The Official Word

Doug Ross is out of the starting gate
in Michigan's 1998 gubernatorial race.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

E

ver since Doug Ross left his
job at the U.S. Department
of Labor in midterm, the
handwriting, as many faith-
ful observers of Michigan politics
have said, was on the wall for- a
1998 Ross-for-governor campaign.
When Mr. Ross officially an-
nounced his bid for the governor's
office earlier this week, there
weren't any shock waves felt in
the political world. And, while he
is the first candidate to officially
announce, he is the third Democ-
rat to register for the gubernato-
rial race with the state Bureau of
Elections. Mr. Ross follows state
Sen. James Berryman, who filed
lqst January, and Edward Hamil-
ton, who ran an unsuccessful
campaign for Oakland County ex-
ecutive.
Mr. Ross, 54, said his campaign
is "about progressive politics for
the knowledge
age we are enter-
ing:
,

His campaign will center on
defining a new direction for pub-
lic education, stimulating an in-

flux of small businesses, moving
the state forward into the tech-
nological age and cleaning up the
environment.
"We need a different approach
to government if we're going to
succeed," he said, "an approach
that is not the kind of government
suggested by either end of the
spectrum."
Mr. Ross, who rejects the big
government notions of the left and
disagrees with the blame placed
on government from the right,
said what makes him a Democrat
is his desire to be a part of a par-
ty that "cares but still has the
common sense to recognize that
programs that worked at one time
need to be replaced."
Mr. Ross will fund-raise with-
out the help of special interest
groups — i.e. the labor unions. He
vows to collect contributions from
individual - citizens, even if it
means receiving $5 donations. His
goal is to have 50,000 contributors
by the primary in August 1998.
"To win a general election, you

The primary is 20 months away as Doug
Ross enters the governor's race.

can't be perceived as a special-in-
terest puppet, although it's help-
ful in the primary," Mr. Ross said.
Because he isn't accepting po-
litical-action committee dollars,
Mr. Ross is beginning his cam-
paign almost two years before the
election. "I tend to believe his
chances are slim," said Bill Bal-
lenger, editor and publisher of
Inside Michigan Politics. "From
what I'm hearing, the traditional
Democratic groups, for whatever
reason, just are not enthusiastic
about Doug Ross. I don't know

.

where he will get his bedrock sup-
port in the Democratic Party.
When [Howard] Wolpe got the
hard labor support in 1994, it gave
him the edge."
Despite the political muscle
Michigan unions can flex in an
election, Mr. Ross is confident he
can win without the official back-
ing of organized labor.
Acknowledging the benefits of
such support, Mr. Ross said indi-
cations show unions, such as the
Michigan Education Association
(MEA), will pledge their support
to a Democratic candidate once
they determine the strongest can-
didate.
In 1994, Democratic candidate
Larry Owen received the MEA
backing. He is again expected to
enter the race. There is also spec-
ulation that former U.S. Senator
Don Riegle will run.
Gov. Engler has not indicated
whether he will seek a third term
in office.
"I find it strange that thd gov-
ernor is planning to take his time
deciding," Mr. Ballenger said. "If
someone is going to undertake a
campaign, [he] can start receiv-
ing matching funds as early as
April 1997. If he waits as late as
he says he is going to, it could cre-
ate problems for his would-be suc-
cessors who will need those
matching funds."

Mr. Ross said his campaign
strategy will not be affected ei
ther way.
One significant component to
his campaign strategy will in-
clude honing in on the Jewish
community. Mr. Ross, who has
been particularly active within
the Jewish community, is hoping
to capitalize on its support.
"The Jewish community in
Oakland County is my home
base," he said. "I've lived here,
raised kids in Southfield and rep-
resented the southern part of the
county in the state Senate. It's
where I know the most people. If
the people who know you best
won't stand with you, what does
that say?"
Both his finance committee
chairs, Larry Jackier and Norm
Pappas, are active in the Jewish
community.
Mr. Pappas is a Southfield
businessman who doesn't identi-
fy with either the Democratic or
Republican parties but supports
candidates from both sides of the
aisle.
"I think Doug has very good ex-
perience," Mr. Pappas said. "He
blends liberal thinking with a
conservative business sense.
Doug has been in politics his
whole life, and he comes from a
business family. He is one of the
smartest people I know." ❑

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