LANSING – Governor Rick Snyder has long enjoyed rock-solid support from the Republican Party, but the move by several prominent tea party activists to urge conservatives to “sit out” Snyder’s anticipated 2014 re-election campaign puts into question whether Snyder can rely on a robust GOP turnout.
Snyder has never been a tea party favorite, not even after he signed the right-to-work legislation, but the tea party has resisted a frontal assault of this nature until now.
The move that apparently prompted some prominent tea party officials to break with Snyder was his call, along with House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) and Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) to invite U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak with them about their ideas on how Michigan could expand and reform Medicaid.
Although one published report asserted Sebelius was invited to speak with recalcitrant lawmakers on the Medicaid issue, in fact the letter appeared an effort to try to gauge federal support for the initial House Republican Medicaid expansion and reform proposal in HB 4714 . However, the prospect of Snyder trying to bring in Sebelius to lobby legislators infuriated tea party activists.
“It is our estimation that Governor Snyder has gone too far by seeking help from one of the most polarizing figures in modern history, a representative of the most destructive American president of our history as a nation, to try to strong arm moderate voices in his own party into passing a bankrupt Michigan on to our children,” the tea party letter says. “It is with careful consideration that we decide on a course of action that is, in our view, politically problematic, but nonetheless a forthright answer to a governor who will not listen to his base: Conservatives should not help this governor get re-elected.”
The signatories to the letter include Gene Clem, a leading tea party official in southwest Michigan who also has close ties to Republican Party Chair Bobby Schostak; Joan Fabiano, a well-known tea party leader who founded the Grassroots in Michigan tea party group; Cindy Gamrat, a southwest Michigan tea party activist who headed up an ultimately unsuccessful effort to unite the tea party behind a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012; David Dudenhoefer, a member of the Michigan Republican State Committee; and Jen Kuznicki, chair of the Presque Isle Republican Party.
Clem said Snyder is governing as he promised. But the combination of the governor’s strong support for the health insurance exchange, Medicaid expansion and increased taxes for roads is what led to the letter.
While those signing the letter will not campaign on behalf of Snyder, Clem said he might still consider voting for Snyder. Asked about the possibility of a conservative revolt leading to the election of a Democratic governor, Clem said that is why electing like-minded persons to the Legislature is so important.
One tea party leader, Wes Nakagiri of RetakeOurGov in Livingston County, who did not sign the letter, said he probably would have signed it if he had had a chance to read it.
“I haven’t made up my mind totally, but I’ll tell you it is disheartening that Governor Snyder will push policies that are against the Republican platform and against American citizens,” he said.
Nakagiri said one-party rule has its drawbacks for those valuing freedom and liberty. He noted Snyder’s support of the Medicaid expansion and higher taxes for roads.
If it was a Democratic governor proposing these measures, “I would bet money you’d have Republican leadership just railing against these initiatives,” he said. “With a Republican governor, ‘Oh well, just kidding, we’re going to go along.’ There is too much go along to get along attitude.”
Nakagiri said he thought the views in the letter were widespread through the tea party. “There’s plenty of people that I’m aware of that fit into the mold of what was stated in that letter,” he said.
Polling in the past year has seen Snyder’s job approval rating sag with Republicans. In May, Lansing-based EPIC/MRA put it at just 65 percent of Republicans approving of Mr. Snyder’s job performance compared with 31 percent against. An incumbent governor should be at about 80 percent approval within his or her own party.
Still, it was not translating into support for Snyder’s probable Democratic opponent, Mark Schauer, whom Mr. Snyder led among Republicans 77 percent to 7 percent.
Snyder press secretary Sara Wurfel said Mr. Snyder stands behind his policies.
“Gov. Snyder has demonstrated pretty clearly and consistently for the last 2 and a half years in office, he doesn’t shy away from tackling tough issues and focuses on solving problems, not politics or polls,” she said in an email. “As a CPA, Gov. Snyder knows there’s a strong case that this Medicaid component is the financially responsible and smart thing to do while also being the right thing to do, both short- and long-term for Michiganders and our state’s economy and health status. What’s being proposed is a unique Michigan-centric plan that protects our state’s taxpayers and small businesses while ensuring coverage for our vulnerable citizens.”
Republican Party spokesperson Kelli Ford said Party Chair Bobby Schostak was attending a funeral and unavailable for comment.
Richardville criticized the tea party move, questioning how they could rebuff Mr. Snyder after he signed into law so many conservative reforms.
“I think that the tea party group has to take a hard look at where their voting block goes and not be maybe universal in expecting 100 percent of everything that they would like but who was closer to their agenda than further away and make their points known,” he said. “But I think the conservative movement, when it’s fractured like that, does not help. I think it’s better to try to influence those that are there and be part of the solution instead of creating a brand new problem.”
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