In recent decades, Democrats have had the largest number of serious contenders for open gubernatorial seats. The reverse shapes up for 2010.
In 1982, when Republican William G. Milliken stepped down after an unprecedented 14 years, Democratic Congressman James J. Blanchard swamped six primary opponents, including two who had previously been gubernatorial nominees. He then defeated Republican nominee Richard H. Headlee by 191,709 votes.
In 2002, as term-limited Republican John Engler ended his 12 years, Attorney General Jennifer Granholm handily defeated Blanchard and longtime Congressman David Bonior for the Democratic nomination. She then defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus by 127,692 votes.
With Granholm term-limited, Lt. Gov. John Cherry is the clear early frontrunner for the 2010 Democratic nomination -- with help from Granholm but also with the luggage of joblessness and other economic grief on her watch during the national nose-dive (much as 1980s woes worked against Milliken Lt. Gov. James H. Brickley in his 1982 gubernatorial nomination quest).
Cherry has been a spear-carrier for Granholm on the Great Lakes and other issues, as well as a solver of some of her early problems with labor -- which could be as important to him politically as labor was to success of six-term Gov. G. Mennen Williams back in the mid-20th century.
Cherry could face primary opposition from such prominent officeholders as House Speaker Andy Dillon, of Redford Township, and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, and such fringe wannabes as ex-Michigan State University football coach and current trustee George Perles.
But it is the GOP that now is replete with full-steam-ahead contenders who have moved to various stages well ahead of "considering" status:
-- U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, of Holland, announced his candidacy last week in a downstate tour and plans a mid-April northern swing to stress his vow to "begin the process of rebuilding a strong Michigan." He told me he'll visit all 83 counties, "work at least 100 different jobs and bike 1,000 miles across the state in stretches of up to 20 miles."
Hoekstra is no Pete-Come-Lately at the biking bit. He bikes his district every summer.
-- Attorney General Mike Cox is off and running. Weeks ago, when I asked when he would formally launch, he said that, like Columbus centuries ago, he already has set sail but would save the ceremony for later. He told the Detroit Free Press last week the announcement would come in "early summer to late summer."
-- Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, who, like Cox, is term-limited, said in February Michigan "is in dire need of strong leadership right now, and I am eager to join the discussion of how to get it back on track."
Land, who, like Hoekstra, has a strong West Michigan base, vows to bring a "fiscally conservative approach to all of state government."
-- Among those in the exploratory stage is Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder, former CEO of the computer company Gateway (on whose antiquated laptop I punch out this column).
As quoted in the Ann Arbor News, Snyder said: "It's time for an alternative to traditional politicians. They haven't produced great results." Another Ann Arbor businessman in the mix is Domino's Pizza CEO David Brandon, who has flirted with the idea in the past.
-- Also among GOP perennial possibilities are U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, of Macomb County, former secretary of state, and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. I doubt either will run for governor.
Miller's got a good thing going on Capitol Hill and has previously backed off gubernatorial campaigns. So has Patterson, after losing out to Headlee in the 1982 GOP primary.
Patterson is one of the most interesting figures on the Michigan political spectrum in recent decades. In 1982, he, along with Headlee, was well to the right of the Milliken moderates of the day.
In a chat with him a few years ago in Traverse City, Patterson pointed to his feet and said, "I have been in cement" since then -- it's the party that moved to the right.
George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.
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