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    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

    iCaucus of Michigan and the 2012 Primary Campaign


    By Kevin Rex Heine, Section News
    Posted on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 08:13:27 PM EST
    Tags: U.S. Senate - class 1 seats, "Dangerously Incompetent" Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Republican 2012 U. S. Senate Primary, Clark Durant (CQQ = 96%), Gary Glenn (CQQ = 97%), Randy Hekman (CQQ = 98%), Pete Hoekstra (CQQ = 84%), grassroots activists, Independence Caucus of Michigan, constitutional principles, Michigan's 3rd Congressional District, Justin Amash, Michigan's 6th Congressional District, Jack Hoogendyk, Michigan's 11th Congressional District, Kerry Bentivolio, Michigan's 5th Congressional District, Jim Slezak, Tom Wassa (all tags)

    Because of the principled approach to vetting and endorsing candidates, the tea party networks in several states (including in Michigan) voluntarily operate in strategic partnership with the Independence Caucus organization in their state.  It's a group of concerned citizens devoted to electing candidates truly committed to constitutional loyalty and fiscal responsibility, regardless of party, whose goal is the election of such candidates to not less than 40% of the available seats in the several state legislatures and both chambers of Congress . . . in each election year.  The iCaucus concerns itself with candidate screening, endorsement, and advocacy, with a specific focus on constitutional loyalty and grassroots activism, and on integrity over money, which makes it a unique organization in contemporary politics.


    There has been a shuffle in the statewide leadership of the Independence Caucus of Michigan, but the Senate Primary endorsement voting is finally underway.  The voting window will close late Saturday, and if one of the four candidates receives a 60% supermajority, then the endorsee should be announced sometime on Monday.  Otherwise, the top two will stand for a runoff next week, with the results to be announced probably Friday or Saturday following.  The four candidates for the Republican nomination, and their qualifying scores, are:

    The iCaucus will also be getting involved in at least three (and potentially four) congressional races:

    • CD-03:  According to the iCaucus' Citizen Sentinel Project, Justin Amash's voting record is such that his re-endorsement was automatic as soon as he requested.  (Unfortunately, District Seven's Tim Walberg, who was endorsed in 2010, and is in a contested primary this time around, does not have the same quality voting record.)

    • CD-06:  The defending incumbent, Fred Upton, did not respond to the questionnaire invitation by the deadline provided.  Therefore, because Jack Hoogendyk did respond within the deadline, and has satisfied the questionnaire requirements (and because he was an iCaucus endorsed candidate in 2010), Mr. Hoogendyk now has the status of "recommended pending endorsement vote."  I'm told that his campaign team is confident that the endorsement will be confirmed.

    • CD-11:  As with the 6th, the write-in candidate in this primary failed to respond before the deadline.  (I'm told that her campaign team was genuinely afraid that I'd be on the interview panel.)  However, since Kerry Bentivolio did respond in time, and did satisfy the questionnaire requirements, and was endorsed by the iCaucus in 2010, his status is identical to Hoogendyk's: "recommended pending endorsement vote."  So far as I'm aware, the iCaucus will not be getting involved in the Special Election to finish off McCotter's term.

    I have been informed that the Republican primary in District Five (Jim Slezak vs. Tom Wassa) is another contest that the iCaucus may get involved in, if the vetting infrastructure can be set up in time.  The word on the street is that the iCaucus will also be getting involved in probably six State House races that contain republican primary contests.  Stay tuned; I'll keep you posted.


    < Tell Me About That 'Cheap Labor' Theory .. Again | Nancy Cassis to Tea Party: "Drop Dead!" >


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    Hey, would you look at that? (none / 0) (#1)
    by KG One on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 03:56:11 AM EST
    Clark Durant beat the tar out of Pete Hoekstra.

    While we're on this topic, can you refresh my memory: When will their responses be released?

    I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of people who are interested to see how they answered.

    Results of the Senate Primary Vetting: (none / 0) (#5)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Tue Jul 17, 2012 at 07:24:25 AM EST
    From the iCaucus of Michigan statewide leadership:

    To all Michigan iCaucus members ...

