Evening star., 1936-07-12
[IGAN READY TO RETURN TO REPUBLICAN COLUMN
LEADERS PREPARE
STRENUOUS DRIVE
Lower Peninsula Is Likely
to Return Big G. O. P.
Majority.
BY HI. C. GARRISON.

DETROIT, Mich, July 11.-With
Michigan again destined to play the
role of a doubtful State in the No
vember balloting, leaders on both
sides in this State are preparing for
strenuous campaign.
All indications point to a close vote.
The metropolitan area of Detroit and
the districts along the iron and copper
ranges in the Upper Peninsula are
expected to go heavily Democratic.
The balance of the Lower Peninsula,
however, bids fair to return strong
Republican majority. with the Demo-
Gratis polling good votes in such indus
trial cities as Flint, Pontiac, Saginaw,
jackson and Grand Rapids.
Polls taken recently indicate a slight
Democratic majority over all the State.
Michigan, however. is traditionally
Republican and is only looking for a
good excuse to be so again. To date
the Republican campaign in the State
has been 100 per cent flop. The
Democratic lead. as shown. by the
polls. is so slight that the Republicans,
If they can only display moderate
easily overturn it.
1t is doubtful if the Coughlin- Lemke-
Townsend-Smith coalition can cut
much ice. The Union party. as such,
cannot get place on the Michigan
ballot because the State law requires
that the proper papers must be filed
with the Secretary of State at least
six months before election in order to
qualify for column on the ballot.
For another thing, it is doubtful if
the third party people will attempt to
put full ticket in the field. Both the
Coughlin and the Townsend forces
already have made commitments to
support candidates in the old parties.
Then, too, the rank and file of the
Townsend movement in Michigan
has shown a distinct and open dis
taste for combining with the Coughlin-
ites. They fear they will find them
selves the tail of the kite in the end
There is another thing they don't talk
ebout-the matter of religion. The
Townsendites in this section for the
most part are stanch Protestants.
The expected hot fight for the Re-
publican nomination for United States
Senator is beginning to weaken. Sen
ator James Couzens is opposed in that
contest by Wilbur NJ. Brucker. former
Governor Banking interests which
bitterly resent Couzens' attitude to-
ward the Detroit banks at the time
of the 1888 holiday are supporting
Brucker. Republican ofhceholders,
however, are f1ocking to Couzens on
the theory that their own chances
would be enhanced with his name
rather than Brucker's at the head of
the ticket
On the Democratic side little has
been done on the senatorship. The
only candidates to date are Prof. John
H. Muyskens of the University Of
Michigan, a political amateur, and
Louis B. Ward, head of the Coughlin
lobby in Washington, who apparently
will have the blessing of the Coughlin-
Jeuke forces.
For the Republican nomination for
Governor, Gov. Frank D. Fitzgerald
is as yet unopposed. The only poten-
tial candidate in sight is William H.
McKeighan, former mayor OF Flint.
who has been flirting with the Cough
En-Lemke- Townsend group.
There is deep discomfort. even
among the Republicans, with the
Fitzgerald administration. and the
Democrats are of the opinion they
could beat him with the proper candi-
date. So far the strongest Democratic
candidate is George W. Welsh, former
city manager of Grand Rapids, who
has served as Speaker Of the House
and Lieutenant Governor as Repub-
iican.
Frank Murphy. United States COM
missioner to the Philippine Islands,
has entered the race for the Demo-
cratic gubernatorial nomination.
Another of the most powerful of the
potential Democratic candidates for
Governor is Frank A. Picard of Sagi-
nav, who gave Senator Arthur H.
Vandenberg terrific fight in 1884.