2006 Michigan gubernatorial election
November 7, 2006
Turnout50.7% Increase 7.2 [1]
 
Nominee Jennifer Granholm Dick DeVos
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate John Cherry Ruth Johnson
Popular vote 2,142,513 1,608,086
Percentage 56.4% 42.3%
Granholm:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
DeVos:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Tie:      40–50%
     No data
Governor before election

Jennifer Granholm
Democratic

 Elected Governor

Jennifer Granholm
Democratic

The 2006 Michigan gubernatorial election was one of the 36 U.S. gubernatorial elections held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm was re-elected with 56% of the vote over Republican businessman Dick DeVos and three minor party candidates.[2]

As of 2022, this is the last time the Democratic candidate for Governor carried the counties of Keweenaw, Houghton, Ontonagon, Iron, Dickinson, Menominee, Delta, Schoolcraft, Mackinac, Luce, Chippewa, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Van Buren, Cass, Calhoun, Monroe, Jackson, Tuscola, Shiawassee, Montcalm, Ionia, Gratiot, Midland, Clare, Gladwin, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Arenac, Crawford, Alcona, Alpena, and Presque Isle.

Democratic primary

Granholm had no opposition in the primary election, which was held August 8. She retained incumbent Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry as her running mate.

Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Granholm (incumbent) 531,322 100.00
Total votes 531,322 100.00

Republican primary

DeVos was originally facing two other Republicans; state Representative Jack Hoogendyk of Portage and state Senator Nancy Cassis of Novi, both dropped out by summer 2005. A political unknown, Louis Boven, tried to challenge him in the primary, but failed to meet Michigan election requirements to get on the ballot. Boven later ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign.

DeVos selected former State Representative and Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson as his running mate on August 14.[4]

Minor parties

Gregory Creswell
Douglas Campbell
Bhagwan Dashairya
Third-party candidates for governor in 2006. From left to right: Gregory Creswell, Douglas Campbell, and Bhagwan Dashairya.

Candidates

Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Michigan held their convention on May 16 at the Comfort Inn in Chelsea.[5][6] The party nominated Gregory Creswell, with Scotty Boman as his running mate.[7]

Green Party

The Green Party of Michigan had their convention at the Wolverine Dilworth Inn in Boyne City, Michigan.[8] The Green Party's nominee was Douglas Campbell. His running mate was David Skrbina, a philosophy professor at the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Campbell, a registered professional engineer from Ferndale, joined the Green party upon learning of its existence in 2000,[9] and was the Wayne-Oakland-Macomb county campaign coordinator for Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader, 2000.[10]

Constitution Party

The Constitution Party's candidate was Bhagwan Dashairya, a member of the US Taxpayers' Party. The Michigan US Taxpayers' Party is affiliated with the United States Constitution Party,[11] but Michigan election law does not provide a mechanism for changing the name of a political party.[12][13] Dashairya was the first Asian Indian to run for Governor of Michigan. Dashairya's running mate was Carl Oehling.[14]

General election

Dick DeVos' wife, Betsy, with a supporter at a campaign event in Houghton County.

After her first election as governor in 2002, Granholm was widely seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. Her popularity dropped after she took office in 2003, largely due to a weak economy and high unemployment. In August 2006, her approval rating was 47 percent.[15]

DeVos, a multimillionaire, had developed substantial political contacts with the full participation of his wife, former Michigan Republican Party chair Betsy DeVos, despite which, fully 85% of the DeVos campaign's contributions were from DeVos' inheritance.[16] As the 2006 election approached, the DeVos family was listed among the biggest Republican campaign contributors in Michigan.[17] The DeVos campaign spent $42.5 million, at that time the most spent on a gubernatorial campaign in Michigan history. $35.5 million of that total came from DeVos' personal fortune, and was at that time the most spent personally by a Republican candidate running for governor. The Granholm campaign spent $15.7 million. The combined money spent by both campaigns made this election the most expensive gubernatorial election in Michigan history. As DeVos funded his campaign himself, he was not eligible for public funds.[18]