    We wish to thank all of you that participated in the Senate vote.  It is good to finally have fulfilled our obligation to the candidates that took time to vet with us.  Unfortunately, none of the candidates received the required 60% of the vote in order to receive the iCaucus endorsement.  Therefore no endorsement will be given.  Percentages were as follows:

    • Pete Hoekstra:  45.45%
    • Clark Durant:  22.73%
    • Randy Hekman:  22.73%
    • Gary Glenn:  9.09%

    It is fortunate for us that each of these candidates represents many if not all of the constitutionally conservative ideas we stand for.  In this case, any candidate selected will be better that our sitting Junior Senator from Michigan, and we ask that whatever the outcome of this primary election that we all get behind the winner.  This person could very well represent the 51st vote in the Senate that could be the difference between our country continuing on its slide toward euro-socialism or a reigniting of the torch of liberty and the reaffirmation of our country as a constitutional republic.

    Thank You,

    MI Vetting Department

    I spoke with statewide leadership yesterday, and they confirmed for me that with all of the other races that they are getting involved in there simply will not be enough time to properly conduct a two-phase runoff vote, that the vote and presentation of the voting results were done according to iCaucus national rules, and that no endorsement or recommendation is made or implied.


    While I'm thinking about it . . . (none / 0) (#10)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 10:47:32 PM EST
    . . . I probably should also mention that the iCaucus of Michigan is discussing plans to get involved in three MIGOP September Convention races:

    • U-of-M Board of Regents (now a 4-way race for two seats, I'm told)

    • MSU Board of Trustees (now a 3-way race for two seats, as I understand it)

    • SCOMI vacancy (Jane Markey v. Colleen O'Brien)

    I'll be posting information on that as I have it.

    The 6th Congressional District (none / 0) (#12)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Thu Jul 19, 2012 at 07:43:30 AM EST
    From the Michigan iCaucus:

    To all iCaucus Members:

    Representative Fred Upton has declined to participate in the iCaucus Vetting process. Jack Hoogendyk's Interview can be listened to [on the iCaucus website].

    The caucus period will start Thursday July 19th with a vote to be taken on July 20, 21, and 22. Ballots will not appear on the State Race Page until July 20th.

    Which will make this endorsement number two in the congressional races this year.

    The 3rd Congressional District (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 10:11:06 AM EST
    Somehow I managed to miss this particular news item:

    Congressman Amash received the iCaucus endorsement in 2010.  Based on his performance in his first term based on the Citizens' Sentinel "All Star" ranking and a score of 85.3%.  We are pround to announce our 2012 endorsement of Justin Amash.

    This list of 2012 re-endorsees also includes Jason Chaffetz (R-UT-03), Joe Walsh (R-IL-08), Jeff Duncan (R-SC-03), and David Schweikert (R-AZ-05).  Of that list, all are 2010 iCaucus endorsees, but only Congressman Amash is ranked as an "All-Star."

    The 74th State House District (none / 0) (#15)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:53:57 PM EST
    The interviews are complete for both Rob VerHeulen and Steve Maas, and should be posted by tomorrow morning for review.

    The 11th Congressional District (none / 0) (#18)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 06:44:45 PM EST
    The interview for Kerry Bentivolio has been posted and is available for review.  (Oddly, the write-in candidate did not participate in the vetting process.)  The voting period will be from 00:01, Monday, July 23rd, until 23:59, Wednesday, July 25th.  Of note is that Kerry's CQQ score was 100% (which is a rare accomplishment).

    With apologies for the tardiness . . . (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Wed Aug 01, 2012 at 07:46:44 AM EST
    . . . I should probably tell you how the CD-06, CD-11, and HD-74 vetting votes went.

    No surprise, the endorsements of Jack Hoogendyk and Kerry Bentivolio were both unanimous.  Rob VerHeulen was also endorsed; if I remember correctly, the vote was in the vicinity of 78% to 22%.



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    Whom do you support for the Michigan Republican nomination for U. S. Senator in 2012?
    Clark Durant (Grosse Pointe)
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