The Lansing State Journal - Race For Schwarz's Seat Begins In Earnest

Race For Schwarz's Seat Begins In Earnest

Challenger's ads say incumbent is far too liberal

By Chris Andrews
Lansing State Journal

Tim Walberg finally has the one-on-one matchup against U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz that he wanted two years ago.

Walberg is trekking across Michigan's 7th Congressional District planting seeds that Schwarz is too liberal for Republican voters' tastes. Four months before the GOP primary, he has run radio ads criticizing the incumbent for his positions on abortion, taxes and spending.

"He's done exactly what he said he would do, and that's the reason we campaigned so strongly against him," said Walberg, a former Tipton lawmaker who finished third in a six-person primary in 2004.

"He is far more liberal than the 7th District voters expect of their congressman."

Maybe, maybe not. Schwarz supporter Jerry Roe of Delta Township said Schwarz is a maverick, not a liberal, and that his life experience as a surgeon, former U.S. Navy officer and CIA operative prepare him well to tackle the nation's most pressing problems.

"We don't need to be talking about abortion and guns. We need to be talking about the war. We need to be talking about Medicare," he said.

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