Update: Congressman Bart Stupak has endorsed Schauer for governor (MLive story)
This week has brought more indications that former Congressman Mark Schauer of Battle Creek will soon launch a campaign for Governor of Michigan.
Earlier this week there was story of a poll showing favorable results for Schauer in a head to head matchup with Governor Snyder (Politico story). Wednesday State Board of Education President John Austin who had considered his own campaign for governor, said he is backing Schauer for the Democratic nomination (Detroit Free Press story).
Gongwer News Service (subscription required) Editor Zach Gorchow says there seems to be a coordinated effort this week to create some news for Mark Schauer.
"There's no question wheels are in motion right now."
Gorchow says Schauer is well-known in many Democratic circles, still a relatively new face in Southeast Michigan which is considered the Democratic party's power base in the state. But he says it seem like there is little left for the former Congressman and state lawmaker to do except formally announce he is in the race.
Schauer has been considering a run for governor since early this year. Gorchow says that if Schauer formally launches a campaign for governor, he will likely have a clear shot at the Democratic nomination. Gorchow says most other prominent Democrats have said they won't run if Schauer is in the race.
Gorchow says this is relatively late in the calendar to launch a campaign, compared to previous gubernatorial election years (he wrote about it on the Gongwer blog on April 5). He says some Democrats were anxious about the lack of campaign activity in the late winter and early spring. But Gorchow says recent indications that Schauer is likely to enter the race have eased many of those concerns.
Despite his lack of statewide name recognition, Gorchow says Democrats like Schauer's track record of winning "difficult campaigns." And he says Schauer has shown an ability to raise money and a strong knowledge of state issues.
