The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Renier, Schauer compete for a run at Rep. Walberg
By Lindy Stevens, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: June 12, 2008
The election for Michigan's 7th district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives has shaped up to become one of the most highly contested races in the state. Though Republican incumbent Tim Walberg has plans to seek another term, two familiar Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge him in the November election.
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Organic farmer Sharon Renier is taking another shot at the U.S. House of Representatives and she's set to face off against State Senator Mark Schauer in the upcoming primary on Aug. 5. That's when the two Democrats will compete for the chance to run against Walberg in the November 2008 Congressional election.
Renier nearly beat Walberg in the race for Congress in 2006, capturing 49.9 percent of the vote. Although that didn't quite secure a victory, Renier said she was excited for another chance to campaign and said her reason for running hasn't changed.
"I want to defend the Constitution of the United States and I want to keep us safe as a free people," Renier said. "That's my main concern."
Renier said if elected she would focus on building sustainable communities at the local level and said she hoped to reduce the size of the federal government to place more control at the state level.
Renier said some of her other top priorities would include placing a limit on federal deficit spending and finding a way out of the war in Iraq. Renier also said she has plans to restructure campaign finance reform laws, an area that separates her from most candidates.
The 52 year-old Congressional hopeful doesn't accept any corporate contributions or money from political action committees. To date, she said her campaign has raised about $20,000 from individual donors.
"We haven't really worked too much on fundraising yet and we're just starting to really get going on that." Renier said. "But we don't need a lot of money because we don't buy things like fly swatters with our name it. Nobody needs one of those."
Prior to running for office, Renier worked as a paralegal for 30 years and recently earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 2000.
In her spare time, the single-mother of one said she enjoys gardening and working on her farm in Waterloo.
State senator and Democratic Floor Leader Mark Schauer could have a chance to leave Lansing if he's elected to the U.S. House of Representatives this fall. But first he has to defeat Renier in the August primary and win out against Walberg in the November election.
Those are two tasks that Schauer seemed confident he could accomplish.
After serving in the state legislature for nearly 12 years, Schauer said he would take his political experience to Washington and use it improve the sluggish state economy.
"My focus will be on working with Democrats and Republicans," Schauer said. "I'll work with whoever it takes to create the kind of policies and bring the kind of resources that it will take to turn Michigan's economy around."
If elected, Schauer said one of the first things he would do is work to renegotiate trade agreements that he said have created unfairness in the economy and put Michigan workers and companies at a disadvantage.
He said he would also like to enhance training and education programs for Michigan workers who have been displaced by global competition.
Schauer said an emphasis on higher education and a plan to "create green jobs in Michigan," could also help reverse the state's trend toward economic downturn.
He said those two goals could be accomplished by expanding support for Pell grants to help pay for college and through incentives to invest in environmentally friendly development in Michigan.
From a national perspective, Schauer said he would work to bring troops home from Iraq and develop new policies to help form a more stable government in the war torn nation.
He also has plans to work towards creating more accessible health insurance for every American.
"We have to remove a lot of the waste and red tape that is associated with healthcare," Schauer said. "Too much of every healthcare dollar never gets to the patient because it's tied up in healthcare bureaucracy and we need to cut that out."
Schauer added that his plan for comprehensive healthcare would include both preventative and wellness care.
The Albion College graduate, who later went on to earn master's degrees at Michigan State University and Western Michigan University, said he's running because he wants results for Michigan.
"I am someone who looks to build bridges and to build coalitions to get results," Schauer said. "And I can get real solutions to the problems facing our communities."
In his spare time, the stepfather to three and grandfather to one said he enjoys taking his two dogs for a daily morning jog.
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