‘Blue Dog Dem’ Hackel could spell trouble for Mich. GOP

Mark Hackel's political stock went
 up at the Mackinac Policy Conference.

There are several reasons why many Democratic officials – in Macomb County and across the state – do not care much for Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. But the idea that he can win the governorship for the party is not one of them.
As Hackel has emerged in recent days as potentially the early frontrunner for the Democrats in the 2018 gubernatorial race, some party stalwarts are quick to point out that the county exec has gotten along famously with Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

In fact, Hackel got himself in a bit of hot water last year when he seemed reluctant to endorse Snyder’s Democratic opponent, Mark Schauer. And since taking office as Macomb’s first elected CEO in 2011, he has often said that he’s uncomfortable being labeled as a Democrat.

He once told me that he wishes he could run as a nonpartisan or an independent because he doesn’t want to be seen as a Democratic county executive.
But that tendency to shun partisanship is one of the key reasons why Hackel is so popular with Macomb GOP voters. In addition, he is a decidedly pro-business exec and the former sheriff’s tough-on-crime mantra is unbreakable.

Given those credentials, Dennis Lennox, a conservative Republican strategist, warns the GOP in his column this week that Hackel’s middle-of-the-road approach could spell trouble for the party in 2018 – if the exec can win the Democratic nomination.

Here’s a taste of Lennox’s commentary in The (Mount Pleasant) Morning Sun:

“Hackel may not excite ideological Democrats as he is considerably more moderate — a rare example of a so-called Blue Dog Democrat — than the party’s last two nominees, both of whom came from the hard-left (dare I say socialist) wing. Then there is Hackel’s cozy relationship with Snyder. Most political insiders believe he voted for Snyder both
times.

“While this could make for a competitive primary campaign against the likes of Democratic princeling Dan Kildee, the congressman from Flint, it also makes Hackel the strongest Democrat heading into the general election.
“Then there is the fact that it is incredibly difficult, if not
electorally impossible, for Republicans to win statewide without carrying Macomb County, where Hackel has never faced more than token Republican opposition. Case in point was Hackel’s re-election last year, when he netted an impressive 69 percent. By comparison, Snyder won Macomb County with 53.9 percent of the vote.

“All of this should worry the Michigan GOP.”