With the pending announcement of Fred Johnson's candidacy for the Michigan 2nd, I'm struck by the fact that for once in our lives, residents of the Michigan 2nd are blessed with an embarrassment of riches.
We have three candidates who have declared their intentions to run for the Democratic nomination, all of whom would be a vast improvement over The Lying Dutchman (Pete Hoekstra). That being said, Scott Killips deserves a closer look.
I live about five miles from the 2004/2006 candidate, Kimon Kotos, and I met Kotos in Lansing a couple months ago, so I had basically planned on supporting him in any way I could. Then, about two months ago I became aware of Scott's candidacy via email. I had an opportunity to talk with Scott and his organization director via email, and I was immediately impressed. I decided then and there that I needed to know more, so I drove up to Manistee to meet Scott in person. I was blown away.
He's not some high-falutin' liberal activist running for Congress as a career move. He's a regular working stiff like you and me who finally got sick and tired of the Republicans' shenanigans in Washington.
I first met Scott at Goody's, a coffee shop in Manistee. It's pretty much your standard Starbucksian coffee shop--coffee, sandwiches, books, magazines, etc. When he walked in the door, one of the first things he said is he'd never been in a coffee shop like this before. I made the crack that if he was going to run for Congress, we'd have to work on his "liberal credibility." Scott was not amused.
But Scott IS Michigan. He's a former auto worker and union steward, currently employed as a bigwig at Little River Casino/Resort in Manistee. He's married and a father of three, and knows intimately the struggles of being a middle-class Michigander. He and his wife Sarah worry about bills and healthcare just like the rest of us, and they worry about what kind of world their kids are inheriting. He's a hunter and a fisherman, and knows the value of protecting Michigan's environment.
He's also a rational, thinking adult, so he's just as upset as you and I that the Bush Administration has made a mockery of our Constitution. I knew immediately that I could trust Scott to restore faith in our democracy.
Scott's not special. He's just a regular guy. He's plain-spoken (talks like a sailor, in fact!), reasonable, intelligent, and damn funny. But Scott is the consummate Michigander, and a stand-up guy. Before you make a decision in the Michigan 2nd primary, I urge you to consider your options.
Killips For Congress