineered a successful turnaround."
That isn't his only turn around success story .
"His Chicago plant was scheduled for closure when its owners Church and Dwight, owners of Arm and Hammer and Oxyclean, turned to him to purchase the plant and turn it around. Sandy successfully put that company back on its feet as well. All of the current Korex companies are profitable, free of debt and growing under Sandy’s leadership."
Pensler says he's running to put "Michigan First."
Pensler, who is also a lawyer, joins a Republican Senate field that includes businessman and Veteran John James, as well as former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bob Young.
While money certainly isn't everything, some in the GOP have expressed concerns over what they feel are low fundraising numbers between James and Young. The pair had less than $400,000 in the last reporting period, while Stabenow is sitting on close to $7 million.
No one doubts Pensler can post big numbers, however, his conservative credentials were immediately questioned by the Michigan Faith and Freedom Coalition because of his views on abortion when he ran for Congress nearly 30 years ago. (Leaders of the Michigan Faith and Freedom Coalition are supporting John James for the Senate seat.)
Like President Trump, President Reagan, and many others, Pensler has changed his position on abortion and is passionately pro life.
“My wife and I think abortion is a bad thing and wrong, consider ourselves pro-life, and strongly believe that Roe v Wade was a terrible decision," Pensler said. "We should defund planned parenthood and put in place judges that do not legislate from the bench,” Pensler said. “My position on the issue has evolved from when I ran 25 years ago influenced by having had and raised my own family.”
Pensler is an interesting addition to the race, and while he clearly has the ability to get his message out, gaining the support of grassroots Republican primary voters will be no easy task.
Even then, that's just round one, Debbie awaits-locked, loaded, and ready to brawl.
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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
How about you put those Millions behind someone who is actually QUALIFIED (Ready On Day 1) like indisputably Conservative/Constitutionalist ROBERT YOUNG JR???
ReplyDeleteI want someone worthy of EARNING THE SEAT, NOT ATTEMPTING TO BUY IT.
As of right now, I'm a John James supporter, but I'm open to anyone who can beat Stabenow.
ReplyDelete