The DeVos and Campbell campaigns each made the state's economy their major issue. DeVos criticized the Single Business Tax, high unemployment, and job outsourcing which occurred during Granholm's first term; Campbell assailed the $12 billion taken from Michigan's taxpayers and appropriated to the military siege of Iraq (which he calls "Duh-bya's Folly") and advocated for a local currency, independent of the U.S. dollar which he and running mate David Skrbina say is in imminent jeopardy of collapse. Granholm countered that her policies saved thousands of jobs. She also attacked DeVos's partisanship, wealth, and tenure at Alticor. One of Granholm's most prominent lines of attack was the accusation that Alticor, under DeVos's tenure, outsourced thousands of jobs to China while cutting 1,400 jobs in Michigan, a charge that the DeVos campaign and numerous media factcheckers denied. DeVos, Campbell and Granholm criticized the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative which was exclusively supported by Creswell.[19][20] and passed by a wide margin.[21]

On August 25, 2006, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pledged to actively campaign for Granholm and utilize the campaign team which got him re-elected as mayor.[22] The Michigan Democratic Party held their state convention in city of Detroit at Cobo Hall while the Michigan Republican Party held their convention in the City of Novi in Oakland County at the new Rock Financial Showplace.

In October 2006, the Creswell campaign spent over $10,000 on radio advertising, which while small, was the most spent on a such advertising by any Michigan gubernatorial campaign outside the Democratic or Republican parties.[23][24] The largest investment was made in advertisements on Detroit AM Radio stations WJR and WXYT.[25] These commercials specifically targeted Devos and Granholm by referring to them as candidates of "The two old parties," and berating them for supporting state-supported preferences based on race and sex: A clear reference to MCRI.[26] Campbell spent less than $1,000,[27] as was the case with the Dashairya campaign.[28]

Debates

Granholm and Devos at an October 12 informal debate at the Detroit Economic Club
Granholm and Devos at an October 12 informal debate at the Detroit Economic Club

The DeVos and Granholm campaigns agreed to three televised debates and a single joint appearance. This agreement did not include any provision for participation by third-party candidates.[29] Granholm and DeVos appeared together October 12 at the Detroit Economic Club in which each candidate delivered their job plans, which was described as a debate at the event itself, even if it wasn't officially designated as such.[30]

WKAR-TV debate

The first debate occurred on October 2 at WKAR-TV in East Lansing.[31] Both candidates spent the hour trading charges and countercharges. Detroit News pollster Ed Sarpolus indicated that there was no clear winner in the debate, but Bill Rustem, senior vice president of the nonpartisan policy firm Public Sector Consultants in Lansing, favored Granholm.[32] The consensus of pundits Bill Ballenger, George Bullard, Kathy Barks Hoffman and Rick Albin and capital correspondent Tim Skubick, speaking on the October 6 WKAR-television program Off the Record,[33] was that both DeVos and Granholm emerged losers, losing 2 and 4 percentage points' support after the event. No major gaffes or zingers came out in the debate. Some of the positions were made clear on embryonic stem cell research [34] and abortion.[35] No major gaffes came out in the debate, but one minor zinger was made by Granholm about DeVos' investment in Alterra, a chain of nursing homes which sexually abused and neglected its patients.[36][37]

WOOD-TV debate

The second was October 10 at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids. DeVos was more aggressive than before, declaring that Granholm had lied about him having a controlling stake in Alterra Health Care, an elder-care company that suppressed information about the abuse of residents by its employees.[38] According to SEC filings, DeVos and his investment partners jointly owned 40% of Alterra stock totalling $173 million.[39] The chairman of Alterra's board, while a close associate of DeVos, nevertheless maintains that DeVos had no part of running the company himself.[40]

DeVos also asserted that he had convinced President Bush to set a date to meet with the three major Michigan auto companies. Granholm responded that she didn't believe that was true. DeVos admitted after the debate that he misspoke; the President agreed to have a meeting at some point after the election, but did not confirm a date.[41] On October 24, two weeks after this debate was held, a mid-November date was set for the meeting.[42]

WXYZ-TV debate

The third televised debate was October 16 at WXYZ-TV in Southfield. Unlike the previous debates, this one had an invited studio audience of 30 undecided voters, some of whom asked questions to the participating candidates. Like the two previous debates, only two of the five candidates were admitted.[43][44] Granholm and DeVos sparred on various issues including college tuition, Canadian trash, business taxes, President Bush and negative ads,[45] while Creswell supporters picketed outside.[46][47][48][49]

During the opening statements of the third debate, Gov. Granholm attacked DeVos for using pictures of dead children as a campaign tool against her. However, it was later revealed that DeVos was not the person using the pictures, but supporters of him, who were cheering for him outside of the debate studio.

