TRAVERSE CITY -- An apparent shift in Michigan Republican Party strategy might leave Ray Franz high and dry, while Democrat Roman Grucz faces an upstream swim amid a torrent of Republican money.
Franz, a Republican candidate for the 101st House District that includes Leelanau, Benzie and Manistee counties, was supposed to be in a targeted race against Democrat Dan Scripps. Targeted races attract big money from the state parties and special interests.
The Democratic party followed the script for Scripps, but Franz isn't awash in Republican cash.
"Republicans are having trouble this year everywhere in the state," said Bill Ballenger, publisher of the political newsletter Inside Michigan Politics. "They are beleaguered and being outspent by Democrats 3-1."
Instead of spending money on toss-up seats, Republicans entrenched and are focusing on districts such as the 104th, areas previously considered safe seats, Ballenger said.
"Districts like the 101st, which they knew they might lose, they've given them up," he said.
Franz said the Michigan Republican Party has done nothing for his campaign, though he's received thousands of dollars from GOP-friendly political action committees.
"We're not getting the support we had anticipated," he said.
Bill Nowling, a spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party, declined to discuss strategy, but said the GOP doesn't have the resources to be a player in every race.
The party is playing in the 104th District that includes Grand Traverse and Kalkaska counties, and has flooded voters with mail and telephone calls supporting Republican Wayne Schmidt.
"There's no doubt we are being outspent enormously," Grucz said. "Given the Republican Party is throwing a tremendous amount of money at the campaign, I think they're scared."
The state party has not disclosed how much it has spent in the 104th.
Schmidt raised $95,100 in direct contributions to his campaign through Oct. 29 from individuals and more than 50 political action committees.
The top single contributor at $5,000 was the Grand Traverse County Republican Party, followed by PACs for DTE Energy and Rep. Dave Hildenbrand at $2,500 each, $2,100 from Michigan ACRE and $2,000 each from PACs for the Michigan Farm Bureau, Attorney General Mike Cox and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
"If you're doing a good job and working hard, people want to get on board with a winning team," Schmidt said.
Schmidt also received a $100 contribution from Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak's leadership fund, which "shocked" and "disappointed" area Democrats.
Schmidt is a friend, Stupak said, but he sent a matching gift to Grucz after his contribution "raised a ruckus" in Traverse City.
Grucz said he won't criticize Stupak.
"I think people should support candidates based on qualifications, not friendship, but that's just me," Grucz said.
Grucz raised $36,300 through Oct. 29. He has given $8,200 of his own money to his campaign and received $4,000 from the Grand Traverse County Democratic Party. PACs for the Michigan Education Association gave him $5,000, while Sheet Metal Workers chipped in $2,500 followed by $2,000 from the United Auto Workers.
He has not received funding from the state Democratic Party.
In the adjacent 101st District, Democrat Scripps raised $198,000 by Oct. 27, a figure that allowed him to give $55,000 to two state Democratic groups.
Scripps' total makes him the eighth-highest fundraiser among all 254 candidates for the House and third among non-incumbents.
Top PAC contributors to Scripps of $5,000 each were: the MEA, UAW, Sierra Club, Speaker of the House Andy Dillon's leadership fund, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters, Michigan Trial Lawyers, Gov. Jennifer Granholm's leadership fund, Planned Parenthood, operating engineers union and the Progressive Women's Alliance.
Scripps also benefits from well over $100,000 worth of mailings, television ads and phone calls by the Democratic Party and Kalamazoo-based Coalition for Progress.
The state party did not report how much money it spent on Scripps. The Coalition reported spending more than $75,000 directly on Scripps, but likely spent more. Purchase of such things as postage and television time shared among candidates it supports is not itemized.
Scripps' outside support frees up money to provide to other races, Franz said.
"It all comes down to the amount of money being spent on his behalf from outside influences to buy the seat," Franz said.
Franz raised $134,000 on his own, including of $40,100 of his own money. Franz has received $5,000 from PACs for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Farm Bureau. The 4th Congressional District GOP and state Rep. Huzienga's leadership fund each contributed $4,000.
Notable local Republicans who have not contributed to Franz's campaign include current 101st state Rep. Dave Palsrok, R-Manistee, and State Sen. Michelle McManus, R-Lake Leelanau. Franz defeated McManus's father, Mike McManus, in the primary.
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