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Ex-Gov.James Blanchard
Democrat James Blanchard, who served as Michigan's governor from 1983 to 1991, says he's worried about Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan siphoning off Democratic votes as an Independent candidate for governor.
“I think he’d be a good governor, but I’m not happy that he’s not running as a Democrat," Blanchard said, according to station WLNS in Lansing. "I think he figured he couldn’t win a Democratic primary, so he is being very clever by launching an independent campaign.”
He refrained from commenting on whether he could forgive Duggan if his candidacy prevents a Democratic victory, saying: “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Andrea Bitely, a spokesperson for Duggan’s campaign, said Blanchard’s remarks are the “same old story," according to WLNS.
“Democratic and Republican party leaders don’t want the people of Michigan to have a third choice,” Bitely wrote in a statement. “They still don’t understand how fed up Michiganders are with politics as usual in Lansing.”
To date, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is favored to win the Democratic nomination for governor. John James is currently the frontrunner in the Republican race.
