CMU’s Campus Conservatives plans to bring Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidates to Central Michigan University for a debate in February.

The debate will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 in a location to be determined.

State Sen. Tom George, R-Kalamazoo, confirmed has attendance. Invitations also were sent out Nov. 24 to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Attorney General Mike Cox and U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland and Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder.

“It’s a critical time in Michigan right now, and we need to see who the candidates running for governor are so students can get involved and see, ‘Do I like this candidate or don’t I?’” said Hart junior and Campus Conservatives President Bryant Greiner. “The economy’s down, and we know someone is coming in new next year and we want to get students thinking who they are going to vote for in the primaries.”

George, a medical doctor, was elected in 2002 to the state Senate after serving one term in the state House.

Former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis and Inside Michigan Politics editor and former Griffin Endowed Chair Bill Ballenger will moderate the debate.

“Bill Ballenger is a pretty big name in the state, so we thought he would be a great moderator to ask the questions,” Greiner said. “With Saul Anuzis being the former Michigan Republican Party Chairman, he’s got the experience, and we thought it would be a good gesture to have him be a part of this.”

Anuzis served as chairman of the state party from 2005 until 2009 and was among the candidates for chairman of the republican National Committee earlier this year. He is currently chairman of Newt Gingrich’s Save Americans Jobs Project.

Ballenger is a former legislator, state racing commissioner and deputy assistant secretary in the administration of President Gerald Ford. He has been editor of Inside Michigan Politics since founding the publication in 1987.

“Without even having all the candidates to respond yet and to already have the two big-name moderators decide to put their faith in us is great,” Bryant said. “We are extremely happy.”

Setting it up

Campus Conservatives is exploring options for a venue for the debate.

“As of right now, things are still up in the air,” Greiner said. “We are currently working to get Plachta (Auditorium).”

Greiner said he is hoping for a lot of interest locally and statewide.

“We look forward to hopefully being on TV to show the campus off in a good way. To show that we have a great place to have debates and stuff like that and to put our names out there as Campus Conservatives.”

Lansing senior Joseph Nelson said the debate would be a great event to bring to campus.

“I think it’s got the potential to be interesting,” Nelson said. “It’s also good to try to spur political involvement on campus because college students tend to be politically apathetic.”

He said although he is liberal, he can still find substance in a conservative debate, and an event such as this should interest all students.

“This will help Republican voters determine the best candidate within their party,” he said. “No matter what your political affiliation is, you should attend this debate.”

E-mail the author: Luke Dimick