Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero speaks at Central Michigan University College Dems rally

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Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Virg Bernero addressed Michigan’s economy and education’s role in its recovery during a surprise visit to Central Michigan University.

The Lansing mayor spoke to students at the College Democrats’ volunteer rally Thursday night. There, he and his wife mingled with students before making a 20-minute speech focused on economic development.

“Education is economic development,” he said to a group of about 50 people who gathered in the mall between Pearce and Anspach halls. “Economy starts with education.”

He acknowledged the economy’s impact on students’ ability to continue their educations and pledged to help.

“We are going to restore the Michigan Promise scholarship,” Bernero said, eliciting cheers and applause from the students. “We are going to set the right priorities.”

Bernero, who has yet to select a running mate for the November election, said there is a “100 percent chance” one will be selected by Sunday at the Michigan Democratic Party State Convention.

Bernero praised Obama’s involvement in bailing out Michigan’s auto industry and promoting green manufacturing jobs in the state.

About half of Bernero’s speech focused on the auto industry and manufacturing.

“You have to care about the auto industry if you live here in Michigan,” he said.

He also discussed his impact on the growth of manufacturing in Lansing, where jobs have grown each month of 2010, he said.

Clinton Township senior Brad O’Donnell, president of College Democrats, said he originally planned to speak at the rally,

“I essentially just gave Virg the floor,” he said. “He’s a lot more exciting than I am.”

Bernero’s speech was a late addition to the rally. O’Donnell did not know he was coming until late Wednesday afternoon.

“It was a big surprise, but a good surprise,” O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell said the goal of the rally was to recruit volunteers to register students to vote.

In 2008, College Democrats began a tradition of focusing on attracting student voters, he said. This year, the group hopes to get 5,000 CMU students registered.

Gwinn senior Ashley Houser said she thought Bernero’s message was “pretty positive.”

“It was mostly sound blurbs,” Houser said. “He said he was going to change things but there were no examples of the changes. I would have liked more details,”

Bernero said his visit was arranged by his daughter, Virginia, a Lansing sophomore and a member of the Student Democrats.

The visit was “a great break from the campaign trail,” said Bernero, who praised the students in attendance, calling them “phenomenal Democrats and phenomenal Americans.”