Post-Kande options open for local Dems

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Before every Democrat from here to northern Oakland County turns "Kande Ngalamulume" into a dirty word for bailing out of a quixotic bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, hold tight. The naïve 31-year-old former East Lansing running back may be willing to do the right thing after all.

Under state law, Ngalamulume’s name cannot be removed from the primary election ballot. If he wins the Democratic primary (which seems likely since it’s the only name on there), there’s only two ways his name can be removed from the Nov. 2 General Election ballot: A) Death. B) Registering to vote out of state.

Obviously, nobody wants to see "A." But it now appears Ngalamulume may be more accommodating to take care of "B." After initially telling Democratic 8th Congressional District Chairwoman Kathy Carney that he would not change his voter registration from Lansing, Kande apparently has changed his mind.

Democratic activist Bob Alexander told me last week Ngalamulume informed him of his decision to register to vote in whatever city he ends up finding a job in, be it Philadelphia, Chicago or anywhere else out of state.

If he follows through ("if " being the operative word, since this guy changes his mind a lot, if you haven’t noticed), a provision in state law allows a committee of local Democratic officials to replace Ngalamulume on the ballot. The committee would consist of the chairman, treasurer and secretary of every county Democratic Party that is included within the 8th Congressional District.

In this case, it would be a 15-member Democratic panel featuring officials from Clinton, Ingham, Livingston, Oakland and Shiawassee counties. One local Democrat told me that a recruitment effort is underway to get retiring Ingham County Circuit Judge James Giddings to put himself forward under this situation.

Giddings is constitutionally mandated to step down from the bench after this year because he’ll hit the magical age of 70. But there’s no age ceiling for Congress. Giddings would give the Democrats a credible, well known name on the ballot, forcing Rogers to stay home and campaign as opposed to lending a hand to the Republican nominee in the neighboring 7th Congressional District or the nearby 9th.

There is another way to make sure Kande "Idontawannalivahereanymore" can get his name scrubbed from the general ballot: A successful write-in campaign during the primary.

This is a complete longshot, but Clinton County Democrat Lance Enderle is willing to take it. Enderle had considered an independent bid in the 33rd Senate District but told the 8th Congressional District Democrats this weekend that he’s filed the necessary paperwork to run as a write-in.

Enderle has his Facebook page up and writes that "after a long dark decade of living in Mr. Rogers Neighborhood the good people of Michigan’s 8th District deserve much better than this. They must have a true choice at the ballot box on November 2 — and that choice is now Lance Enderle. Give Lance a Chance."

The "progressive Democrat" said he believes in small business, agriculture, tax equality and individual freedom. He wrote on his Facebook page that money had "nearly destroyed our political process," so he is not taking any political action committee money or any special interest money.

"I don’t want your money. I want your vote," he wrote.

Alexander said he appreciates the enthusiasm — but that the mountain Enderle will need to climb is significant. A write-in candidate would need at least 2,000 votes to knock off Ngalamulume, who will receive at least that number by being the only name on the Democratic side.

Thesecretary of state cannot find record of any case in Michigan electionhistory in which a write-in candidate was able to defeat a name on theballot in a congressional race, regardless of whether the candidate onthe ballot was actively running.

Thechallenge is to educate enough people to write the different name onthe ballot. In the past, some candidates have provided voters withstickers, which is helpful for everybody involved, but costs money.

Maybethe Enderle drive catches fire. If it does, Alexander can’t help beinga little agitated. An adviser for Nglamulume, Alexander said theone-time candidate could have used the support when he was passing thehat around earlier this year.

Lansing Chamber backs Hoekstra, Bernero

Whom do business organizations want as Michigan’s next governor?

Depends on which one you’re asking. Twoweeks after the Michigan Chamber of Commerce came out supportingAttorney General Mike Cox, the Lansing Regional Chamber said they arebacking U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra on the Republican side and Mayor VirgBernero on the Democratic side.

The Bernero endorsement was a nobrainer. The mayor and the Lansing Chamber locked arms in the last two mayoral elections.

TheHoekstra endorsement is interesting considering the Detroit RegionalChamber is expected to come out in favor of both Oakland County SheriffMike Bouchard and Ann Arbor Businessman Rick Snyder on the Republicanside and House Speaker Andy Dillon on the Democratic side.

For the Detroit Chamber, the tipping point was Dillon’s support for the Detroit River International Crossing, its A1 project.

Onthe Republican side, things get a bit more interesting because internalpolitics and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is coming into play,sources tell me.

Coxhas gone after the Blues as attorney general, fighting them in court onthe Accident Fund’s ability to purchase other insurance companies andBCBSM’s proposed rate increases.

BCBSMalso is a big player for both the Lansing and Detroit regionalchambers, supplying their organizations with special insurance plansfor their members as well as being big contributors to their events.

Eventhough sources tell me Cox gave the best interview at theseorganizations’ respective political action committee meetings, neitherLansing nor the Detroit chamber would support him because BCBSM isagainst him.

Inthis political environment, every gubernatorial candidate is going tomodel himself as "pro-business," but it appears that it depends whichbusiness is "pro you."

(Kyle Melinn is the news editor at MIRSnews.com. Melinn@lansingcitypulse. com.)

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