Stupak Mulling Gubernatorial Bid

By CQ-Roll Call Staff | January 12, 2010 8:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), a key figure in the debate over abortion in the health care overhaul in Washington, D.C., is strongly considering a run for governor, prompting fears from Democratic leaders that his departure would open up another swing seat for Republicans' to target.

Stupak said Tuesday that he will be traveling across his state in the coming weeks to gauge support for a bid, but added that he wants to avoid a bloody primary. Stupak has noted in the past that his support for gun rights and opposition to abortion rights would make it difficult for him to win a statewide Democratic primary. But he said Tuesday that his independent streak could make him the strongest Democratic candidate in a difficult election environment this year.

"I may very well be the strongest candidate," he said, adding that there are three or four qualified candidates looking at running. "I would hope party leaders would get behind a candidate," he said. "We can't have a primary battle. A divisive primary would not be good."

Stupak also said that Michigan needs "a strong leader who's not afraid to bite the bullet. ...I think I'm a guy who does that."

Stupak said that he's already gotten a call from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) urging him to run for re-election.

"It's a gone district, if I'm not in there," Stupak said. President Barack Obama won the district by a few hundred votes, Stupak said, despite pulling out all of the stops. But in a midterm election where the political winds are expected to favor the GOP, and without a candidate who is an "anomaly," as Stupak described himself, Republicans are likely to pick up the seat.

-- Steven T. Dennis

Next: Freshman Schrader Starts Leadership PAC
Previous: Hickenlooper Makes Colo. Governor Bid Official