With all the Liebermania, another primary went under the radar, but it’s an interesting one for greens.
Rep. Joe Schwarz, a moderate Michigan Republican, lost a primary challenge to far-right bomb-thrower Tim Walberg, who — backed by out-of-state money from the right-wing Club for Growth — bashed Schwarz for his sane heretical views on abortion and stem-cell research. (Schwarz is an old-school fiscally conservative, socially moderate Republican.)
So in November, Walberg will face off against Sharon Renier, an organic farmer, musician, and long-time enviro:
Spending a lifetime as an organic farmer, combined with her University studies, have enabled Sharon to serve as a expert in her field and guest lecturer at the University of Michigan on areas of agricultural biotechnology, genetically modified crops (GMOs), and the importance of biodiversity. She has also been the keynote speaker at the USDA Farm Women’s Symposium. She has served as Executive Director for the Great Lakes Bioregional Land Conservancy, Vice-president of the Organic Crop Improvement Association International, a board member of the Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance, and many other organizations concerned with farm, community and environmental issues.
Quite the study in contrasts.
The Michigan 7th is a conservative rural district. The question in November is whether it is as conservative as Walberg is. If enough moderates are turned off by his extremism, Renier could squeak it out, and wouldn’t that be something!
