Michigan's Democratic gubernatorial primary is getting down to the final stretch, and as often happens in that time, things are starting to get a little ugly.
While Speaker of the House Andy Dillon's campaign has thus far kept a positive tone in TV and print ads, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero has been on the attack seemingly from the start. Bernero's latest TV spot, paid for by the Genesee County Democratic Party, began airing this week and paints a negative picture of Dillon as out of touch with the Democratic base.
Unfortunately for the Genesee County Democratic Party, a number of prominent Democrats in Genesee County are condemning the ads as damaging for the party, not representative of their members' views, and crossing the line of what is considered fair game for a primary race.
The crux of the complaint comes from Senator John Gleason and Representative Jim Slezak, both Democrats from Genesee County. They argue that the county party is overstepping its purpose by using donor funds to attack a candidate that many of its members are supporting in the Governor's race.
"To be honest, I think the people running the Genesee County Democratic Party are completely out of touch," Gleason told MIRS News in Lansing. "They don't care who's the next governor, just that Virg Bernero is the primary winner."
Gleason took particular offense with the ad singling out the issue of abortion.
"It's irresponsible to raise the life issue," he said. "They should be naming jobs, foreclosure and unemployment. Singling this out, I think, is purposeless, meaningless and wrongheaded madness."
Gleason added that a number of Democrats in Genesee County are against abortion, including himself and Congressman Dale Kildee.
The issue raises an important question of party funds being used to attack a candidate during a primary race. By targeting a particular stance on an issue, the ad clearly goes against what a certain percentage of the party's own members believe, and potentially results in using members' donations to argue a position that contradicts their own.
While the ad didn't come directly from Bernero's own campaign, he has been echoing the attacks from the ad during campaign stops in recent days. In a year in which the winner of the Democratic primary, regardless of who that is, will undoubtedly be the heavy underdog against their ultimate Republican opponent, some are questioning whether these attacks are counterproductive to the Democratic Party's chances across the board.
"It's ridiculous to pit the party against each other," said Rep. Slezak. "Why fight amongst yourselves?"
With less than 2 weeks before the primary, it's unlikely Bernero is going to stop using the attacks, but whether or not it damages the party's chances of retaining the Governor's office in November remains to be seen.