CMN-TV (of Troy) debate

On October 18 CMN-TV in Troy broadcast an additional debate. This debate was not covered by the agreement between the DeVos and Granholm campaigns.[29] It was the only televised debate to which all gubernatorial candidates were invited. It also was only the only televised debate in which the majority of gubernatorial candidates participated. This debate included Libertarian Gregory Creswell, Green Douglas Campbell, and U.S. Taxpayer Candidate Bhagwan Dashairya (Dashairya identified himself as a Constitution Party (listed on ballot as U.S. Taxpayers Party) candidate).[50][51][52]

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[53] Tossup November 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball[54] Lean D November 6, 2006
Rothenberg Political Report[55] Likely D November 2, 2006
Real Clear Politics[56] Lean D November 6, 2006

Polling

DeVos, buoyed by the political ads he ran, led in the polls for most of the late spring and early summer. DeVos' lead eroded when Granholm started running ads; meanwhile, Granholm built up a lead as voters found out more about the candidates culminating in the three debates, and as political fortunes soured for Republicans across the country due to a massive backlash against then president George W. Bush and fatigue over the continuing War in Iraq.[57]

Source Date Granholm (D) DeVos (R) Creswell (L) Campbell (G) Dashairya (T)
EPIC-MRA Nov 6, 2006 49% 42%
Strategic Vision Nov 6, 2006 52% 42%
Mason-Dixon Nov 5, 2006 52% 38% 0–2% 0–2% 0–2%
Survey USA Nov 5, 2006 51% 45% 2% 1% 1%
Free Press-Local 4 Michigan Poll Nov 5, 2006 54% 41%
EPIC-MRA Nov 3, 2006 49% 42%
EPIC-MRA Nov 2, 2006 52% 43%
Strategic Vision Nov 2, 2006 50% 42%
EPIC-MRA Archived 2008-02-28 at the Wayback Machine Oct 31, 2006 52% 42%
Zogby/WSJ Oct 31, 2006 51.6% 42.7% 0–5.7% 0–5.7% 0–5.7%
EPIC-MRA Oct 27, 2006 48% 43% 1% 1%
Research 2000 Oct 25, 2006 50% 40%
Survey USA Oct 25, 2006 52% 45% 1% 1%
Rasmussen Oct 25, 2006 53% 42%
Strategic Vision Oct 24, 2006 47% 43%
Zogby/WSJ Oct 19, 2006 50.6% 44.1%
Free Press-Local 4 Michigan Poll Oct 15, 2006 49% 41%
EPIC-MRA(raw data) Oct 13, 2006 51% 42% 2%
Survey USA Oct 9, 2006 50% 45% 1% 1% 1%
Rasmussen Oct 8, 2006 49% 42%
EPIC-MRA Oct 5, 2006 46% 40% 1% 1%
Zogby/WSJ Sept 28, 2006 49.9% 40.8%
Strategic Vision Sept 20, 2006 47% 46%
Survey USA Sept 18, 2006 47% 47% 1% 2% 1%
EPIC-MRA September 14, 2006 50% 42%
Zogby/WSJ September 11, 2006 49.4% 44.0%
Rasmussen September 7, 2006 46% 48%
Free Press-Local 4 Michigan Poll September 3, 2006 46% 44%
Strategic Vision August 29, 2006 48% 43%
Zogby/WSJ August 28, 2006 50.8% 43.6%
EPIC-MRA August 23, 2006 49% 42% 3%
Survey USA August 22, 2006 47% 47%
Rasmussen August 16, 2006 47% 46%
EPIC-MRA August 16, 2006 50% 47%
Survey USA August 8, 2006 42% 50% 6%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-08-19 at the Wayback Machine August 1, 2006 42% 48%
Strategic Vision July 27, 2006 44% 48%
EPIC-MRA July 26, 2006 47% 44%
Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 50.5% 44.4%
Free Press-Local 4 Michigan Poll July 15, 2006 42% 47%
Zogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 48.1% 46.2%
EPIC-MRA June 21, 2006 44% 46%
Strategic Vision June 21, 2006 41% 48%
Rasmussen June 14, 2006 44% 42%
EPIC-MRA June 12, 2006 40% 48%
Strategic Vision May 24, 2006 42% 45%
EPIC-MRA May 11, 2006 45% 46%
MRG of Lansing May 1–9, 2006 43% 44%
Rasmussen May 5, 2006 44% 43%
Strategic Vision April 21, 2006 43% 42%
EPIC-MRA April 11, 2006 43% 43%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-06-14 at the Wayback Machine March 27, 2006 44% 44%
MRG of Lansing March 22, 2006 43% 41%
Strategic Vision March 15, 2006 50% 33%
EPIC-MRA March 9, 2006 51% 41%
Rasmussen Feb 14, 2006 44% 43%
EPIC-MRA Feb 12, 2006 53% 36%
Strategic Vision Feb 3, 2006 48% 34%
Rasmussen Jan 20, 2006 49% 38%
Strategic Vision Dec 22, 2005 46% 35%
Rasmussen Archived 2005-12-12 at the Wayback Machine Dec 2, 2005 48% 36%
EPIC-MRA Nov 29, 2005 58% 35%
Strategic Vision Nov 21, 2005 44% 33%
EPIC-MRA Oct 25, 2005 53% 30%
Strategic Vision Oct 25, 2005 46% 35%
Strategic Vision Sept 29, 2005 47% 33%

