Governor Rick Snyder will endorse former West Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra as the GOP's nominee against Debbie Stabenow in the 2012 U.S. Senate race, according to Rick Pluta. A date for the official announcement is unknown.
The back-story:
Yesterday, three high-profile Republicans endorsed a candidate for the 2012 U.S. Senate race. Former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis (who, at one point earlier this year, was thought to maybe want to throw his hat into the Senatorial race himself), former U.S. Senator Spence Abraham (who lost his Senate seat to Senator Stabenow in 2000), and ex-Michigan Republican Chairwomen Betsy DeVos announced that they will back Clark Durant in the GOP race against Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow. Durant, however, has not yet entered the race.
I called Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio's Lansing Bureau Chief, to get a little bit more information about the endorsement. We got to talking about what the endorsement will mean for the perceived front-runner in the race, former Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra. Pluta let me know that Governor Snyder intends to endorse Hoekstra. Interestingly enough, Governor Snyder ran against Hoesktra in the GOP gubernatorial primary in 2010.
For all of you politicos, you can take a listen to my conversation with Pluta about yesterday's endorsement and Governor Snyder's decision to back Hoekstra below:
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-981659.mp3
Gary Glenn, Michigan leader of the conservative American Family Association, former Kent County Probate Judge Randy Hekman, and businessman Peter Konetchy have also announced they plan to run to unseat Stabenow.
