Rose Anger update

by: Harris

Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:18:37 AM EST

At the time there was some modest hope about her prospects; she was certainly bringing something the old boy network in Barry had been missing: competence.  So did she do?

Shy of Obama but better than the rest.  (This is a nice way to say like all Dems in Barry, she lost). But the numbers are encouraging:

Levin/Hoogendyk: 14,211/14,409
Obama/McCain: 13,449/16,431
Anger/Yarger: 12,349/16,303

Sanchez/Ehlers (CD-3): 9,953/29,305
Grieves/Calley (SH-87): 9,781/18,166

So congratulations Rose, you were keeping some good company.  

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Granholm Announces Job Growth in West Michigan

by: philgoblue

Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 09:00:00 AM EDT

You can chat with Governor Jennifer Granholm about these developments and others at her sixth annual swing through Grand Rapids is next week TONIGHT:

Sweet September
General Reception
24 September, Wednesday
5:00 -- 6:30 pm
Frederik Meijer Gardens
Grand Ballroom
1000 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids
$100 per person

For more information or to RSVP, please call Jordan Rossen at (517) 485-5100 or see the Sweet September event website.

Good News Out of Barry County

by: philgoblue

Wed Aug 27, 2008 at 09:15:12 AM EDT

At least half of the crowd, it seemed to me, began to applaud the Obama campaign folks walking by.... The crowd's greeting for the local Obama campaign was warm and enthusiastic and was matched perhaps only by the greeting given the stars and stripes at the beginning of the parade.

In Barry County a Democrat Shines

by: Harris

Tue Aug 19, 2008 at 15:34:21 PM EDT

She's running for the Barry County Drain Commissioner, and she is the only Democrat running for a county elected office (she's also the only woman). Why she is the only one running is its own story, to be told later.  For now, let's meet Rose.

"When we had our debates, it felt like the Dating Game -- I was this young woman with a panel of guys 30 to 65 years old."  

But one look at her web site, and it's clear, the competition had better be up to standards.  With her master's in geography (WMU, 2003) and her day job as the GIS technician for Barry County's Land Information Service, she is well-grounded in the challenges of the Drain Commission office.  For map junkies, Anger's web site provides a number of interesting maps for the county.  

So How's the Campaign?

The basics are fairly interesting.  In 2006 DeVos beat Granholm by 740 votes -- a margin of slightly less than 3 percent.  And unlike 2004 -- perhaps eer -- there is a presidential field worker assigned to Barry County.  With a strong, articulate candidate, the race is within reach.

Like all such races, the Drain Commissioner race is still limited by money, or lack of it.  President Bush's economic stimulus checks have been put to good use. But after all the signs and campaign basics, she only has enough left to run one more mailing of a 1,000 -- tightly addressed, but still only reaching 4 percent of likely voters.  

(For those interested in donations, the campaign web site gives some suggested items to purchase -- like radio spots).

Of course, Anger is not letting money bog her down.  Presently, she reports a team of 7 volunteers -- she's hoping to double the size in the weeks ahead in order to have a campaign team member in each of the commission districts.  Her knowledge of GIS has also come in handy.  Busy at night from home, she plotted out optimum locations for her signs throughout the county.  When you only have a handful of large, (hand) painted signs, this is essential.  

In short, this is a winnable race, with an attractive, articulate candidate who thoroughly understands the issues.  

So stop by.  Pay her web site a visit, and if you can, toss a dollar or two her way.  For the one Democrat in Barry County, it could really help.

And what about the job itself?