Calley+Colbeck Agree To Voter Townhall Tour, Schuette Refuses

By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

Lt. Governor Brian Calley has proposed a series of town hall meetings for Republican primary voters to ask candidates for Governor questions, six in six weeks. 

State Senator Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines have accepted Calley's invitation, but Attorney General Bill Schuette is refusing, apparently unwilling to take his case directly to the voters.

Schuette says he will participate in townhalls at another time, to be determined.

According to Emily Lawler of MLive:

"Lt. Gov. Brian Calley is challenging his Republican primary opponents in the governor's race to travel the state with him over the next month and a half, participating in six town-hall style debates.  

"The next state election will determine whether Michigan continues its comeback or goes in a different direction, so Michigan Republican primary voters deserve the opportunity to ask all the GOP candidates for governor questions about their visions for the future of our state," Calley said in a press release.  

"That's why I'm calling on all the candidates seeking the GOP nomination to commit with me to participating in a series of candidate town hall events throughout Michigan over a period of six weeks." 

Attorney General Bill Schuette, a big hitter in the Republican gubernatorial field, does not plan to participate, according to spokeswoman Katie Hills. 

"Bill believes they should be at work trying to cut taxes. We are looking forward to things like town halls at a later time," Hills said. 

But other gubernatorial candidates are primed for the challenge.  

Sen. Patrick Colbeck, on WJR's Frank Beckmann show Monday, said he, Jim Hines and Calley had agreed to the series of town halls.  

"We've all agreed on a suite of town halls that we're going to have, sharing our respective visions for where we want to take Michigan," Colbeck said. 

Hines is open to participating in the debates, a member of his campaign staff confirmed."  

The decision comes as Schuette has been in the hot seat for threatening to fire state employees who did not support his Gubernatorial campaign. 

Schuette has also seen a nearly 40% lead over Calley disappear down to around 10%...

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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