Hertel ducks when asked if he wants Biden to campaign for him

WEDNESDAY, July 17 — Democratic congressional candidate Curtis Hertel Jr. deflected today when asked if he would welcome President Joe Biden to campaign on his behalf.

“If any president came to this district and wanted to have a conversation, we would be more than happy to have it. Look forward to seeing him and getting a Tasty Twist down the street,” Hertel said.

Hertel spoke at a campaign event in East Lansing. Afterward, his press spokesperson, Sam Kwait-Spitzer, said by telephone, “The answer he gave was not to, for or against Biden.  The answer was in the spirit of bipartisanship.”

The latter was a reference to the campaign event’s purpose, which was to announce support for his candidacy from Republicans and independents.

Kwait-Spitzer emphasized that Hertel would welcome any president, Democrat or Republican, to the district he is seeking to represent.

His answer is another sign that backing for the incumbent president is waning among Democratic circles in Michigan. When Biden visited Detroit last Friday, he faced the notable absences of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and Rep. Elisa Slotkin, D-Holly, all Democrats.

The latter is vacating her 7th U.S. House District seat, which includes Ingham County, in November in hopes of succeeding Stabenow, who is retiring. Hertel is the presumed Democratic candidate to replace Slotkin.

Biden campaigned in Lansing for Slotkin when she first ran for Congress in 2018. At the time, the former vice president was not yet officially running for president.

The exchange surrounding Biden’s potential support for Hertel’s campaign happened during a press session at Red Cedar Spirits in East Lansing. He did not take any additional questions after that.

That session followed a campaign event where Hertel launched “Republicans and Independents for Hertel,” a coalition he said of two dozen current and former local and state elected officials and officers who have pledged him their support.

Hertel, 46, was joined at the event by former U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz, who served as a Republican from 2005 to 2007, and Brett Gillespie, a Republican City Council member for Grand Ledge.

“I'm the oldest one in the room by a hell of a lot,” said Schwarz, 86, who now identifies as an independent. “The House ain't what it used to be, and we want to bring it back to having strong, independent-thinking Democrats and Republicans.”

“In Curtis' case, here's a guy with great political experience, with a family that's historic in Michigan politics, who's decided to run for the U.S. House,” Schwarz added. 

Hertel's father was state House speaker. His brother is a state senator. Hertel himself was a state representative and senator.

Added Schwarz, “I decided early on that I would do everything I could to help him get elected, which I'm going to do from now until November.”

Gillespie said he first got to know Hertel when Hertel was running for a seat on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners in 2000.

“When I was 18, I got the idea to run for school board. A mutual friend had said: ‘Hey, Curtis, this kid wants to run for school board. Why don't you have a meeting with him?’ I'm fairly certain that Curtis knew I was Republican, even though he was a Democrat, but he knew the passion I had for politics and getting young people involved in politics. So, he met with me, and he actually endorsed me back then,” Gillespie said.

“I'll admit I was a little bit hesitant when I was asked to speak here today, just because of the political capital it takes to cross party lines,” Gillespie added. “But I think national events that have been occurring kind of showed me that if there's a time to be politically brave, if you will, that time is now. I don't always agree with these individuals, but Curtis is a good person, and we need leaders that are willing to work for the people and not just the party.”

Hertel said it was “a difficult time for our nation” after former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday.

“As we reflect on the overall events of this weekend, we are reminded of the power and importance of unity. We are reminded that respectful disagreement amongst reasonable people should not be an issue. Rather, it is a lifeblood of our democracy where there is a respectful disagreement, there is also compromise,” Hertel said.

“Everything that really gets done in Washington, Lansing or any place is done in the spaces between people, that's what I focused my legislative career,” Hertel said. “It's working across the aisle that is missing from our politics, and I’m willing to stand up and do that.”

With that said, Hertel noted at least one exception.

“There are some issues like reproductive rights, where I would never be able to compromise because it’s in my soul and who I am,” Hertel said.