It’s election season, and since Albion students are “Always Thinking,” I’d like to take a moment to express my thoughts on several upcoming elections. For the next week I will be breaking down poll results and campaign essentials to give my predictions as to which candidate will win their respective race. For Monday I will start with the 7th Congressional District race between Mark Schauer (D) and Tim Walburg (R).
Though the polls have fluctuated quite a bit over the past two months, most show that Schauer is currently leading Walburg by 6 percent of the vote. Schauer gained a few brownie points this past week with the endorsements of Bill Clinton.
Clinton may or may not have had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, but he obviously has political relations with Schauer. Last week at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Slick Willy rallied a packed crowd for Schauer’s speech in Miller Gymnasium. “Why is this even a race,” the Former president boasted.
Though Walburg doesn’t have any endorsements from former presidents (we all know the “terr” a George W. Bush endorsement would bring to his campaign) he is endorsed by former senate majority leader Dick Posthumus. Posthumus doesn’t quite have the Clinton star power, but he does attract a few voters from the retirement home crowd, which is good for “Mr. Walburg” after the negative press he has received regarding Social Security and Medicare.
Negative advertisements have been a big part of both candidates campaigns this election, which has caused quite a backlash from voters. It was made evident in their Oct. 21 debate that there will be no shortage of mud-slinging leading up to election-day when both candidates tip-toed around the ideas of dropping their attack ads.
Though Walburg is currently behind, we can’t forget the importance of the demographic. The 7th district contains the city of Jackson, the birthplace of the Republican Party. I expect him to receive a strong backing from this area.
In the end I believe it still will not be enough to give him the victory. Schauer has built up too much support with two weeks left in the race for Walburg to pull back ahead.
My Prediction:
Tim Walburg (R): 45 percent
Mark Schauer (D): 47 percent
Other/Undecided: 8 percent
I hope your prediction is right! As a student I can say that I am thoroughly disgusted that former Congressman Walberg’s latest adds photo-shopped the national champion MSU Debate team out just to make it look like Congressman Mark Schauer and Pelosi and standing close together. Talk about cheap.