John Cherry's two terms as lieutenant governor of Michigan make him a solid early favorite to win the nomination for the contest to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. But it has long been clear that he will face opponents for the August 2010 primary, with the main question being, "How many?"
That number rose to two officially announced rivals last week, when former state Rep.
John Freeman told the Detroit Free Press he is
getting into the race. Freeman, a lawyer, joined state Rep.
Alma Wheeler Smith, who announced her bid for governor
in late June.
George Perles, a former head football coach at Michigan State University and now an elected trustee of that school, has not officially launched a candidacy but has publicly stated he plans to run. And two experienced officeholders, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and state House Speaker Andy Dillon, are thinking about entering the Democratic race.
They are joined on the Republican side by a primary field that currently numbers four major official contenders.
Freeman, the latest entry, is trying to position himself as an outsider candidate who can bring change to the state capital of Lansing at a time when the government has struggled to deal with Michigan's sharp economic downturn. "It's clear to me that we need new leadership," Freeman told the Free Press.
Freeman's biggest asset in a Democratic primary is his association with organized labor, in his former role as a legislator and as an organizer since. Earlier this decade, he led a campaign to organize home care workers in Michigan as members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
But Cherry also has strong support from unions, and he enters the campaign with a much better known name than does Freeman.
CQ Politics rates the general election race as Tossup.
To follow all of the 2009 and 2010 governors' races, check out CQ Politics' election map.
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