Hallelujah!
As I wrote last Thursday, Republican Joe Schwarz, who was being wooed by the Democratic Party to run in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District on their behalf, decided last week NOT to run. This left only Kurt Haskell as the only candidate on the Democratic side and he is “a conspiracy theorist who worries about ‘government overreach’, talks about cutting taxes in the middle of a recession and isn’t a proponent an essential part of the Affordable Care Act.”
Well, on Friday, those of us Democrats in MI-07 got some very good news.
Ruben Marquez, Chair of the Jackson County Democratic Party, will be running against Tim Walberg.
Jackson County Democratic Party Chairman Ruben Marquez announced Friday he is seeking the seat in Congress now held by Tipton Republican Tim Walberg…Marquez, 53, is a laser technician for Eaton Corp. of Jackson.
He said many people have told him they are tired of elected officials who push for legislation that hurts working people.
“I think the people of the 7th district have had enough where a lot of them have told me enough is enough,” Marquez said. “The individuals that are in our political positions right right are making decisions that are hurting the people. They’re not listening to the constituents.”
Marquez is a lifelong Jackson County resident [and]… past chairman of UAW Local 1966, the union for employees at Eaton’s Argyle Street plant.
“The rich and secret money machine behind the GOP will smear me and demonize Obama but I think truth, facts, and the American dream will win by November,” Marquez said in a news release announcing his candidacy.
Ruben has only nine days to collect the required 1,000 signatures to get on the ballot. At the caucus site that I ran in Dexter yesterday, he had a volunteer bring by nominating forms, something I expect happened all across the 7th District.
Meanwhile, Walberg is being primaried by two Republicans:
Mike Stahly, a former Potterville city councilman, and Dan Davis of Riga have both announced their candidacies on the Republican side.
