State - Detroit State Dems get feel for 3 gubernatorial candidates Bernero, Smith and Dillon spoke at Sunday breakfast forum at Cobo Center

By Kathy Barks Hoffman AP Political Writer DETROIT (AP) -- Michigan's Democratic candidates for governor agreed the state needs to attract good-paying jobs and differed little on policy Sunday as they introduced themselves to party activists still learning who they are. Many Democrats backed Lt. Gov. John Cherry's bid for governor until Cherry unexpectedly withdrew from the race in January and are still getting to know the three candidates now in the race -- two of whom didn't formally enter the race until Cherry's withdrawal. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith and House Speaker Andy Dillon spoke at a Sunday breakfast forum at Cobo Center sponsored by the state Democratic Party. They took the stage separately, giving brief speeches and then taking questions on topics ranging from education to jobs to social issues. Dillon, who received more questions than the other two candidates, disappointed at least one activist. Bob Miller, a 49-year-old community organizer from Union Pier who's gay, was dissatisfied when Dillon said he supported civil unions but not gay marriage. But Miller said it was the overall tone of Dillon's answers that left him backing Bernero. "I was concerned that Andy Dillon was a conservative Democrat, and I found out that he is," Miller said. "Every question had a big corporate answer." Jack Cahill, a 58-year-old lawyer from Howell, wasn't impressed by Bernero. A Dillon supporter, Cahill said Bernero didn't give specific answers for what he would do in Lansing if elected governor, instead talking about his anger over what's happening to Michigan's middle class. "If you're looking for milquetoast, if you're looking for someone who will quietly acquiesce, I'm not your guy," Bernero said. "I've been called the angry mayor, but it's nothing compared to the anger that's out there." Many in the audience said they liked the comments from Smith, a veteran lawmaker from Washtenaw County's Salem Township who pledged to raise more money for education and to cover a tax credit that would cover college tuition while shrinking the business tax surcharge. But most said they figured the race would come down to Bernero and Dillon. While Bernero criticized Dillon for being part of the partisan gridlock at the Capitol, Dillon said he's working to bring together a wide array of people from business, labor, education and local governments to improve the way government works and find more money for roads and public education. Dillon, of Wayne County's Redford Township, also took the opportunity to address questions about whether he can appeal to the party's liberal base, especially union members. While he has been endorsed by the 100,000-strong Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council and Iron Workers Local 25, among others, Bernero has the backing of the 600,000-strong Michigan AFL-CIO, which includes 59 unions, among them the United Auto Workers and the American Federation of Teachers. Dillon said he has voted 90 percent with labor during his five years in the House and is willing to change his proposal for making most teachers, university employees and state and local government workers join one statewide health plan to address unions' concerns. "There's some kind of rumor out there that I'm an anti-union guy," he said. "I'm proud of my record with labor. The fact is, I'm not the devil." A March 28-31 poll by Lansing-based EPIC-MRA showed 22 percent of likely Democratic primary voters support Dillon, while 15 percent support Bernero, 11 percent support Smith and 10 percent support a different candidate, with 42 percent undecided. When a brief description was read of each candidate, the support shifted to 29 percent Bernero, 24 percent Dillon, 20 percent Smith, 3 percent someone else and 24 percent undecided. That portion of the poll conducted for the Detroit Free Press and TV stations WXYZ, WOOD, WILX and WJRT had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent. Cahill said many Democrats don't yet know enough about the candidates to make up their minds. He called Sunday's forum "a great opportunity to see all three candidates and see how they handled themselves." Relatively few took the opportunity that Cahill did, however. While more than 2,000 Democratic activists attended Saturday's party convention to endorse Wayne State University law professor Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton for attorney general, fewer than 100 attended the $30-per-person candidate breakfast Sunday morning. Published: Tue, Apr 20, 2010

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