Skip to content
RollCall logo

Democrats’ Michigan Governor Race Now a Crowd

By Roll Call Staff
Posted July 27, 2009 at 5:54pm

John Cherry‘s two terms as lieutenant governor of Michigan make him a solid early favorite to win the nomination for the contest to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. But it has long been clear that he will face opponents for the August 2010 primary, with the main question being, “How many?”

CQ Photo

That number rose to two officially announced rivals last week, when former state Rep. John Freeman told the Detroit Free Press he is getting into the race. Freeman, a lawyer, joined state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, who announced her bid for governor in late June.

George Perles, a former head football coach at Michigan State University and now an elected trustee of that school, has not officially launched a candidacy but has publicly stated he plans to run. And two experienced officeholders, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and state House Speaker Andy Dillon, are thinking about entering the Democratic race.

Recent Stories

Venture capitalist David Sacks, center, was chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to be White House “AI and Crypto Czar.” He is pictured here at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.

Sacks seen bringing ‘on the ground’ experience to AI’s global challenges

Syrian citizens take down a statue of the late President Hafez Assad in Damascus on Monday after his son Bashar Assad's government collapsed. (Murat Sengul/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Syria chaos could complicate lawmakers’ holiday endgame

A military honor guard carries the flags of the liberating U.S. Army divisions into the Capitol during the a Holocaust memorial ceremony on May 7. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

NDAA features historic raise for junior enlisted troops

Reps. Burgess Owens of Utah, left, and Tim Walberg of Michigan are seeking the chairmanship of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photos)

Walberg and Owens bring different experiences to race for House Education chair

The sun is setting on the 118th Congress in this week’s Hits and Misses

Hillraisers and Spam dunks — Congressional Hits and Misses

Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator, is seen outside the Capitol on March 13 before the House passed the law that could ban TikTok in the U.S.

Federal court dismisses challenge to TikTok ban