Race of the Day: Michigan's Seventh District

In what is becoming the go-to theme for vulnerable Democrats this cycle, Congressman Mark Schauer is trying to run from the liberal voting record he’s accumulated in Washington since January 2009.  As the race for Michigan’s Seventh District has progressed, Schauer has tried to pass himself off as an independent voice, hoping that voters will forget his support for the government takeover of healthcare, a national energy tax, and – worst of all – for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker.

In an attempt to distract his constituents, Schauer has also taken to rewriting his own legislative history while lying about Republican Tim Walberg’s record.  Having already been called out by the non-partisan FactCheck.org for claims he voted against the “Wall Street Bailout” (FactCheck called it “baloney”), Schauer is also trying to hid the fact that he backed $500 billion in Medicare cuts.

With the latest polling giving a slight edge to the GOP’s Walberg, this is going to be a competitive race as we get closer to Election Day.

Original Post (08/10/2010):

Currently represented by freshman Democrat Mark Schauer, Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District leans Republican and maintains an increasing trace of conservatism, despite its current congressional leadership. This fall, Republicans in Michigan’s Seventh have a prime opportunity to take back a Republican seat and retire Mark Schauer.

Stretching from Michigan’s southern border northward to Waverly, Michigan’s Seventh District encompasses five counties in their entirety and reaches seven in total. Employers are struggling to retain and create jobs, and southern Michigan is no exception. The birthplace of the Republican Party, this district also includes the conservative college of Hillsdale. In 2008, Mark Schauer barely won this district with less than 50% of the vote, underperforming Barack Obama, who still only beat McCain by 5%. Unlike in 2008, the once-popular Democrat is now a political liability who won’t be there to carry Schauer across the finish line.

Mark Schauer makes an appearance on nearly every list of the most vulnerable House Democrats—and for good reason. Despite his marginal victory in 2008, Schauer went to Washington determined to rubber-stamp the Obama-Pelosi agenda. He supported the failed trillion-dollar stimulus, the National Energy Tax, the government takeover of health care, and record deficit spending. In a sign that Schauer’s constituents are tired of his big-spending liberal agenda, last November Republicans handily won a special election to fill the state Senate seat that Mark Schauer held since 2002. Failing to represent his constituents and out of touch with Seventh District voters, Mark Schauer has demonstrated that his loyalty lies not with Michiganders, but rather with Nancy Pelosi.

This year, former Rep. Tim Walberg, who lost to Schauer in 2008, is ready for a rematch. Defeating strong contenders in the primary election, Tim Walberg is a formidable foe to Mark Schauer in his uphill battle to win Michigan’s Seventh. Tim Walberg’s experience as an elected official and community leader sets him above his unpopular challenger. During his time in Congress, Walberg stood up against the Democrat’s job-killing tax increases that are wreaking havoc on Michigan’s economy as well as advocating for healthcare reform that didn’t mandate a government takeover. Walberg has represented Michiganders as a dedicated public servant who has worked across the aisle to make government live within its means, prevent tax increases, secure our border and defend traditional conservative values.

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