Most Michiganders were introduced to the Ann Arbor businessman during Super Bowl XLIV when Snyder played up the “nerd” persona.

“We can’t just fix it. We need to reinvent Michigan,” Snyder said in the commercial.

The spot, a one minute advertisement, highlighted Snyder’s three degrees, all acquired before age 23, his business background and his plans for Michigan.

The Republican race was dominated at the time by three “career politicians,” as Snyder called Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra and Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. Many Michiganders had never heard of Snyder.

But the Super Bowl ad changed all of that.

Into the race

Snyder has led by about 20 points in the polls since the Aug. 3 primary, but he is not campaigning as such. Town hall meeting attendees at Ottawa County Republican Headquarters gave Snyder a warm welcome Wednesday. He led the crowd, joking about the weather and employing his son on the campaign in order to keep him in the state.

He said the state’s lawmakers no longer have a sense of urgency for the state’s problems.

“We’ve been in crisis so long,” Snyder said, “we no longer act like we’re in crisis anymore.”

His Democratic opponent, Lansing mayor Virg Bernero, may have conducted a more emotional or passionate campaign, but Snyder has maintained levelheadedness.

State Rep. Dave Agema, R-Grandville, said that is true to his persona.

“He’s great,” Agema said. “His approach is representative to who he is. He’s very methodical, a numbers guy.”

An appearance Saturday in Mount Pleasant showed a bit more pep from both the candidate and his supporters, although the location may have been responsible: Central Michigan University tailgate.

Central Michigan University fans excitedly ran to approach the candidate at the afternoon event, where he posed for pictures and hugged supporters, calling him “Governor Snyder,” as shouts of “Good luck Tuesday,” were heard.

His running mate, state Rep. Brian Calley, R-Portland, is a CMU alumnus, who contributed to Agema’s assessment of the gubernatorial candidate.

“What you see on TV, commercials, Town Halls, it’s what you see all the time,” Calley said. “He’s professional, he thinks things through.”

Calley said Snyder also has an attitude of optimism — he believes in people and empowers them to make a difference.

Snyder doesn’t insist on getting all the credit for success, an approach the political system is lacking, Calley said.

“His attitude about not insisting on getting all the credit, and not being in the spotlight himself,” Calley said. “(Snyder) instead says we’re gonna spotlight Michigan and look for areas where we can work and win together, share credit, and at the end of the day, that’s what our political system really needs.”

‘The Nerd’ grows up

Snyder simultaneously worked as an accountant but left for Gateway, where he rose to CFO and interim CEO. He also served on the company board of directors before leaving to start-up several other business ventures.

He Snyder married his wife, Sue in 1987. Their three children are Jeff, an Albion College graduate; Melissa, a student at her father’s alma mater; and Kelsey, who is still in high school.

Snyder grew up in Battle Creek. After graduation, he was a teachers assistant and an adjunct professor of accounting at the University of Michigan.

He said, “I hope I didn’t put them to sleep.”

The primary election on August 3 will allow voters to choose which candidate will represent their affiliated party in the general election.

Mount Pleasant residents can determine their voting locations by calling the City Clerk’s Office or checking their voter registration cards.

For the Democrats Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and Speaker of the House Andy Dillon are running. Meanwhile for the Republicans Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Attorney General Mike Cox, Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder, U.S. Representive Peter Hoekstra, R-Holland, and State Senator Tom George, R-Kalamazoo are all running.

Business, education: Top issues

Travis Faber, first vice chairman of the College Republicans, said Michigan’s business climate is one of the biggest issues that must be addressed by both Democrat and Republican candidates.

The Battle Creek senior feels Bouchard and  Hoekstra are two candidates that have done a good job addressing Michigan’s declining economy.

“They’ve got some good ideas about how to help Michigan’s business climate,” Faber said. “They’re both good public speakers, they’re both good guys. I’ve met both of them and they’re both just really down to earth, people I can relate to.”

Faber said he hopes to see the Michigan Business Tax get cut, something Hoekstra has promised to do, according to his website.

He expects the next governor to make some major changes.

“I’d like to see a fiscal conservative that can put our fiscal house in order,” he said. “I’d like to see taxes lowered, I’d like to see some government waste cut.”

Brad O’Donnell, president of College Democrats and Clinton Township senior, said education is one of the biggest issues candidates must address.

“Education absolutely has to be funded,” O’Donnell said. “Education is the future, without adequate education funding, Michigan is going to go nowhere.”

He hopes to see Virg Bernero win the democratic primary election.

“Virg Bernero is a middle class champion,” he said. “He fights for working families. He doesn’t care for a second about big corporations, big business, big oil.”

Primary election
importance

Faber and O’Donnell said everyone, regardless of their party affiliation, should get involved in the upcoming gubernatorial primary election.

“Voting in primaries really lets you extend your choices,” he said. “You can choose who the best candidate to represent you is.”

Faber said it is crucial that voters elect strong candidates for the general election.

“The best chance to get the person you want in office is to vote in the primary,” he said.

metro@cm-life.com

“It’s an open investigation,” said LCC Spokeswoman Andrea Miller.

The investigation stemmed from a Sept. 28 blog post written by Saranac sophomore and Central Michigan University College Republicans member Vanessa Oblinger, which the blog, entitled “A Real Political Party,” said she attended a party hosted by Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Mike Cox, during which the minors at the party were provided alcohol, the blog read.

“Friday night, we were rewarded with open bars and free dinners,” the blog read. “The X’s on the minors’ hands were washed off and the free drinks showered upon us, but this got old fast.”

Cox’s campaign could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Other parties also were hosted by GOP gubernatorial candidates Mike Bouchard and Rick Snyder, Oblinger said.

Oblinger said she originally intended on going to Snyder’s party, but was turned down at the door because she is under 21.

“My intentions were not bad,” Oblinger said. “The blog was a stupid thing that I just wrote for class.”

Oblinger issued an apology letter to the Snyder campaign regarding the leadership conference events, after the Detroit News reported on the story last week.

“It was with great regret when I read the Detroit News story this morning that implied your campaign had anything to do with my blog posting. That couldn’t have been further from the truth,” the statement obtained by Central Michigan Life read.

The e-mail also said Oblinger attended the Bouchard party as well, but she told Central Michigan Life on Tuesday this was never the case because she was off the island before the party took place.

“The only party I recall being at was the Cox one,” she said.

She also said she never wrote the apology letter in the first place, but someone from the Snyder campaign did, which she approved.

“It was prepared by someone else,” she said. “I didn’t really read over it… it was while I was distracted.”

Jake Suski, communications director for the Snyder campaign, denied it.

“No one directly affiliated with our campaign contacted her or asked her to send us an apology,” Suski said. “I can’t speak for her motivation in making that claim.”

Suski said Snyder’s party did not violate any laws.

“This campaign did not provide drinks to any minor,” he said.

Aftermath

Oblinger said she wants to set the record straight about her blog post and, since the aftermath of the issued statement, she feels she is the victim of a political trick.

“I’m kind of turned off to politics at the moment,” she said. “I understand politics… it’s about trying to win.”

Oblinger said she hopes to stay involved with College Republicans in the future.

Coleman freshman and College Republicans Vice Chairman John Porter said it is not an issue for the organization.

“It was not a College Republican event,” he said. “She was not with us that weekend.”

Other campus Republican groups were present from different parts of the state, Oblinger said.