Results

2006 Michigan gubernatorial election[58]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jennifer Granholm (incumbent) 2,142,513 56.36% +4.95%
Republican Dick DeVos 1,608,086 42.30% −5.09%
Libertarian Greg Creswell 23,524 0.62%
Green Douglas Campbell 20,009 0.53% −0.27%
Constitution Bhagwan Dashairya 7,087 0.19% −0.20%
Write-in 37 0.00% 0.00%
Majority 534,427 14.06% +10.04%
Turnout 3,801,256
Democratic hold Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

  1. ↑ "General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics". Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  2. ↑ Land, Terri (Secretary of State). "Election Results GENERAL ELECTION November 07, 2006 (Governor 4 Year Term (1) Position)" Archived January 11, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. mi.gov (website).
  3. ↑ "Indiana Primary Election, May 8, 2012-United States Senator". Secretary of State of Indiana. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  4. ↑ WOOD-TV,"DeVos chooses Ruth Johnson as running mate". "woodtv.com" (website)
  5. ↑ Schwartz, Leonard (May 9, 2006). ""Upcoming Events" & "Candidates Bring Your Voter Registration Card"". LPM Online. Archived from the original on July 9, 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  6. ↑ Boman, Scotty (May 23, 2006). ""Upcoming Events" & "Over 70 Libertarians to Run in 2006 Michigan Election"". LPM Online. Archived from the original on July 9, 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  7. ↑ Land, Terri (Secretary of State)."2006 Official Michigan General Candidate Listing" Archived 2017-09-13 at the Wayback Machine. http://mi.gov/sos (website).
  8. ↑ Green Party of Michigan "Green Party of Michigan State Membership Meeting May 20th & 21st 2006, in Boyne City" Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. "migreens.org" (website)
  9. ↑ Greens, US. "Green Party Speakers Bureau". gp.org (website).
  10. ↑ "Bio: Douglas Campbell". October 9, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  11. ↑ The Constitution Party was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992. The national party's name was changed to the Constitution Party in 1999.
  12. ↑ U.S. Taxpayers and Constitution Party of Michigan. "Gubernatorial Debate – Part II Bhagwan (Bob) Dashairya Enters Michigan Governor's Race " Archived 2007-02-17 at the Wayback Machine. ustaxpayersandconstitutionpartymi.com (website).
  13. ↑ "SOS – Elections in Michigan". Archived from the original on July 23, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
  14. ↑ "State Party Newsletter". Constitution Party of Michigan. June 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
  15. ↑ "Strategic Vision Political". August 27, 2006. Archived from the original on September 2, 2006. Retrieved November 9, 2006.
  16. ↑ Land, Terri Lynn (Michigan Secretary of State). " Campaign Finance Disclosure" Archived 2008-11-08 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ↑ Christoff, Chris (June 18, 2006). "DeVoses pour millions into GOP causes". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2006. Retrieved November 9, 2006.
  18. ↑ "2006 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance" (PDF). Michigan Campaign Finance Network. July 18, 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  19. ↑ Creswell, Gregory "Equal Means Equal" Archived 2006-12-06 at the Wayback Machine. lpwm.org (website).
  20. ↑ Creswell, Gregory "campaign site" Archived 2006-12-13 at the Wayback Machine. "gregcreswell.org" (website).
  21. ↑ Land, Terri (Secretary of State)."State Proposal – 06-2: Constitutional Amendment: Ban Affirmative Action Programs" Archived 2009-04-10 at the Wayback Machine. mi.gov (website).
  22. ↑ Detnews.com | This article is no longer available online
  23. ↑ http://miboecfr.nicusa.com/cfr/dumpimages/2784121.pdf
  24. ↑ Land, Terri (Secretary of State)."Gubernatorial Committee Search" Archived 2006-12-09 at the Wayback Machine. "mi.gov" (website)
  25. ↑ http://miboecfr.nicusa.com/cfr/dumpimages/2805101.pdf
  26. ↑ Creswell, Gregory "Radio Commercial In Use" Archived 2006-12-07 at the Wayback Machine. "gregcreswell.lpwm.org" (website)
