Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti chamber endorses Republicans Rick Snyder and Mark Ouimet in state races
The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce today announced its endorsement of Rick Snyder in the gubernatorial race and Mark Ouimet in the 52nd District state House race.
Chamber officials said in a statement that the decision to endorse the two Republican candidates was based on their long affiliation with both chambers, and their strong efforts in support of the greater Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area business community.
Rick Snyder
"Snyder’s ties to the greater Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area business community are vast," the chamber's statement reads. "In addition to earning three degrees from the University of Michigan, Snyder raised an unprecedented $200 million in venture capital to invest in area startups, taking ideas and translating them into exciting new companies.
The chamber cited Snyder's role in writing the business plan for Ann Arbor SPARK, an economic development group that Snyder chaired for four years. It also highlighted the fact that Snyder provided early investment and startup assistance to a number of area businesses, including Esperion Therapeutics, which was later purchased by Pfizer.
Karl Couyoumjian, the chamber's board chairman and president of TeL Systems/Thalner Electronic Labs, said the board believed strongly that Snyder’s business background, as well as his track record of helping start and grow companies, made him an obvious choice.
"Rick’s track record as an intelligent, business-savvy leader speaks for itself and is clearly what our state needs in Lansing now more than ever," Couyoumjian said in a statement.
Snyder's campaign was dealt a blow on Wednesday with the announcement that HandyLab, another company that Snyder has been trumpeting as an example of his success as a job creator, is closing.
Mark Ouimet
In endorsing Ouimet, currently is a county commissioner, the chamber cited his involvement with the Washtenaw County Council of Chambers, Ele’s Place, Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor SPARK, the Red Cross, United Way, Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Washtenaw Economic Development Council.
“Mark has demonstrated true commitment to the people of Washtenaw County for over three decades of civic and public service," John Petz, the chamber's vice chairman and director of government relations for Domino’s Farms, said in a statement.
"Mark understands the issues and is pragmatic in achieving solutions. For the business community and the voters of Washtenaw County, there is no clearer choice to help fix Michigan and get our state government moving on the right track than Mark Ouimet."
Ouimet faces off against Democratic opponent Christine Green, a lawyer in the Ann Arbor area, in the Nov. 2 general election. Snyder faces Democrat Virg Bernero.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
philmar111
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 10:46 a.m.
C of C = Community of Conservatives....enough said?
InsideTheHall
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 2 p.m.
Trepass: You are spot on. Ouimet has a some big time expalining to do. I have had two post bounced. Still waiting for A2.com to report on the Commissioners meeting from this week.
jackson72
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 11:28 a.m.
David Briegel, could you expound on this money that the Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti Chamber is soliciting from "foreign corporations and foreign governments"? Sounds like quite a conspiracy! "New World Order" indeed! I can't wait to read more. WOW!
Milton Shift
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 9:19 a.m.
They're quite competent to run a lemonade stand, and in fact are just as much of capitalists as the Republicans. The difference is the Republicans don't even bother with the mild reformist rhetoric the Democrats toy with (but rarely implement.) If you really think everyone is ignorant because they don't share your view that Democrats are fiscal idiots and Republicans are fiscal geniuses, I suggest you speak with all the banks and big corporations that donated big to Obama's campaign in 2008. They have become even richer thanks to his policies - they knew what they were doing. An example of collaborative exploitation of Americans by these two big business parties would be health care reform. The insurance industry donated huge to Democrats in 2008, knowing that they would be more likely to successfully pose as populists and ram an insurance mandate down our throats. Now that we are forced to be customers of their corrupt business model, they want Republicans in office to roll back as many regulations as possible, and have switched allegiances. Neither party has our interests in mind.
David Briegel
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 9:09 a.m.
Ah, that lemonade stand. The Chamber of Republican Commerce. How can we take them serious when they are now soliciting funds from foreign corporations and foreign governments? To endorse Republicans! They are now the New World Order Chamber of Commerce! To endorse Republicans! They are now the Republican New World Order Chamber of Commerce!! Since they now own the (not so)Supreme Court they are free to use that foreign money to defeat Democrats and the American Way!! Will we hear any outrage from "conservatives"? Nah, didn't think so. Do they know what Fascism means??
JSA
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 7:36 a.m.
After reading the comments it has become clear that the quality of education in this country has eroded substantially. Of course the chamber is going to endorse those with a business background because the Democrats aren't competent to run a lemonade stand.
Steve Pepple
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 7:26 a.m.
A comment has been removed because it violated our conversation guidelines. Please make your point without attacking other commenters.
jackson72
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 7:22 a.m.
@MI-expatriate. Here come the stones you deserve. Your comment is totally inaccurate. Neither the Ann Arbor Chamber nor the Ypsilanti Chamber (nor the 4 month old merged chamber) ever endorsed George Bush. And I'm pretty certain that they never endorsed any other presidential candidate either. Don't confuse the local chamber with the State or U.S. Chamber. There is no connection.
trespass
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 6:47 a.m.
Take a look at Mark Ouimet's expense reports as a Commissioner. Even though he is wealthy, he milks that expense report for every cent he can. Compare his expenses to that of the other Commissioner's and you will see his is by far the highest. Does Mark Ouimet serve the citizens of Washtenaw County or does he use them to serve himself?
McGiver
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 6:38 a.m.
You people need to do some serious homework on "rich people" and big corporations. The richest people in the country are liberal democrats. Bill Gates, Warren Buffit, George Soros, to name a few. Just about all the big bankers on Wall street also democrats. Giant corporations like GE - totally in bed with Obama and the liberal democrats in Washington. DTE is a state example of this. They were totally onboard with the state on the green initiative that mandated utility companies to purchase a certain percentage of power from "green" sources. They were happy to maintain their monopoly and simply pass on these costs to you. Check your utility bill for the monthly charge for this mandate. Seriously, do some homework on this. Big business and big government are in total sync.
MI-expatriate
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 2:46 a.m.
I'm shocked. Isn't this the same group that endorsed George W. Bush not once but twice, while the world was wondering what the heck was going on in the US? The chamber is not representative of this liberal community if this is what they think the community wants and is good for anyone other than themselves and their colleagues' pocketbooks. That is what Rich Snyder seems to have been most concerned with - HIS pocketbook. Throw stones at me if I am wrong. I can take it though I may not respond. Can't wait for election day. I'd love to see endorsements and polls proven wrong. Please vote!
Milton Shift
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 8:24 p.m.
Neither of these candidates have our interests in mind. They are wealthy men endorsed by other wealthy men who all have interests that are irreconcilably opposed to ours. Their gain is our loss, as rising corporate profits and declining living standards make obvious.
glacialerratic
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 6 p.m.
Are we surprised? The US Chamber of Commerce is putting up $75 million to support Republican candidates, an unprecedented effort that benefits from the Supreme Court's reactionary and perverse Citizens' United and other recent rulings. The Chamber's also funneling foreign money into US politics: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/05/foreign-chamber-commerce/