Democratic Candidates for State House Publicly Denounce Mark Schauer
LANSING, July 1, 2014—Democratic legislative candidates from across the state today publicly denounced their own party’s gubernatorial nominee, pledging to put parents and students over partisan politics.
Candidates in Wayne, Oakland and Saginaw Counties signed formal pledges stating that they “publicly denounce” Schauer, while promising to work against the kind of fee increases Schauer inflicted on Michigan teachers during his time in the state Legislature while voting to cut hundreds of millions in K-12 funding.
Democrats publicly denouncing Mark Schauer today include:
- Patrick O’Connell, a candidate for the state House in the 6th District in Wayne County;
- Cornell Mathis, a candidate for the state House in the 21st District in Wayne County;
- Michael Saari, a candidate for the state House in the 39th District in Oakland County; and
- Norm Braddock, a candidate for the state House in the 95th District in Saginaw County.
In addition to denouncing Schauer, three of the candidates, O’Connell, Mathis and Braddock, formally called on Schauer to return the $10,000 per year he took from taxpayers to line his own pockets, via a gold-plated tax break reserved exclusively for politicians.
“Patrick O’Connell, Cornell Mathis, Michael Saari and Norm Braddock are standing up to Mark Schauer, telling their own party’s nominee that parents, students and teachers should come before partisan politics,” said Michigan Freedom Fund President Greg McNeilly.
“Democrats have been disillusioned with Schauer’s candidacy since he announced it, and it is easy to understand why. Schauer raised fees on teachers and cut hundreds of millions from schools, all while he was raiding the state treasury to fatten his own wallet to the tune of $10,000 a year.”
The decision by Democratic legislative candidates to distance themselves from Schauer is just the latest startling example of discontent in many Democratic circles over Schauer’s candidacy. Earlier this year, then-UAW President Bob King made statewide headlines for attempting to recruit a Primary challenger to run against Schauer while the UAW and the SEIU were reportedly slow to offer Schauer their endorsement.
