MIDLAND -- Republican gubernatorial candidate and Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder met with supporters in Midland and Saginaw Wednesday afternoon. Snyder kicked off his campaign for governor last month with an ad in the Super Bowl. In an NBC25 candidate profile interview, he said the response has been positive.
“People are being thoughtful, looking at to say, what do you want in your next governor? Who do you want as your next chief executive of the state?”
It is that question that brought up a perhaps unusual campaign theme. “It’s time for a nerd,” Snyder declared in his Super Bowl ad. Though it may be a bit unorthodox of a campaign theme, Snyder said it is the essence of leadership.
“It’s interesting when people bring up the nerd term because those are the elements (of leadership.) If you look at nerd, it’s thoughtful, hard working and a problem solver,” he said.
Snyder counts on his experience in the private sector as key to turning Michigan around.
“I’m really proud. I’ve helped make Gateway (Computers) a company from 700 to 10,000 people, but more than that, it is customer service and selling innovative products at great value for money. Customer service and great value for money are fundamental concepts we need in government,” he said.
He is facing a crowded Republican filed but said he is unlike candidates in both his party, and in the Democratic field.
“They may be well intentioned, but look at the bad habits they have picked up. They lack real world experience, and the ability to make things happen is really missing,” he added.
Snyder is campaigning on smarter, more modern government proposals such as a flat 6 percent corperate income tax. He is also for eliminating the Michigan Business Tax.
“When people say they want to take the (22%) surcharge off or they want to cut that. My response is, if you take dumb and divide it into two, it’s still dumb!”
Meanwhile the Detroit News reports Snyder’s campaign is calling ads against him illegal.
The News reports the ads, airing on Detroit radio stations, violate campaign finance laws. The campaign filed two complaints this week with the Secretary of State and forwarded a letter to Attorney General Mike Cox, also a Republican candidate for governor, alleging a connection between the groups behind the ad and Cox’s staff. The organizations in question are the Michigan Civic Educational Fund and Eagle Strategies.
Snyder recently finished 3rd in an EPIC/MRA poll, that has Congressman Pete Hokestra of West Michigan finishing first and Attorney General Cox finishing second.
