Michigan Democrats’ growing signs of division are severely hurting their chances of victory in November. The Detroit Free Press reports that leading Democrat gubernatorial candidates were booed out of the room when they tried to speak to the Progressive Caucus meeting at the party’s convention last weekend.
Liberal multimillionaire Shri Thanedar, who has led recent polls for the nomination, tried to address the group, but was loudly booed out of the room by supporters of one of his opponents, Abdul El-Sayed. Gretchen Whitmer, the Democrat establishment’s candidate, didn’t even try to speak to the Progressive Caucus, knowing she would be “shunned from the room” after Thanedar’s cold reception.
This debacle comes as Democrats have complained about a lack of diversity on their statewide ticket, which one Democrat consultant claimed could lead to “a lackluster fall turnout and could spell certain defeat” for the party. With increasing divisions becoming obvious among Michigan Democrats as their gubernatorial primary draws near, their chances of uniting for victory in November continue to plummet.
The Detroit Free Press has more:
It started early in the day, when the Progressive Caucus met. The group had endorsed Nessel and gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, but as the caucus meeting began, the group wouldn’t let Shri Thanedar, another candidate for governor, speak during its caucus. A large meeting room filled with caucus members booed him out of the room, chanting “Abdul, Abdul!”
Other caucuses allowed all the candidates to speak. But after the Thanedar incident, the other candidates who were not endorsed by the Progressive caucus, including Miles and gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer, didn’t even try to speak to the caucus, knowing they would be shunned from the room.
…
‘Unless they get some diversity, it’s going to be a lackluster fall turnout and could spell certain defeat,’ said Steve Hood, a Detroit political consultant. ‘Right now, it’s not a diverse enough ticket. There’s not enough men and there’s not enough African Americans.’
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