Virg Bernero says Alma Wheeler Smith on 'short list' as choice for Michigan lieutenant governor

"She's very knowledgeable, very committed to many of the same issues that I am," he said. "And no question, we're going to be working together to advance, to grow Michigan and to help working people."

County Commissioner Jeff Irwin, left, who is running for 53rd District state rep, joined in endorsing Bernero, right, on Monday.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Bernero, one of two Democrats working to become Michigan's next governor, is up against House Speaker Andy Dillon in the Aug. 3 primary.

The Lansing mayor arrived in Ann Arbor late Monday afternoon to meet with area leaders and announce endorsements for his gubernatorial campaign from several Washtenaw County elected officials.

Addressing a small crowd inside the Kerrytown Concert House, Bernero said he's excited to have such strong backing for his campaign locally, including from Smith, D-Salem Township, who represents eastern Washtenaw County in the state House.

"I'm a proud Democrat, and I'm really proud to be representing the core values of the Democratic Party," Bernero said. "But I also believe that these are American values. What we're fighting for now is the survival of the American Dream. You know that dream that brought my dad here from Italy in 1948 when he didn't have two nickels to rub together?"

Smith was running for governor until May when she dropped out, citing fears that her candidacy would split the progressive vote and leave the party with Dillon, a candidate seen by some as more conservative and not representing core Democratic values.

Smith joined forces with fellow Washtenaw County officials on Monday to declare Bernero the "true Democratic choice to lead Michigan."

Smith talked about Bernero's progression of elected office. Prior to serving as Lansing's mayor, Bernero served as a legislative aide, an Ingham County commissioner and as a legislator in the state House and Senate.

"One of Granholm's admissions has been that she lacked experience in the legislative process, and that that made her less effective," Smith said. "Virg Bernero has experience in both chambers and in the county commission. And coming up through the ranks, he knows how state government plays on those offices and those responsibilities. And with that background, he will be a strong and committed governor to local units of government."

Bernero spoke of his time in the Legislature, recalling the many special interest lobbyists who would fill the halls of the state capitol.

"The place would be jammed with suits, with people representing you-name-it, every industry — but not necessarily representing the people, rarely representing the poor, rarely representing those in need of health care, in need of mental health care," he said. "Luckily, those people had a lobbyist on the inside in Alma Wheeler Smith.

"So I can assure you," Bernero said, "if she'll have us, we're going to have her involved, we're going to be working with Alma on these issues that were important to her, and that are important to me, well into the future"

"Was that a proposal?" Smith responded, drawing laughs from the crowd.

Others who threw their support behind Bernero on Monday included Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje, Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber and county commissioners Ronnie Peterson, Jeff Irwin and Conan Smith.

Alma Wheeler Smith watches on while Virg Bernero addresses a crowd at the Kerrytown Concert House on Monday.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Also offering endorsements were Ann Arbor City Council members Sabra Briere, Sandi Smith, Margie Teall and Mike Anglin, along with Ypsilanti City Council members Pete Murdock and Brian Robb.

"Virg knows what a struggle it's been in this decade for cities across the state," Hieftje said. "He understands that better than any of the candidates running in this race. I want somebody in that office who knows what's happening in our cities, because if Michigan cities aren't doing well, Michigan won't be doing well. I think Virg has stood up for cities on many occasions and I haven't seen that same commitment from Mr. Dillon."

Carty Finkbeiner, who recently finished serving as Toledo mayor, drove in for the event. He and Bernero worked to form the Mayors Automotive Coalition in 2008, bringing together mayors and municipal leaders from across the nation to advocate for federal bridge loans for U.S. automakers.

Bernero said the state is being robbed of its recovery right now because Wall Street isn't investing in Michigan. He has a proposal to establish a state-operated bank that would make direct loans to businesses in emerging, job-creating industries.

"The Detroit Free Press did an article about JPMorgan Chase, about how they're shutting down businesses here, and it's true of all the Wall Street banks," Bernero said. "They are denying credit, they're killing us. They're doing the exact opposite of what we need in a recovery.

"So I found out that Michigan has $1 billion invested in JPMorgan Chase," he said. "We're investing in them, and they're specifically not investing in us. We're being robbed of our recovery. So, you know, on Day One that I'm sworn in, I'm going to get that money and invest in community banks here and community credit unions and invest in our own people."

Before arriving in Ann Arbor, Bernero visited with faith and community leaders at SPARK East in Ypsilanti to discuss his "Main Street Michigan Agenda" to bring jobs back to Michigan. 

He highlighted his ties to the area.

"I had a daughter who graduated from U of M and my wife graduated from Yspi High back when they were Ypsi Braves, so these are her stomping grounds," he said of wife Teri, an elementary school principal who traveled with him Monday.

Bernero called Ann Arbor "one of the bright spots in Michigan" economically. He said the city has a lot going for it from the business incubation efforts of SPARK to the research and development activities of the University of Michigan.

"The research at our universities is great, and it's crucial," he said. "But we also have to be able to turn that into something. We don't want all of our ideas that come out of the university to be commercialized overseas."

Bernero’s campaign is gaining endorsements from across the state, including Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, Michigan NOW, the Michigan Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Michigan Nurses Association and the AFL-CIO.

The AFL-CIO represents more than 600,000 active and retired members in 59 unions throughout Michigan, including the United Auto Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Responding to criticism that he might be beholden to union interests if elected governor, Bernero said he'll "defend unions all day, every day."

"They've done a phenomenal job to raise the standard of living in this state, not just for people who belong to unions but for many who don't," he said. "Do I support working people? Absolutely. And that's why they support me."

Bernero set himself apart from Dillon.

"Right off the bat, he's the Speaker of the Mess," Bernero said. "I mean, I'm the mayor of Lansing, I've done the job. Past is prologue. You can look at his record and look at my record. I'm getting the job done in my city. He has not gotten it done in the Legislature. Why would we vote for somebody who has been cutting education, who agreed to an all-cuts budget?"

Bernero considers himself the pro-choice, pro-stem cell candidate. He called Dillon hypocritical for talking about stem cell research during a campaign stop last week in Ann Arbor.

"What's incredible is he comes up here, parades himself around a few hospitals and hospital folk, and pretends as though he's for embryonic stem cell research when nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "So let's set the record straight. He is against it. He did not support the constitutional amendment to protect stem cell research."

Irwin said he wants a progressive governor who stands up for civil rights and is both pro-labor and pro-environment, and he finds those qualities in Bernero.

"Whenever Virg Bernero travels around the state of Michigan, he's focused on talking about jobs — talking with people about economic opportunity, how we can bring more and better employers to our state, and he's out there working hard every day to engage the citizens," Irwin said in a speech that kicked off the event.

Briere said earlier this year she was waiting for a candidate to show up that she could enthusiastically support, and then Bernero emerged in February.

"I said, 'That's it, he's got my support,' because of those deep core Democratic values that I've been waiting for," Briere said, adding that Bernero's commitment to education is important.

"If there's one thing that Virg knows, it's that education is an area that requires strategic investment, especially in tough times," she said. "And we know that these are tough times."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.