One of the highpoints from multiple outlets in the local media last night was the announcement from a certain incumbent US Representative candidate against a certain foreclosure king, some democrat (and maybe a Libertarian).

Okay, it’s kind of hard to tease this one.

Yes, it is official: Kerry Bentivolio WILL be running as a write-in candidate in the November 4th General.

It doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to add.

{More after the fold}

CD-11 “Public Enemy No. 1” according the the republican kakistocracy

It’s no big secret that the republican kakistocracy has had it in for Bentivolio since his election.

After the McCotter debacle, the bluebloods went positively bat guano crazy trying to locate “the right” candidate for the office (Read: Who is the next “Yes (wo/)man”, in line?), even though other Republicans had bothered to go through the tedious formality of organizing and creating a campaign committee, getting ballot access and stumping for votes. Those pesky details didn’t matter to them.

We can’t have…an outsider in that office?

Who cares if he is was honorably discharged from the US Army and retired from the Michigan Army National Guard after serving for 20-years, including a tour in Iraq.

So what if he was an educator for about ten years? Given the limited exposure from what I’ve observed in a public middle/high school, Iraq must have been like going to Disneyland.

He raises reindeer.

Yeah, that’s it. Raising reindeer automatically makes you ineligible for office.

Now, just kindly step aside and let our hand picked candidate take her seat.

Well, that didn’t happen and the rest is history.

So exactly what did the last two years in office bring?

Scandal? Bribes? Corruption? Or even gasp…worse?

No, actually Rep. Bentivolio has performed pretty well as a US Representative.

One of the first things that he had done was to create a Mobile Constituent Service Center to go into his district so that constituents could more easily get assistance with federal agencies (i.e. VA, IRS, etc.), pass along concerns on current issues or even (gasp) schedule an appointment to meet with the Congressman.

I’m jealous since I don’t walk into my local elected official’s office with a large bag of cash or a large check in hand. I’m of the strong opinion that because of this, the farthest I’ve ever gotten is to their gatekeeper and a “promise” from them to stay in touch.

In December of last year, he introduced H.R.3635 the Safe and Secure Federal Websites Act of 2014. People using federal websites for personal business shouldn’t need to have their identities compromised by online security which can be easily circumvented by an eight year old.

In July of this year he co-sponsored H.R. 5014 the llegal Entry Accountability Act of 2014. Remember the surge of “Unaccompanied Minors” that Pres. B.O. had no part in encouraging? Rep. Bentivolio’s bill would cut off the foreign aid to countries like El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras, and Mexico.

In September of this year, Rep. Bentivolio received the “Taxpayers’ Friend Award” for 2013 from the National Taxpayers Union. NTU President Pete Sepp said,

“With so many remaining doubts that our economy has completely turned a corner, it’s never been more important for Washington to change direction on fiscal policy. Fortunately, the taxpayers of the 11th district of Michigan could count on Rep. Bentivolio to help put our nation on a saner path. Day in and day out, he earned the title of ‘Taxpayers ‘ Friend.’”

Given the score of the majority of non-representing representatives from Michigan on the NTU list, especially republicans, I can see the republican kakistocracy’s cause for concern.

One other noteworthy item to pass along; in July of this year, he did something that would’ve been unthinkable for any other sitting establishment republican; he returned an award from the US Chamber of Commerce. In commenting why he returned their award, Rep. Bentivolio said,

“The Chamber of Commerce is beholden to special interests and has long since forgotten the main street businesses that struggle everyday to make payroll and keep their company afloat. It is with great pride that I reject their award, and call on them to stand on the side of America, instead of on the side of China and corporate interests seeking to exploit people for profit. I am with main street, not Wall Street.”

Ouch!

That didn’t make him very many friends. I doubt that we’ll be seeing much “party unity” and the rest of the “Let’s all come together” bunk the republican kakistocracy shovels out in industrial-sized quantities from that action alone.

Fast forward to 2014.

Despite not having done anything to embarrass the office, having a good working relationship with Speaker Boehner (something even Justin Amash cannot claim) and maintaining a conservative rating in the top 10% local businessman David Trott throws his hat into the ring. Purportedly, there was no goading/prompting by outside parties for him to enter the race (cough, cough: republican kakistocracy). This makes his entry more perplexing because if that were really the case, Mr. Trott’s decision to not run in ’12 is even more of a mystery given the fact that people WERE needed to run…something he easily could have done back then

So in 2014, although Rep. Bentivolio enjoyed the support from Tea Party and other Social Conservative groups, campaign management issues and fund raising problems resulted in the race going to Trott.

But the story doesn’t end there.

It has been reported previously that there is a strong indication, yet not 100% conclusive, that Kerry Bentivolio would be running in the general.

Word begins to leak out pertaining to charges of “slander and libel” from various sources including from David Trott himself. Some of what has been passed along to me included Bentivolio not having a “reliable” voting record in Congress and an unwillingness to “go along to get along”.

Word also spread that Republican voters would be either staying home, or casting their votes for other candidates in CD-11 (i.e. McKenzie-d or Tatar –L). “What really got me is people telling me they were not going to vote,” Bentivolio said in The Detroit News.

So to help turn out voters to the polls on the republican-side, Kerry Bentivolio WILL be running as a write-in on November 4th.

Also, to help make it easier for voters to vote for the candidate of the choice, he will be registering as “Kerry B.” in order to keep votes from getting disqualified. Given what was signed off in the last mayorial race in Detroit by the city clerk’s office, I don’t see that as being a problem.

One last bit to pass along, despite the fact that Kerry Bentivolio very publically stated that he is running to support Terri Lynn Land’s campaign for US Senate, Land stated in Friday’s Detroit News that she is supporting Trott in the General.

For anyone who might be miffed at Land’s recent actions (among other things), my $0.02 for those voters in CD-11: Richard Matkin for US Senate.

But as always, vote for whom YOU feel in your conscience is the best candidate for each office on the ballot.