  27. ↑ http://miboecfr.nicusa.com/cfr/dumpimages/2743511.pdf
  28. ↑ http://miboecfr.nicusa.com/cfr/dumpimages/2802601.pdf
  29. 1 2 "Agreement Governing Debates and Joint Appearances in Michigan's 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign" (PDF). WOOD-TV. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Granholm, DeVos find common ground on 1 topic". Toledo Blade. October 13, 2006. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  31. ↑ "A Special Broadcast from WKAR". WKAR-TV. Archived from the original on October 6, 2006.
  32. ↑ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061003/POLITICS01/610030400
  33. ↑ "Off the Record". Archived from the original on October 6, 2006. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  34. ↑ "Lansing State Journal - Home". www.lsj.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2006.
  35. ↑ "The Oakland Press: Local News". Archived from the original on October 21, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2006.
  36. ↑ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/POLITICS01/610040369
  37. ↑ Grand Rapids Press https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050253/http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-32%2F1160206504163180.xml&coll=6. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2006. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  38. ↑ "Archived copy". www.mlive.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  39. ↑ "ALTERRA HEALTHCARE CORP Amended Annual Report (10-K/A) ITEM 12 SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND ..." Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2006.
  40. ↑ Muskegon Chronicle https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155014/http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-5%2F1160059527159120.xml&coll=8&thispage=1. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2006. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  41. ↑ "Ludington Daily News | shorelinemedia.net". Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2006.
  42. ↑ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061025/AUTO01/610250385
  43. ↑ Ellis, Mike (October 16, 2006). "Tonight's debate will lack three candidates: Campbell, Dashairya, Creswell also weren't invited to first two". Central Michigan University. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  44. ↑ "WXYZ: Local News". Archived from the original on October 23, 2006. Retrieved October 17, 2006.
  45. ↑ "Error: Invalid story key (C4,20061016,NEWS99,61016049,AR)". freep.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
  46. ↑ Boman, Scotty (October 3, 2006). "Mobalize On October 16th. Make WXYZ take notice". Libertarian Party of Michigan. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008.
  47. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  48. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  49. ↑ "wxyz — Campaign Template". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
  50. ↑ US Taxpayers & Constitution Party of Michigan Constitution / US Taxpayers Party Website Archived 2007-02-17 at the Wayback Machine. "ustaxpayersandconstitutionpartymi.com" (website)
  51. ↑ "Local News". Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2007.
  52. ↑ "Welcome to Community Media Network Public Access Television Troy, Michigan". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2007.
  53. ↑ "2006 Governor Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
  54. ↑ "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 6, 2006. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  55. ↑ "2006 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  57. ↑ "With Election Driven by Iraq, Voters Want New Approach - The New York Times". The New York Times. November 2, 2006. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  58. ↑ "2006 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/07/2006". Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2006.
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