MACKINAC ISLAND – Business executive Rick Snyder said his victory in this weekend’s straw poll of participants in the Republican Party’s Mackinac conference shows his campaign has the organizational skills and support to win.

Of the 1,244 votes cast, Mr. Snyder prevailed with 31 percent to 24.1 percent for Attorney General Mike Cox, 24 percent for Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, 17.6 percent for U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra and 3.3 percent for state Sen. Tom George.

Snyder, an Ann Arbor Venture Capitalist and technology executive is a newcomer to the political scene. So far, he has been in the low single digits in polls of likely Republican voters. But he brought hundreds of supporters to this weekend’s conference, adorned in neon green T-shirts bearing his “Rick for Michigan” logo.

“We had all these people that wanted to come up and volunteer, especially the young people,” he said Sunday as the conference ended. “We had professional politicians that have been doing this for years.”

Snyder rejected criticism that he “bought” the straw poll by paying for the registration, lodging and travel costs of his supporters. Snyder called the criticism “ridiculous,” saying it amounted to chiding him for being too organized.

Many of Snyder’s supporters appeared to be new to politics as well, such as former Michigan State Quarterback Jeff Smoker and former Michigan basketball player C.J. Lee.

“I think that’s one of the most exciting things about this campaign,” Snyder said.

The impact of the straw will likely be temporary, if anything. It will get Snyder some needed publicity and perhaps be the beginning of his efforts to become better known.

Most of the other candidates shrugged off the results of the poll although Bouchard issued a statement touting his finish in a “virtual tie” for second place with Cox.

“Though these results are just one of many polls we’ll see between now and Election Day, this particular snapshot shows that the folks watching this race most closely are enthused and excited about my vision for a stronger Michigan,” he said.

In the secretary of state’s straw poll, Sen. Michelle McManus (R-Lake Leelanau) took 34 percent of the 1,186 votes cast. Sen. Cameron Brown (R-Fawn River Twp.) received 26.2 percent, Calhoun County Clerk and Register of Deeds Anne Norlander got 20.9 percent and Rep. Paul Scott (R-Grand Blanc) took 17.9 percent.

“It’s always great to win,” said McManus, whose Irish green signs with a cloverleaf were ubiquitous on the Island, when asked the significance of the victory. “Gosh, I’d rather win than lose, obviously.”

Scott said he is strongly leaning toward getting in the race and would decide after the Legislature completes budget work.

“I think in general I’m a new candidate for the party,” he said.

He said he would still file for re-election to his House seat, a politically competitive district in southern Genesee County and then see what happens at the Republican Party’s convention, where the secretary of state nomination is decided.

That could put the Republican Party in an awkward position since it just criticized Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) for planning the same tactic regarding filing for re-election to her Senate seat and potentially competing for her party’s attorney general nomination.

In the attorney general’s race, Bill Schuette, the former Court of Appeals judge, state senator and congressman, took 57.5 percent of the 1,212 votes cast. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) captured 36.8 percent while Sen. Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) got 5.7 percent.

“I think the message from Mackinac for me is that I am the grassroots leader,” he said. “The statistics are really significant.”

More than 2,000 Republican activists registered for this weekend’s conference and all registrants who live in Michigan and are at least 18 years old could vote in the straw poll.

This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com

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