11/04/2006

Palsrok, Scripps spend big

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

TRAVERSE CITY — Move over Dick DeVos and Jennifer Granholm. Make way for two legislative candidates expected to spend more than $150,000 for local television air time in the few days before the election.

Candidates in five state legislative races surrounding Grand Traverse Bay will spend over $1 million on their campaigns, but Democrat Dan Scripps and Republican incumbent David Palsrok are the only two making significant television buys.

Northport resident Scripps created a new battleground for control of the state House in what was expected to be a cakewalk for Palsrok, of Manistee, who's seeking his third term representing the 101st state House district.

"My race wasn't even on the radar screen, but when (Scripps) filed his first campaign report there was quite a bit of money in it and there was talk that maybe it was a targeted race," Palsrok said.

Scripps continued to successfully raise money, and as of Oct. 31 he was just $10,000 behind the $100,000 raised by Palsrok. The money attracted the attention of those who control the campaign purse strings in Lansing for both political parties.

Scripps said recent polling shows the race is close.

State records show thousands of dollars are flowing into the campaigns daily and Palsrok said the two state parties will dump another $150,000 or more into the campaign before election day.

"I'm obviously thankful for the support, but it's the people we have met in the district that have really put us in the place we are at now," Scripps said. "We've knocked on over 20,000 doors and people have certainly responded."

Palsrok said his past races have been competitive and this one is no surprise.

"I'll meet (Scripps') effort with equal effort and I'm going to do everything in my power to win," he said.

The race is attracting independent expenditures from political organizations that operate separate from the candidates' campaigns. The independent expenditures are often used for negative attacks and voters are reporting that tactics on both sides are turning nasty.

Lois Schmidt of Suttons Bay said she received a call from someone claiming to do a poll, but instead they smeared one of the candidates.

"It's dirty pool and it's wrong," she said.

In the other four area races, campaign finance reports show Republican incumbents raised over $834,000, compared to $60,000 for the Democrats. In each of those races the incumbents raised significant funds from Lansing political action committees, while Democrats relied mostly on local county party organizations and family.

"I've been preparing for this race in 2006 since I was elected in 2002," said state Sen. Michelle McManus, R-Lake Leelanau. "I had no idea who would run against me, so you prepare hard and cover all of your bases."

McManus raised $278,000, compared to $4,500 for Antoinette Schippers in the 35th Senate District that includes Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, and Kalkaska counties.

McManus said in addition to signs, some radio ads, and a couple of mailings, she's used extra funds to support the Michigan Republican Party and the Senate Republican Campaign Committee.

One of the top fundraisers in the state, Republican Sen. Jason Allen of Traverse City, raised $420,000, compared to $23,000 raised by Democrat Sharon Unger of Torch Lake. That contested district is the 37th Senate District, and includes Grand Traverse, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Cheboygan counties.

"You have to have resources available because you never know what your opponent is going to spend," Allen said.

In the 104th House District that includes Grand Traverse and Kalkaska counties, incumbent Howard Walker raised $57,554, compared to $21,000 by Democrat Roman Grucz.

The 105th House District includes Antrim, Charlevoix, Otsego and Cheboygan counties. Incumbent Kevin Elsenheimer, a Republican, raised $78,000 compared to $12,250 for Democratic challenger Tom Hay Bauer.

A top issue in this election cycle for Bauer is the amount of money from big money special interests that is flowing to incumbents in both parties.

"It might be legal, but it's wrong and we have to get the special interest money out of our capital," he said.