Brewer says Dems will pick candidates for statewide races before convention

Mark Brewer, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, says Democrats will endorse their candidates for statewide offices, such as attorney general and secretary of state, months before the August convention.

The move breaks from party tradition, where the gubernatorial selection — chosen this year in an Aug. 3 primary — gets a chance to make sure his or her favorites are moved and nominated for statewide posts. Those posts include secretary of state, attorney general, University of Michigan regents, Michigan State University trustees, state board of education, supreme court and court of appeals.

With the Democratic governor’s race field a toss up after the unexpected exit of Lt. Gov. John Cherry earlier this month, GOP officials are wondering aloud if this move doesn’t signal panic in the Democratic establishment, reports the Associated Press.

Jennifer Hoff, Michigan Republican Party spokeswoman, said the party’s state committee will have to decide whether the GOP will follow suit.

“The sudden desire to move it up makes you wonder if they’re running scared,” she said of the Democrats. Republicans will hold their nominating convention Aug. 28.

Brewer says the move has nothing to do with the governor’s race woes, and everything to do with giving statewide candidates more than two months to campaign for the post.

“I’ve been seeing this problem for some time as party chair. People get nominated in August and they have two months to put together a campaign,” Brewer said. “This is a change that we can do by ourselves without changing state law or asking the Republicans, so we’re going to try it.”

Of course one small problem rolling into the convention with a slate of candidates hand picked by the establishment is that Democratic precinct delegates, who will actually formally nominate candidates for those posts during the convention, could reject the establishment pick.