Michigan Senate Race Between Kid Rock And Debbie Stabenow Will Be a Toss-Up
In contrast, little rock star excitement surrounds a fourth term for Stabenow, an unimaginative machine pol who resembles an overweight, scolding aunt who might inspire fights over who has to sit next to her at Thanksgiving dinner. Charisma matters. He’s got it; she doesn’t.
With inchoate conservativism on economic issues and libertarian views on social issues, a party-line liberal like Stabenow will find few policy angles to attack Ritchie. She will play the standard character assassination game, but “racist plutocrat” or “McConnell stooge” are unlikely to work on an already defined public figure. She will have to dwell on Ritchie’s misdeeds, but what can Stabenow say that voters haven’t already heard and discounted?
While Ritchie will have to hit the books—he’s no one’s idea of a policy wonk—and develop a cogent list of reasons why he wants the job, there is every reason to believe that he could be a very strong candidate. For Stabenow, first elected in 2000 and currently below 50 percent in approval rating, Ritchie’s entry into a race for what was rated a safe seat must be a thoroughly unpleasant shock.
He'll hide behind libertarian/(moderate social) conservatism but he won't pursue it, much as he proudly waves the Confederate battle flag.
