Hoekstra: Senate campaign will focus on smaller government, less spending

Deb Price and Nathan Hurst/ Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington— Former congressman Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, said today voters are ready to replace Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow with someone who will fight for smaller government and less spending.
"I don't believe there could be any clearer contrast for the voters of Michigan than Pete Hoekstra and Debbie Stabenow," Hoekstra told The Detroit News. "I've got a clear record of fighting Washington growth. I've got a track record of supporting smaller government with less spending. She has a track record of more spending."

Hoekstra expressed confidence he can raise enough money to beat Stabenow, who has $4 million in cash to defend her seat.
"We're going to run a very positive campaign, and that message will be embraced by the people of Michigan," he said.

Hoekstra filed his paperwork this morning for the chance to prevent the Lansing Democrat from winning a third term.

While Hoekstra jumps into a crowded GOP primary field, his extensive experience in business and in the Congress immediately catapulted him to frontrunner status among Republicans.

Hoekstra and Stabenow are both known as good campaigners.
Hoekstra served in the U.S. House from 1993 to 2011. He elevated his name recognition statewide when he ran unsuccessfully in last year's Republican gubernatorial primary.

Hoekstra's decision to get into the race comes after a tough series of fumbles for the Michigan GOP in recruiting a candidate to run against Stabenow.

In an interview with The News earlier this year, Bobby Schostak, the state's GOP chair, said he and other party officials were holding out for a Stabenow challenger who was "head and shoulders" above the candidates who had shown interest, including Hoekstra and former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. The two well-established politicians publicly balked at Schostak's comments before seemingly shutting the door on a bid for Senate.

That left the party looking at a field of candidates who lacked the name recognition and statewide network Stabenow had established.
Hoekstra will be up against a field of lesser-known announced GOP challengers, including Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner John McCulloch, activist Peter Konetchy and former judge Randy Hekman, if none drop out before next August's primary.

Gary Glenn, a tea party activist who is president of the American Family Association of Michigan, has said he's studying getting into the race, as is Clark Durant, president of the New Common School Foundation in Detroit. Rob Steele, the Ann Arbor cardiologist who unsuccessfully ran against Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, for Michigan's 15th District U.S. House seat, also has tried to drum up support from potential donors.

GOP: Stabenow vulnerable

Hoekstra, with his background in the U.S. House and a network of support in running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination last year, has Republicans saying Stabenow is vulnerable to defeat, citing recent polls that show about half of voters support her.

An EPIC/MRA poll released Monday found 51 percent of likely voters give her a negative job rating, 38 percent gave her a positive job rating, and 11 percent were undecided. Stabenow's favorability rating was at 47 percent. Her unfavorable rating was 35 percent, and 17 percent were undecided. The Lansing firm polled 600 likely voters July 9-11. The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Stabenow's campaign declined to comment directly on Hoekstra's candidacy, but did note Stabenow's performance in the EPIC/MRA poll bested that of President Barack Obama.

Schostak used the poll to draw a connection between the two.
"There isn't a single social policy of Barack Obama's that Debbie Stabenow hasn't supported," Schostak said. "What's amazing is that Debbie Stabenow is oblivious to the pain and suffering the Obama policies have caused for Michigan's working parents."

Michael Traugott, a political science professor at University of Michigan, said Hoekstra has a shot at unseating Stabenow because the weak economy is dragging her down.

"You can expect that 2012 will be a tough year for Democrats," Traugott said.

Donald Zinman, professor of political science at Grand Valley State University, said Hoekstra could be a strong challenger.

"He is well known," Zinman said. "He doesn't have to introduce himself to the voters. He is respected by Christian conservatives for being strong on the issues they care about."

But the ex-congressman did blame a lack of support from the Right to Life Michigan, at least in part, for his failure to win the GOP nomination for governor last year.

Dems launch first attack

Hoekstra, who retired in January, served nine terms in Capitol Hill's lower chamber, rising to chair and later ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, where he left his mark on key anti-terrorism legislation.

Before entering politics, he served as a vice president of marketing at Herman Miller, the office furniture maker headquartered near Grand Rapids.

Since leaving Capitol Hill, Hoekstra's worked for Dickstein Shapiro, a top law and lobbying firm based in Washington.

That job gave Shripal Shah, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, an easy launching pad for the Democrats' first attack Tuesday evening on Hoekstra's new candidacy, calling him in a statement "Mr. Revolving Door."

"Pete Hoekstra is a congressman turned Washington lobbyist who has stood up for taxpayer-funded bonuses for bailed-out CEOs, tax giveaways for oil companies and Republican efforts to privatize Medicare," Shah said. "After his party rejected his bid for governor, Hoekstra is now shopping for another revolving door to pass through."
Last week, when rumors of GOP officials trying to woo Hoekstra back into the race were swirling, Democrats focused criticism on his fundraising abilities.

Hoekstra was known for sleeping on a sofa in his congressional office, a davenport that was bought earlier this year by the Holland Museum to memorialize his spirit of frugality.


From The Detroit News:

Yeah, I am sure that is what the people in the region want.