By KEVIN WALKER
Michigan Correspondent

LANSING, Mich. — Lansing Democrat Mayor Virg Bernero and Republican businessman Rick Snyder won their respective primaries last week to vie for the state’s governorship. They will face off against each other in November.

Bernero, 46, beat out Michigan Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, 59 to 41 percent. Bernero had the backing of most of the state’s unions, while Dillon upset state workers by proposing cost savings measures to their health plans. Bernero and Dillon were the only two candidates on the Democratic side.

Snyder, 51, beat out four other candidates: U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, Attorney General Mike Cox, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and state Sen. Tom George. Snyder, a former executive at Gateway, Inc., ran a series of television ads advertising himself as “one tough nerd.” He’s considered a less partisan figure than most of the other candidates.

Snyder received 37 percent of the vote, Hoekstra, 26 percent, and Cox, 24 percent. Bouchard won 11 percent of the vote and George, 2 percent. Bouchard is generally thought of as the most conservative of the candidates.

Democrat Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is term-limited, issued the following statement after Bernero’s victory: “Virg Bernero is tough and determined to fight for the things that matter most to Michigan families – diversifying Michigan’s economy, educating our citizens and protecting people as we move through these tough times. I look forward to working with him to continue moving Michigan forward.”

This year, Republicans have been leading in the polls, although not dramatically. According to a Rasmussen Reports survey of 500 likely voters last June, several Republican candidates beat out both Bernero and Dillon.

Cox defeated Bernero 40 to 34 percent; Hoekstra beat out Bernero 39 to 36 percent; Snyder beat Bernero 42 to 30 percent; Hoekstra beat Dillon 40 to 35 percent; Snyder beat Dillon 41 to 33 percent; and Cox beat Dillon 39 to 37 percent.

The Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB), one of the better-known farm advocacy groups in the state, hasn’t endorsed anyone for governor yet. It’s preparing a Sept. 1 meeting in which the candidates for governor, secretary of state and attorney general will be invited to attend to talk about their views on agriculture.

Matt Kapp, elections specialist for the MFB, said he’s waiting to hear what they have to say before offering any of his views. The MFB endorsed 100 candidates across the state in various races.

“Out of 100 candidates, 85 of our candidates won,” Kapp said. “Nine out of 11 of our farmers that ran for office Tuesday won.”

Kapp was asked if the Farm Bureau has a political bias, since it usually endorses Republicans; he said no. “We do endorse both Democrats and Republicans,” he said. “If an elected official is going to stand up for agriculture, the Farm Bureau is going to endorse them.”

The farmer candidates endorsed by the MFB all ran on the Republican ticket. They include John Hochstetler of Manchester and Tom Casperson of Escanaba, running for the state Senate; and Jeff Oesterle of Mason, Ken Yonker of Caledonia, Kevin Daley of Lum, Joel Johnson of Clare, Bruce Rendon of Lake City, Ed McBroom of Vulcan and John Kupiec of Grand Blanc – all running for the state House.

Two who contended for a chance to run for a state House seat, but didn’t quite make the cut, were Triston Cole of Mancelona and Linda Howard of Remus.