FLINT -- From candidates for mayor, state representative, all the way up to governor, more than 40 political contenders met with the public in the lobby of the Citizens Bank headquarters in downtown Flint Tuesday evening.
The “Meet the Candidates” cocktail event was to be headlined by a majority of the gubernatorial candidates, but only State Sen. Tom George showed up. “I’m the 1 Republican in the race who is in the legislature now and I have a job in the private sector. I’m an anesthesiologist,” he said.
George is polling in last place in the 5-way Republican contest.
Things got interesting when the crowd learned two possible opponents in the race for attorney general appeared at the event. There was a short, kind exchange between Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton and former U.S. Rep. Bill Schuette, before the two before went off to campaign, and meet with business leaders. Leyton is the only candidate running for the Democratic nomination, and Schuette is running against Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop for the Republican nod.
Both ripped into each other in separate interviews with NBC25.
“This will be a clear contrast between the new Michigan where there is safety, prosperity and paychecks vs. the old Michigan and we’re at the bottom of the heap right now,” Schuette said, referring to Leyton.
“The fact of the matter is that he’s been in elective politics for 30 years so it’s hard to say you’re new when you are a career politician,” Leyton fired back. At least 200 people attended the event.
*Click on the video link to hear the two discuss what they would bring to the AG’s office.
