The Michigan Farm Bureau is throwing its support behind Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow in this fall’s U.S. Senate race.
The endorsement is a bit of a surprise.
The Michigan Farm Bureau supported Stabenow’s Republican opponents in her two previous U.S. Senate races. But not this time.
The endorsement comes as Stabenow works on the 2012 Farm Bill, as chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee.
“(The 2012 Farm Bill) allows us to make a decision on what risks we take rather than having the government influence what crops we plant,” says Wayne Wood, the president of the Michigan Farm Bureau, “We believe Senator Stabenow is the person to lead this effort forward….to put Michigan agriculture in a competitive world situation.”
Republican Pete Hoekstra’s campaign released a statement after the Michigan Farm Bureau’s endorsement of Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow was announced:
"The agriculture community and Pete share the same principles of a fair and simple tax code, eliminating the death tax, removing excessive regulations and affordable and stable energy prices. Those are the solutions that Pete Hoekstra will be focused on when the agriculture community pushes him over the top in November."
The endorsement is seen as a blow to Republican Pete Hoekstra….who is trailing Stabenow in most polls.
Wednesday, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce endorsed Hoekstra. The third time the business group endorsed Stabenow’s Republican opponent in a U.S. Senate race.
