Down To The Wire
Candidates in three hotly contested state races
make their cases at a forum this week.
JULIE EDGAR
Le : Gubernatorial
candidate Doug Ross
will run in Tuesdays
Democratic primary
News Editor
T
uesday's candidates
forum at Temple
Shir Shalom — a
week before the pri-
mary
was notable for the
absence of the candidates who
have a lead in the polls or who
claim to be the frontrunners in
their races.
Democrat Geoffrey Fieger,
the flamboyant medical mal-
practice attorney who is taking
on Gov. John Engler, sent his •
law partner, Michael
Schwartz, in his stead. Marc
Shulman, who has the back-
ing of the county's
Republican machine in his
bid to become a state repre-
sentative in the 39th District
(West Bloomfield,
Commerce Township,
Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor
and Wolverine Lake) sent his
wife, Lois, to speak for him.
And Debbie Schlussel, who
has concentrated her efforts
to win the same seat by campaigning
heavily against Shulman, made open-
ing remarks then quickly left the dais.
She said she had a prior commitment.
Moderated by Allan Gale, assistant
director of government relations at the
Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit, the forum fea-
tured candidates in races for the 39th
District State House of
Representatives seat, the 15th District
State Senate seat and the governor's
7/31
1998
10 Detroit Jewish News
Below:
Gubernatorial can-
didates state their
positions at Temple
Shir Shalom. Absent
are Gov. John
Engler and guberna-
torial candidate
Geoffrey Fieger
Fieger- law partner,
Michael Schwartz,
sat in.
..".m.'"..MMV41\k‘WMA001
seat. They spoke briefly
on issues ranging from
reproductive freedom to
taxation to schools to
health care.
Gubernatorial candi-
dates Doug Ross, Larry
Owen and Fieger hew to
predictable positions,
holding to a woman's
right to choose abortion,
the need to enhance the
"