Tag: Mike Nofs

There is no need to open up Michigan's electric market to more competition, Sen. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek said.

After weeks of reviewing the state's 2008 energy reform laws and hearing testimony for about 60 people, the chair of the Senate Energy and Technology Committee said raising the 10 percent cap on customer choice is not necessary.

"I don't think there was a huge outcry (about raising the cap)," Nofs said. "I think the current law is working pretty good."

Michigan's 2008 energy-reform law limits competition to 10 percent of the sales of the state's two largest utilities: Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison.

When the law was enacted in October 2008, 3 percent of Consumers' customers were buying from alternative providers. Ten months later, that figure hit the 10 percent cap.

Rest here

Last summer, in the Republican primary to fill Michigan's vacant 19th state Senate seat, we raised a ruckus by dropping leaflets in the district exposing the outrageous RINO record of the the Michigan GOP's chosen one for the seat, former state representative Mike Nofs. More ruckus was raised when our Common Sense in Government organization (formerly the New Patriot Revolution) "educated" grass roots GOP activists about Nofs at the recent Mackinac Island party conference.

I'm no Sarah Palin, but given Nofs' voting record I have to wonder whether sending the Republican Party establishment over the deep end by seeking his defeat in a general election is worth considering.

After all, I'm a political Independent, and indifferent to which party wins so long as the victor upholds the limited government principles of Common Sense in Government. There are four candidates in this race, and the best candidates most likely are not either of the mainstream party candidates.

The fact that this decision requires some thought indicates just how far Michigan's Republican Party has strayed from the principles they profess to their grass roots supporters - but increasingly are betrayed by lawmakers with "R" after their names.

My sincere hope is that if he wins next Tuesday, we see a new Mike Nofs -- not the one who kow-tows to the unions or the one who voted to spend most of that big tax increase from two years ago.

We're not naive here at Common Sense in Government. If we can get a majority of lawmakers who are afraid to do the wrong thing, that's a lot better than just having a tiny handful of really good ones who genuinely want to do the right thing. Maybe we can add Mike Nofs to that majority who, with pressure from you, will do the right thing.

With just over a week from the special election in the Battle Creek area for a state Senate seat, there is geniune hope that the Republicans may actually win back this seat vacated by a Democrat.

I'm not affiliated with Republican nominee Mike Nofs campaign.  Not involved at all and don't live in his district, actually.  But given the state of our state, I cannot think of anything more important at this moment than ensuring Mr. Nofs wins the November 3rd election.

But he needs our help and support to pull off that victory.  This is a "purple" district and it is expected the Democrat machine will be pouring in lots of money and resources in this last week of the campaign to elect their nominee.

The Republican-controlled state Senate is the only barrier to Governor Granholm and her fellow Democrats running the state House from implementing even more of their liberal policies that have already so damaged our state.  We need to increase our strength in the state Senate by electing Mike Nofs.

If you're interesting in helping Mr. Nofs campaign in this final and critical week before election day, please visit his website by clicking here.

DCuz

You might ask, "Did you read the bill?" or "What example can you give that government does anything well?"

Campaigns are the ground floor for firsthand political experience and management. So whether you're a political science buff looking for a resume builder or simply want an edge and recommendation in getting that first job, the Jackson Fix Michigan Center is for you.

The Republican Party is either ignoring us, or thinks that we are "in the bag" for their candidates. They are wrong!

They are putting all their tea bags in one cup, and calling for support of Mike Nofs in the 19th District.

Mike Nofs is a nice guy. He is well spoken, seems to care about Michigan, and is working hard to get elected. Unfortunately for Mike, he has a voting record that isn't all that great.

Last November Schauer unseated an incumbent Republican and is now a part of the largest Democratic majority of this generation.  That's a win for the Dems, any way you cut it.

It would be similarly silly to argue, though, that Schauer's sudden absence in Lansing hasn't saddled the left with a glaring (and likely very expensive) problem at the worst conceivable time.

Michigan has been trending bluer in recent years with Democrats holding both seats in the Senate, a majority in the Congressional delegation, the Governor's office and an overwhelming numerical superiority in what was, until recently, a Republican state House.  The GOP held the state Senate in 2006 by only a few thousand total votes and currently enjoys a tenuous 21-16 majority.

Control of the upper chamber after the 2010 general elections is critical since the Senate will be a major player in redrawing the state's legislative districts for the next ten years.  

For this reason more than any other, conservatives at the state and national level are thrilled about the prospect of picking up a seat and an "incumbent" designation when voters go to the polls early this November.

Former state Representative and law enforcement vet Mike Nofs has already all-but sealed up the Republican nomination for a run at the 19th state Senate district while the Democrats could very likely be staring down the barrel of a drawn out primary between bitter rivals from the state House.  

Nofs is a solid conservative with an impressive resume and a reputation as a bi-partisan problem solver.  He's also a proven vote-getter in the one largely Democratic portion of the District, the Battle Creek area (home to Kellogg's Company).  Had Schauer remained at home he likely would have faced a serious challenge from Nofs in 2010.  The Republican's chances look that much better without having to worry about a seasoned incumbent.

State Democrats aren't willing to go down without a fight, though, and are expected to bring out their "big guns."  Kalamazoo billionaire and gay-special-rights extremist Jon Stryker poured millions in soft money into legislative races in 2006 and 2008, purchasing monumental liberal gains in both chambers.  

With an entire decade of electoral advantage on the table in the 19th this fall, he is widely expected to spend more and politic dirtier.  Democrats simply can't afford this loss this year.  It'd almost be enough to make a Party wish they'd done without one extra member in Congress.

Over the last two months, residents in Calhoun and Jackson Counties have been without representation in the Michigan State Senate.  Despite the Governor's announcement, that won't change anytime soon.

Instead of calling the special during the local May elections, she's decided to wait until August for the Primary and November for the General.  Unclear immediately just how many extra tax dollars will be wasted by forcing local clerks to ramp up otherwise unneeded efforts in August but I'll see what I can do to crunch some numbers.

Worth asking the question why she'd bite the bullet and waste the extra cash, though.  The answer won't surprise you.

The unofficial scuttle-butt around the Capitol today is that Dem polling looks down right ugly.  Rumor has it they had a poll in the field, testing a variety of candidates.  Republican Mike Nofs positively cleaned the floor with likely Democrat candidates, Reps Mike Simpson and Marty Griffin.  A certain freshman Democratic Rep fared better than the longer tenured Dems but even she lost in the head-to-head.

I spoke with Senate Republican officials at Convention this evening and they claim to have polling that shows the exact same thing.

By holding off, avoiding an election as long as they can, the Granholm-Cherry administration is hoping against hope that the local political environment will shift back in their favor.  This was a Dem seat and it looks like a real GOP pick-up opportunity.