ELECT I ON

ELECT I ON

Financin
The Vot

Andrea Fischer shows her Republican allegiances.

KIMBERLY LIFTON

Staff Writer

Republican Andrea Fischer
and Democrat Larry Deitch
are behind-the-scenes
fund-raisers for their
respective political parties.

Larry Deitch talks politics on the phone from his Southfield law office.

46

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1990

L

any Deitch has fond
memories of a 1979
dinner at the White
House during the Jimmy
Carter administration.
He called his father and
said, "I'm happy that
Grandpa took the boat over
here."
Mr. Deitch's grandfather,
Barnett Deitch, immigrated
to the United States from
Lithuania at the turn of the
century.
"As Jews, we are so privi-
leged to live here," Mr. Deit-
ch says. "We have the
freedom of opportunity."
A corporate attorney and
president of Temple Beth El,
Mr. Deitch, 43, has been ac-
tive in Democratic politics
since his college days at the
University of Michigan. To-
day he is treasurer for the
state's Democratic Party.
"I combine law, politics,
temple and family into my
life," Mr. Deitch says.
"What I don't do is sleep too
much."
On the other side of the po-
litical pendulum is Andrea
Fischer, a 32-year-old cor-
porate attorney active in the
Republican fund-raising
arena. In Michigan's guber-
natorial race, Ms. Fischer is
finance chair for state Sena-
tor John Engler, who is
waging a campaign to
unseat Governor James
Blanchard.
Although they work for
opposing parties, Ms.
Fischer and Mr. Deitch have
each opted for the fund-

raising leg of politics. Each
says fund-raising is the key
ingredient to a winning
campaign.
Ms. Fischer says she wants
to get Jewish community
support for Mr. Engler.
"We are finding there are
more and more Jewish
Republicans," she says.
Under her leadership, Mr.
Engler's campaign raised
$1.35 million — more money
than any Republican guber-
natorial candidate since
Gov. Bill Milliken.
On the opponents' side,
Mr. Deitch sees his role on
the inside of the Democratic
Party as critical and beyond
fund-raising.
"I am someone giving Jew-
ish perspective," Mr. Deitch
says. "The involvement of
the Jewish community in
the political process is key to
the support of Israel and the
maintenance of the society
in which we live.
"I am a strongly identified
Jew. I don't provide a Jewish
voice —that would be gran-
diose. My voice is one of a
proud Jew who cares," he
says.
"The money part is impor-
tant," Mr. Deitch says. "I
am not a person of great
wealth, but I have a lot of
energy."
Ms. Fischer describes
herself as a moderate Repub-
lican who works in politics
because it is fun. She doesn't
always do the soliciting, but
she knows how to connect
the right players to get con-
tributions.
"I do politics and fund-
raising because I like it,"
Ms. Fischer says. "Some