david-brandonDomino’s Pizza CEO David Brandon’s profile has been on the rise in recent weeks, which could presage his entry into the Republican field of 2010 gubernatorial candidates. Specifically, Brandon is already running advertisements and announcing an economic plan, without announcing himself a candidate.

First, Brandon, who previously served as a University of Michigan regent, has been on Michigan television for two weeks non-stop in the Domino’s “Big Taste Bailout” ads where he lambastes government bailouts for big business and gives his own help (pizzas) to regular folks. If not for the pizzas, this would be a campaign commercial for a Republican, pure-and-simple. More important than the message is the fact that hundreds of thousands of Michiganders are seeing Brandon’s face and name.
 
Second, Brandon wrote a pro-business, low-tax opinion article in the Detroit Free Press on Thursday. Brandon proposed a four-part plan to spur economic growth: make Michigan among the top 10 states for a competitive business climate; stabilize the business tax over multiple years; enact structural budget reforms; eliminate the 22 percent tax surcharge on businesses.

It will be interesting to see what Brandon’s third act is, whether it be another profile-raising, non-political action or an announcement that he’ll run for governor. To paraphrase the line from the James Bond “Goldfinger” movie: once is happenstance, twice is coincidence and three times is action.