Dick DeVos edges ahead in race for Governor of Michigan

On the home political front, things are looking good for Michigan's pro-life gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos (granted that we're not home by a long stretch):

COLDWATER — Months ago, Dick DeVos was relatively unknown and way behind in polls concerning the gubernatorial race.

Now, with the help of more than $10 million spent on advertising — and that does not include ad production, radio ad time and other campaign expenses — a new poll indicates 47 percent for the wealthy Republican and 42 percent for incumbent Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, with 8 percent undecided.

The poll, for what any poll is worth, was conducted by the Detroit Free Press and WDIV television of Detroit. There were 632 individuals contacted, and a four percent margin of error. [source]

... even as many people are trying to pin him down (and gun him down) for his staunch pro-life position - the same people who placed and have kept pro-choice governor Jennifer Granholm in office:

"Dick DeVos has big plans and big ideas. The problem for the would-be voter is that he doesn't want to share some of them with you, at least not too specifically.

Case in point: this week's fracas over the Grand Rapids businessman/blogger/would-be governor's pro-life views.

Yes, DeVos is pro-life. But then, who among us does not love and celebrate life? Can he be more specific?

... DeVos is perfectly amenable to discussing his views on abortion with those who share his near-absolute position against it. Right to Life of Michigan, for example, has strict criteria for endorsing candidates, and the group isn't averse to "parsing" the issue.

To get Right to Life's endorsement -- as DeVos did months ago -- a candidate must "be pro-life with no exceptions other than the life of the mother." [More...]

John Kerry recently flew into Detroit. He "talked up" Granholm and "slammed" DeVos.

DeVos faces no opposition in August 8th's republican primary.

The race, however, in economically-troubled Michigan, will come down to the issue of jobs:

Bill Nowling, a strategist with the Lansing-based Sterling Corp., which works with the Michigan GOP, said the economy, not Granholm, is setting this election-year's agenda. DeVos, moreover, has been able to define himself as a credible leader before Democrats can define him otherwise.

"If she goes into Labor Day and independent voters think they wouldn't be any worse off with Dick DeVos than Jennifer Granholm, they're going to go with something new,'' Nowling said. "Once people start moving that way, it's hard to change that momentum. The jobs situation is not going to be demonstrably better, and it's more likely to get worse.'' [More...]

I've talked before about my reasons for supporting Dick Devos here.

More DeVos links:

• Campaign page
• Wikipedia entry
• Dick DeVos campaign blog
• DD's book: Rediscovering American Values

[tags: Dick DeVos, Jennifer Granholm]