Political insider

Bid aims to extend Capitol family reign

Yet another Sheltrown brother has his eyes set on a job in the Legislature.

Van Sheltrown , 54, hopes to take the torch from his elder sibling, Rep. Joel Sheltrown , D-West Branch, who will leave his District 103 House seat in November 2010 because of term limits. Joel, 62, the saxophone-playing middle brother, followed in the footsteps of the eldest brother, former Rep. Dale Sheltrown , 68, who held the spot from 1999 to 2004.

The Sheltrowns' interest in politics started with their dad, Edward, who was Edwards Township supervisor for 38 years.

Van, an Ogemaw County road commissioner and a correctional officer at the sheriff's department, couldn't say whether he'll be the last in a possible Sheltrown dynasty.

"I'm the last of the brothers," he said. "There's other relatives though -- I got some nephews."

Democratic Lt. Gov. John Cherry and Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra are the favorites to capture their parties' nominations for governor in 2010, an EPIC/MRA poll taken last week indicates. But in general election matchups, Republican Attorney General Mike Cox fares best against Cherry, the survey says.

Cherry gets 33 percent of the Democratic primary vote with no other candidate breaking into double digits. More than half of voters, however, say they're undecided in the race, the poll of 600 voters statewide shows.

However, Cherry would lose to Hoesktra and most other GOP candidates in the November election.

Hoekstra polls 29 percent compared to 28 percent for Cox, 14 percent for Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard , 3 percent for Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder and 2 percent for Sen. Tom George of Kalamazoo in the GOP primary.

When it comes to a November head-to-head, Cox leads Cherry 45 percent to 30 percent, Hoekstra leads Cherry 40 percent to 33 percent, Bouchard has a 39 percent to 31 percent edge over Cherry and Cherry nips Snyder, 34 percent to 32 percent.

View from afar

GOP Congress members pen protest of tax on doctors

Solutions to Lansing's budget problems are raising eyebrows in Washington.

Five Republican members of Michigan's delegation sent a letter to Gov. Jennifer Granholm expressing their opposition to a tax on doctors. Granholm and House Democrats want to add a 3 percent tax on gross receipts as a way to raise money to leverage more Medicaid funding out of the feds.

"This tax ... would punish more than 28,000 physicians for providing care while also further discouraging young doctors from practicing in Michigan," said the letter signed by Reps. Mike Rogers , Dave Camp , Pete Hoekstra , Candice Miller and Fred Upton .

The letter warns that the new tax would force many doctors to scale back services, stop seeing Medicare patients or close up shop.

That would further a doctor shortage in the state, which is projected to be 6,000 less than needed by 2020, according to the letter, which went on to say, "We should be encouraging new doctors to move to our state, not stay away."

Responded Liz Boyd , spokeswoman to Granholm: "The proposal would result in significant additional federal dollars for our state that would be used to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates to physicians and improve access to care for the state's neediest citizens, addressing the exact concerns the congressional members raise."

Big-name backers

Patterson backs Bouchard, Sabaugh supports Benson

• Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson endorsed Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard for governor this week and will serve as the campaign chairman for the Bouchard/Terri Lynn Land ticket. Patterson cited Bouchard's knowledge of the Legislature and his experience.

• Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh endorsed Jocelyn Benson for Michigan secretary of state, citing the Wayne State University law instructor's extensive election law expertise and the specific ideas for reform she will bring to the office when elected. Sabaugh was the Democratic candidate for secretary of state in 2006.

Collection plate

Fundraiser in Westland dishes up stately offer

It might be the first fundraiser where you can eat your dinner and take home the plate, too.

The first 100 donors who attend Rep. Fred Durhal Jr. 's Black and Gold Plate Dinner get a commemorative black plate with gold trim, a picture of the state capitol and seal and Durhal's signature.

Durhal told Political Insider that he wanted to do something different for the Nov. 6 fundraiser at Hawthorne Country Club in Westland, which is a short drive from his downtown Detroit district.

Organizers hope about 200 will attend. No one will go home empty-handed. If the plates, which cost about $16 each, run out before you reach the door, you'll get a voucher for one. Tickets are $250 each and Durhal said he expects to raise about $50,000.

Sure beats getting a pen or a calendar.

Contributing: Mark Hornbeck, Karen Bouffard and Detroit News staff and wire reports. News tips? nassendelft@detnews.com