The Detroit Free Press has endorsed Brian Rooney, a friend of the Michigan Tea Party “movement”, as the GOP candidate in MI-07.
Three conservative Republicans are competing to challenge Democrat Mark Schauer of Battle Creek, who wrested the seat from the GOP in 2008.BRIAN ROONEY, 37, a lawyer from Dexter and a relative newcomer to Michigan (he actually moved here for a job) would be the strongest GOP candidate. As a captain in the U.S. Marines, Rooney was deeply involved in the complex work of resettling Fallujah after the fierce battle for control of the Iraq city, so navigating Congress may not seem so tough. Sharp and serious, Rooney wants to repeal the estate tax and “flatten the tax code” to make it more fair. Rooney is a grandson of the founder of pro football’s Pittsburgh Steelers and serves on the board of the team, which remains the family business.
Don’t believe that he’s a fan of our state’s newest party? Here’ his tweet from January 23, 2010:
In other Tea Party news, the guy who put the Tea Party on the November ballot in Michigan claims he’s for real:
The reclusive leader of the petition drive to create an official Tea Party in Michigan said today he is an authentic part of the movement to rein in big government and undertook the organizing effort to protect his children and grandchildren.But Mark Steffek, a retired UAW shop steward who agreed to a telephone interview after weeks of avoiding the media, declined to identify the source of tens of thousands of dollars used to fund the petition drive, other people involved in the effort or any candidates the party might place on the ballot.
[snip]
Steffek said he had no help, financial or otherwise, from the Democratic Party or from the UAW.
He said no date has been set for a convention to nominate candidates to run on the the Tea Party slate. The nominations have to be submitted to the Secretary of State by Aug. 3.
Maybe if Brian Rooney doesn’t get the GOP nomination, he could, you know, switch parties or something.
I’m just sayin’…
