And here is the antidote, Terry Bowman of "Union Conservatives" who might run against her...
Posted on 02/25/2014 1:23:09 PM PST by Second Amendment First
The Dingell dynasty dates back to the era of FDR and there’s very little that can stop it from rolling on.
Rep. John Dingell announced Monday he’s leaving the seat he took over from his father nearly six decades ago. And now his wife, Debbie Dingell, is planning to announce in the district Friday her candidacy for the open seat, according to a source close to Dingell.
Dingell wasted no time putting together a campaign apparatus Monday, holding a conference call last night with her husband’s former aides.
She also may sever ties with the American Automotive Policy Council where she has lead the manufacturing arm of the Big Three-backed trade group, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Debbie Dingell has a set of huge advantages over nearly any challenger for the Michigan seat: she will be able to tap into the powerful Dingell Machine, her husband’s campaign coffers and a vast network of political operatives and donors.
And she’s already got the support of powerful Wolverine State figures like retiring Sen. Carl Levin.
“She’d be a fabulous congresswoman but those are such personal decisions,” said Levin, who didn’t know if others might challenge her for the seat. “She would be a very, very strong candidate. She’d be a really wonderful congresswoman too.”
Political observers in Michigan and D.C. say she’d be the favorite to win the seat that’s been held continuously by John D. Dingell Sr. and John D. Dingell Jr. since the year FDR entered the White House.
“She knows the district and the people very well,” said Dennis Fitzgibbons, former chief of staff to Rep. Dingell when he chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee. “She has a familiarity with the issues that are important and in play in the district and has been a public figure for a fair amount of time in Michigan, generally.”
She’s also expected to get the support of powerful political operations like EMILY’s List once she officially enters the race, according to someone close to her. EMILY’s List has not officially weighed in the Michigan 12 race.
While Dingell had flirted with running for retiring Sen. Carl Levin’s seat, several Dingell insiders said this time is different.
“She’s much more serious,” said one former senior Dingell aide.
Dingell must collect at least 1,000 signatures by April 22 to appear on the Aug. 5 ballot. Some Dingell supporters expect she’ll clear the primary when she announces, but other Democrats, including Ann Arbor State Sen. Rebekah Warren and Taylor State Sen. Hoon Yung Hopgood, have also been mentioned as potential candidates.
If she’s challenged, Dingell will surely face political attacks that it is time for new blood to represent the district. Rep. Dingell has had similar criticisms launched at it over the years.
Dingell also is known for not being afraid to throw elbows, which could come up on the campaign trail.
While her husband wielded the gavel on the powerful Energy and Commerce Commitee, Debbie Dingell was making a name for herself in business, political and charity circles inside the Beltway and in Wolverine State.
She currently serves as chairwoman of the Wayne State University Board of Governors and has long been one of Michigan’s representatives on the Democratic National Committee. Dingell was a leading force in moving up Michigan’s 2008 primary — defying the national party. She also held senior roles on Al Gore and John Kerry’s presidential campaigns.
A descendent of one of GM’s founding Fisher Brothers, she served in executive roles with General Motors for more than three decades, finally leaving in 2009 as vice chairman of the General Motors Foundation and executive director of public affairs and community relations for GM. She later founded consulting firm D2 Strategies.
Dingell has also been fierce protector of her husband on Capitol Hill, and has regularly engaged involved in his political battles. Dingell played a major role behind the scenes in 2008 trying to defend Dingell’s gavel when Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) successfully challenged him.
While her husband’s legions of former staffers are well-known, Dingell has also created her own political network and has a history of working with Republicans. She is close to Abby Blunt, a top lobbyist at Altria and wife of Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). She’s also developed a strong women network — hosting a holiday luncheon of about 250 women, a virtual who’s who of powerful women and wives of powerful men, according to an attendee.
Whoops, thanks cc.
And here is the antidote, Terry Bowman of "Union Conservatives" who might run against her...
The dynasty aspect could be used to make some interesting then-and-now comparisons. When John Dingell Senior was first elected to the house, the federal debt was approximately $21 billion, or $168 per capita. At $17.3 trillion, or $54,645 per capita it is time for a new deal.
Back in ‘94, Tom Foley, who was then speaker, went down to defeat at the hands of a younger opponent who was making contrasts between 1964 and 1994—the contrasts between 1932 and now are even bigger.
Coolidge spoke of the costs of government in his day as an astounding sum of 7 billion dollars.
The $7 billion must have included state and local—the 1928 federal budget came in at slightly under $3 billion. If you pro-rated the present budget along the lines of a 40 hour week, 52 weeks/year, $3 billion wouldn’t cover the first two hours of the first day. $7 billion would at least get you beyond lunch.
I think he meant the total cost of government. Its here in this awesome speech about taxes and the burden government imposes on the people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5puwTrLRhmw
I can not imagine why anyone would vote for anyone that many times. This is passed down like some Middle East dictatorship. Can we say “vote fraud”?
If you think Dingell would be bad, Warren would be worse. She's my state senator that doesn't represent me. She used to run a pro-abortion organization. Far leftist across the board.
The one good thing about Warren running (and losing in the primary) is that she will be out of my state senate district. My congressman is Tim Walberg, so I won't have to deal with her ever again. :)
Is Bowman in? Good. I’m on the wrong (right) side of Joy Rd to vote for him, but I can let my contacts know that this guy is worth their time.
LOL. Conyers and Dingell. They belong together. Conyers got his start by working for Dingell back when Dingell represented Detroit.
I don’t think its official but the papers are calling him the potential challenger and Rob Steele is saying that he’s supporting him.
The snow in Michigan is shifting and its hard to say how things will shake out. I see the Huron Valley EMS or ambulance service voted against unionizing last night as well.
Huron Valley Ambulance paramedics and EMTs overwhelmingly shoot down attempt to unionize
http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/02/huron_valley_ambulance_paramed_1.html
That’s big, especially in this county.
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