Rick Snyder to skip debates, not interested in 'typical career politician playbook'

Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder prides himself on being a different kind of candidate in the Michigan governor's race, and it's one reason he's skipping two upcoming debates sponsored by the Michigan Republican Party and instead talking to voters at town hall meetings around the state.

"In my view, there is still too much sound bite fireworks because they only give you a minute to answer" at debates, Snyder told Detroit radio station WJR host Frank Beckman on Thursday. "The preferred format ... are these town halls where I am talking to real people, letting them ask the questions they want to ask and giving real answers."

But the former Gateway CEO's decision to skip televised GOP debates in Grand Rapids and Rochester is a gamble, political analyst Craig Ruff of Public Sector Consultants said Friday. Snyder's four GOP rivals — Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Attorney General Mike Cox, state Sen. Tom George and U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra — have all agreed to be there.

In this April 21, 2010, file photo, Republican gubernatorial candidate, businessman Rick Snyder, talks to reporters following a debate in East Lansing.

AP photo

"Debates, particularly the televised ones ... are critical in a big field where you want to stand out from the rest of the gang," Ruff said. "You can make a mistake and really get yourself in trouble, but you also can get yourself in trouble by not showing up."

GOP strategist Tom Shields of Marketing Resource Group said Snyder's strategy is allowing the businessman to trade on his nonpolitical background and separate himself from the elected officeholders who are running. But he, too, said Snyder is running a risk.

"If he's not at the debate, you've got four candidates basically who can say all kinds of things about Rick Snyder, and he's not going to be there to defend himself," said Shields, who doesn't have a client in the race. "You could be viewed by some of the people in the electorate as not being willing to work for their vote and being a little uppity."

Snyder campaign spokesman Jake Suski said Snyder has appeared at close to 20 debates and forums with his rivals so far, and will continue to do so. But he's being selective.

"Ultimately he's very much reaching out, interacting ... with the voters of the state of Michigan," Suski said. "We decided we were going to put a huge focus on putting him directly before voters."

That may be because Snyder didn't really shine at the first televised debate sponsored by the Michigan GOP, an April 21 event at Michigan State University broadcast by Lansing TV station WLNS, Shields said. Snyder had agreed to do another party-sponsored debate in Traverse City, but that got canceled.

Suski said Snyder never said he'd go along with four party-sponsored debates, preferring to appear before a broader range of audiences, such as the League of Conservation Voters debate earlier this week at Central Michigan University. The event attracted only three candidates.

Suski said Snyder isn't interested in following "the typical career politician playbook." He can afford to put millions of dollars more of his own money in the race than his rivals, and has been able to increase his standing in the polls by running a series of ads promoting him as "one tough nerd" — four so far.

"He has the finances so he doesn't need necessarily the extra exposure you would get with a debate," Shields said. "He's not putting himself in a position where he can make a mistake."

Snyder plans to participate in a gubernatorial debate next month at the Detroit Regional Chamber policy conference on Mackinac Island with his four GOP rivals and the two Democratic candidates, House Speaker Andy Dillon and Lansing Mayor Virg Benero.

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