I'm not sure what data or historical evidence he is using to convince himself a third-party bid is feasible. We've had 8 non-major-party governors in the last 50 years, and I don't know that Duggan has anything in common with them. Alaska and Maine are mavericky, independence-minded states, primed to elect an independent politician to begin with. Jesse Ventura was a celebrity and an anomaly. Lincoln Chafee and Charlie Crist were elected as moderate Republicans and switched later. Everything is so polarized now, especially in swing states like Michigan, and Dems are desperate for leverage right now, so it's really difficult to see a path.
His decision seems to be the sort of knee jerk reaction based on the mindset that Democrats have lost the country, immediately after the 2024 election.
Yeah, that's what I thought. He forgot that the off years benefit the out party. Has he even raised money or done any events? Has anyone put him on the spot about all this?
Could Duggan win as an Independent? Is his work in Detroit really that good? Anyone here from Michigan?
Polls show him faring very poorly, and pulling a bit more from Republicans than Democrats!
It's always fascinating to watch someone with so much political capital squander it so quickly
I'm not sure what data or historical evidence he is using to convince himself a third-party bid is feasible. We've had 8 non-major-party governors in the last 50 years, and I don't know that Duggan has anything in common with them. Alaska and Maine are mavericky, independence-minded states, primed to elect an independent politician to begin with. Jesse Ventura was a celebrity and an anomaly. Lincoln Chafee and Charlie Crist were elected as moderate Republicans and switched later. Everything is so polarized now, especially in swing states like Michigan, and Dems are desperate for leverage right now, so it's really difficult to see a path.
Per Wikipedia, Angus King's been an independent since 1993.
Yeah, lotta familiar names here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Maine_gubernatorial_election
His decision seems to be the sort of knee jerk reaction based on the mindset that Democrats have lost the country, immediately after the 2024 election.
Yeah, that's what I thought. He forgot that the off years benefit the out party. Has he even raised money or done any events? Has anyone put him on the spot about all this?
If that's the case, we could always use the help any way we can in keeping the governor's mansion in the hands of Democrats!