DETROIT – Buoyed by a $2 million warchest and no clear Republican challenger at the moment, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) focused on economic issues during a speech to Democrat convention-goers on Saturday.
It was only at the end of the speech Stabenow really referenced the upcoming 2012 election, where she is the top state Democrat on the ticket.
“2012 will be a tough election year, but we’re ready, willing and able to win – and we will win,” she said. ” We believe in our souls that America’s best days are ahead of us, not behind us. And we will not allow those who play the worst kind of politics – using hate and fear – to win. We will not give up on Michigan or America. Let’s go win!”
Stabenow finds herself the newest chair of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and said she will lead the effort to pass a new farm bill.
“For Michigan, this is a jobs bill. One out of four Michigan jobs are connected to agriculture. It’s what we do in Michigan; we build things and grow things,” she said.
The domestic auto industry and its return to strength after assistance from the federal government and the “Cash for Clunkers” program, was also a theme during her speech.
“Nothing was harder than listening to some of my colleagues in the Senate, and the cynics on cable news shows, who said we should give up on our American auto industry,” she said. “So we went to work and with President (Barack) Obama’s support, we found a way to support GM and Chrysler through their restructuring. That took a lot of work, and a lot of sacrifice by workers and retirees.”
Stabenow also talked about the investment in advanced batteries, saying that in four years the United States went from making 2 percent of the world’s advanced batteries to making 40 percent.
“Those partnerships are creating jobs in Michigan and making us the undisputed leader in battery technology in the country,” she said.
Democrats are also focused on balancing the budget and cutting the national debt.
“In 1997, as a first-term congresswoman, I proudly voted to balance the budget for the first time in 30 years. It was a Democratic president, Bill Clinton, who led that effort and it’s a Democratic president, Barack Obama, who’s leading the effort today to get out of debt created by reckless Republican policies,” she said. “But what we as Democrats understand to our core – we will never get out of debt with more than 15 million Americans out of work.”
While no Republicans have announced they will run against Stabenow, potential challengers at this point include Republican National Committeeman Saul Anuzis, former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and businessman Tim Leuliette.
State Republican Party Chair Bobby Schostak said Democrats will be “forced to defend Debbie Stabenow’s record of overspending, overtaxing and overregulation which has helped unfortunately lead to some of the worst economic conditions in this state’s history.
“Michigan voters are furious at Debbie Stabenow’s support of Obamacare, her support of the $800 billion stimulus, and her support for policies that are causing our federal debt to surpass $14 trillion. Michigan Democrats would be wise to start listening to the people of Michigan and stop the overspending,” he said.
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