Another party-switcher, this time at the state level, but in an unexpected corner of the country and one that could impact a 2012 U.S. House race:
A former Democratic state lawmaker is switching to the Republican Party and will launch a campaign Wednesday for U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee’s seat, The Associated Press has learned.
Ex-Rep. Jim Slezak of Genesee County’s Davison Township says in a release that he’s making the switch to the GOP and kicking off his campaign Wednesday for the 5th District seat that Kildee, a Democrat, has held for more than three decades.
The AP was given an advance copy of the release and an early look at Slezak’s announcement video.
Kildee, who has represented his working-class hometown of Flint and the surrounding area in Congress for 34 years, announced in July that he would retire when his current term expires next year, confident his seat will remain in Democratic hands.
Several Democrats are either already running or considering the race. Among them are James Barcia of Bay City, a former state senator and congressman; Sen. John Gleason of Flushing; Rep. Woodrow Stanley of Flint; Michigan Education Association organizer David Crim; and former Genesee County official Dan Kildee, Dale Kildee’s nephew.
Guess who prompted this Michigan lawmaker to leave his party?
He said in the release he’s switching parties because President Barack Obama and other national Democratic leaders “have failed our community.”
“He came to Flint on the campaign trail, but has ignored us as president,” Slezak said. He criticized Democratic leaders for having shown “no vision, no leadership and no understanding of the problems families, small businesses and the hard-working men and women of Michigan face every day.”
In the last cycle, the district was D+11; under the new lines, it is even more Democratic, so the GOP has a steep uphill climb here. But Slezak would appear to be a uniquely credible messenger for the argument that Democrats have failed Michigan.
UPDATE: Slezak debuts his campaign with a video that focuses heavily on President Obama’s 2008 campaign visit and how Flint’s unemployment has only increased since then.
“I don’t think President Obama has lived up to any of his promises from the campaign,” Slezak says.
Comments