At the end of a TV report last week listing the raft of would-be candidates for governor from both parties, the story ended with a rather tongue in cheek close, “if your name is not on the list, call me … collect.”
About a week later, the phone rang. The caller did not want on the list but suggested there was someone else who might.
“I’m seriously looking at it,” confirms freshman senator Jonathan Lindsay whose name has not been in play until this moment.
And you’re going, “Jonathan who?” And justifiably so since he has zero statewide persona let alone name ID with the electorate. But here he is confirming he just might make the leap.
Years ago in a less hectic, nonimmediate gratification driven society, any politician worth his or her salt would not even consider a bid for the highest office in the state without some sort of experience on the local school board, dog catcher or the like.
Former Gov. George Romney comes to mind. He ran the tiny American Motors Car Company but never dabbled in politics until he became a critical member of the early 1960s Michigan Constitutional Convention charged with revamping the crusty and dated old constitution. That hands-on historical experience coupled with his business acumen provided a dandy option for Michigan Voters who elected him governor on his first try.
Ditto for Rick Snyder. His only hands on political experience was that he voted. But when he told Michigan voters he had plenty of business chops and promised to run the state as a business, he overcame the lack of hands on government experience as voters picked the non-career politician over a field that was filed with other candidates who were embedded in the state political system.
Being an outsider is not always a one-way ticket to victory. Wealthy Republican Dick DeVos ran a business but the only other thing he ran for was the morning paper. Yet he ran for governor and $35 million of his own money later he was sending a concession note to Governor-elect Jennifer Granholm.
So, while seeking office without a lot of political experience is a mixed bag, it does not prevent one from exploring the possibility and the new senator from Bronson is doing just that.
Mr. Lindsay was the only Republican to defeat an incumbent state senator in his first bid for office that being Kim LaSata from St. Joseph. But does that qualifyhimforgov? “Alotof things have to line up,” for me to get in he confesses.
He makes it very clear he has not landed on a decision because he reports he is “looking at” other options for the 2026 cycle but if he decided to enter a crowded GOP governor primary he would have the “fire in the belly” to do it.
“I do have it in that there is nothing that I decide to do that I am not fully committed to doing,” he explains.
The former Green Beret concedes that the critical time table for a go or no go decision comes in early 2025 and he indicates he “would not sit around and wait” if he concludes this is what he and his wife want.
He mentions her because he was asked if his spouse had signed off on this pending decision if it is affirmative.
The senator concedes she may have more political moxy than he does given the fact that it is in her DNA.
She is the daughter of the world famous economists and author of the Laffer Curve, Arthur Laffer who has advised presidents going back to Nixon, Reagan and now president-elect Donald Trump.
“We are a team,” the senator reports and if he is all in for governor she will be too.
He reports that one factor they are currently considering is their three children ages eight, six and two.
Other factors are obvious. Can he raise the moola? Does he have a message that can break through all the other candidate messages flooding the airwaves? Can he build and army of volunteers to do the grunt work of laying the foundation and then executing the battle plan for a win. What does he do if Donald Trump decides to play kingmaker. Two options: Either take his blocks and go home or decide to take on the sitting president of the U.S?
Plenty for his family to chew on beside turkey this week.
