MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: House 63 Who: Bill Farmer campaign, Jase Bolger campaign, Michigan Democratic Party What: TV, radio ads Truth Squad call: Fouls on Bolger TV and radio ads; No Fouls on other materials Farmer ad ‘Power’ The 30-second television advertisement from Democratic candidate Bill Farmer slams House Speaker Jase Bolger for his role […]
Michigan House of Representatives
Republican Party gets foul in House 91 race, Truth Squad rules
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: House 91 (Collene Lamonte vs. Holly Hughes) Who: Michigan Republican Party, Committee to Elect Collene Lamonte, Friends of Holly Hughes What: Mailers, website, video Truth Squad calls: Foul on Republican mailer; No foul on other materials “Taxpayer pockets are already feeling a little light.” (GOP mailer) Questionable statement: “Lamonte says she […]
State Republican Party gets foul in House 70 campaign, Truth Squad rules
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: Rep. Rick Outman v. Mike Huckleberry (House District 70) Who: Michigan Republican Party (radio ad); Progress Michigan (website); We Are the People, Michigan committee (mailer), Mike Huckleberry website (www.mikehuckleberry.com) What: radio ad, websites and mailers Truth Squad call: Foul on Republican Party ad; No Foul on Progress Michigan website; No Foul […]
Democratic Party, but not Dem candidate, gets foul in House 52 race, Truth Squad rules
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: Mark Ouimet vs. Gretchen Driskell Who: Michigan Republican Party, Michigan Democratic Party, Friends of Gretchen Driskell What: Mailers Truth Squad call: No foul on GOP mailers. Foul on one Democratic party mailer, but not the other. No foul on Driskell mailer. Republican Party mailers Republican freshman Rep. Mark Ouimet of Scio […]
Everyone gets a foul in House 67 campaign, Truth Squad rules
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: Jeff Oesterle v. Tom Cochran Who: Friends of Jeff Oesterle (http://www.jeffoesterle.com/), Committee to Elect Tom Cochran (http://votetomcochran.com/), Michigan Republican Pary (“Loyalties” mailer, “Sand” mailer), Michigan Democratic Party (“Example” mailer, “Polluter” mailer) What: Websites and mailers Truth Squad calls: Flagrant foul and Foul on Democratic mailers; Foul and Technical foul on GOP […]
Truth Squad finds problems in claims made in 103rd House District campaigns
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: “The Rendon Record” and “Bruce Rendon” Who: Michigan Democratic Party, Bruce Rendon for State Representative What: TV ad, website Truth Squad call: Warning on Michigan Democratic Party. Foul on Rendon. This Truth Squad report covers numerous campaign materials from both sides in the race for the seat in District 103 of […]
Both sides dinged by Truth Squad in House race involving Speaker Bolger
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: House District 63 — Jase Bolger vs. Bill Farmer Who: Committee to Elect Bill Farmer (http://reformourhouse.com/), Michigan Democratic Party (bolgergate.com), Committee to Elect Jase Bolger (www.electbolger.com) What: Websites Truth Squad calls: Foul, Technical foul This Truth Squad report covers numerous campaign materials from both sides in the race for the seat […]
Analysis: Northern Michigan rules the House for 2013
Northern Michigan has miles of pristine Great Lakes shoreline, wineries of growing renown, the Porcupine Mountains, M-119, M-22 and the world famous Mystery Spot. What it doesn’t have much of these days are Democrats filling the region’s seats in the state House of Representatives. In November 2008, Democrats collected 190,000 votes in securing seven districts […]
Truth Squad issues flagrant foul to Schmidt, foul to Bolger on election scheme
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: What: Public statements concerning state Representative Roy Schmidt’s political party switch. Who: Schmidt (a Grand Rapids Republican) and House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall. Truth Squad Call: Flagrant foul against Schmidt; foul against Bolger. In May, at the filing deadline for this year’s state House of Representatives elections, Schmidt switched parties, from […]
Measuring the mood in 2012
During one of the busy points of a debate over welfare benefits in Michigan, someone asked me, “What do I get out of my taxes going to this? What’s the ROI (return on investment) for welfare?” I replied, “You don’t have to install bars over the windows of your house.” That’s far too flippant to […]