County Farm Bureau leaders and Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) state board members convened this week to discuss the final push to help Friends of Agriculture be successful in the fast-approaching Nov. 8 general election.
Elections expert John Sellek, founder and CEO of Harbor Strategic, a Lansing based public affairs firm met with the group to analyze the narrowing polls in the gubernatorial race between AgriPac-endorsed GOP candidate Tudor Dixon and incumbent Gretchen Whitmer.
He believes the race to be within a five-point spread, elaborating on what’s working in Dixon’s favor.
“One, people started paying closer attention by getting their absentee ballot, they’re starting to have to make a choice,” Sellek said. “Second, Tudor Dixon is a wonderful candidate for the GOP — she's incredibly skilled, especially from a media standpoint, a great communicator.”
He said Dixon’s initial lack of name identification gave her room to grow, and as so-called soft Republicans and independents start to figure out who she is, her polling numbers subsequently increased.
“These GOP voters know who Tudor Dixon is now, they're coming home, and settling in on that front.”
Sellek remarked that luck and timing in politics can be everything and right now, “Inflation is killing us all — it’s bubbling up in the headlines in a different way practically every day and that's causing a lot of independent and soft GOP voters who are looking the other way on the abortion issue, to start looking back at the GOP.”
With less than two weeks until Election Day, Sellek said Farm Bureau members can continue to influence the race.
“Your ability to let people know that Dixon exists, who she is, and that you and the Farm Bureau see her as an acceptable replacement for Gov. Whitmer is really important — that can't be oversold.”
The rest of the ballot
“If you vote a straight party ticket, do not forget to complete the nonpartisan section of your ballot,” MFB election expert Matt Kapp reminded members. “We’ve historically seen more than a 30 percent voter drop-off after completing the partisan section of the ballot, which is unfortunate and unnecessary because we need voter input just as much in nonpartisan races.
“The races for Supreme Court and the decisions on ballot proposals 1 and 2 can have just as much as an impact on the future of Michigan agriculture as who we elect to the state House, Senate, Congress and other partisan seats.
Sitting Justice Brian Zahra and the experienced appeals court attorney Paul Hudson are the Farm Bureau backed candidates for Supreme Court. Read more about Zahra and Hudson.
Farm Bureau is supporting Dr. Travis Menge and Mike Balow in their bid to join the MSU Board of Trustees. Read more about Menge and Balow.
Earlier this fall, MFB announced its position on ballot proposals, urging members to vote yes on Proposal 1 and vote no on Proposal 2.
“We hope you cross-reference your ballot with our Friends of Agriculture list, who are candidates that have been vetted by county Farm Bureaus across the state,” Kapp said.
New districts and polling locations
With newly redrawn legislative districts taking effect, voters can review their ballot with MFB’s easy-to-use candidate locator.
Redistricting can also cause polling locations to change. You can double check the location by referencing your voter information card mailed by your clerk’s office, or by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center.
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