Shelby Township

Candidates besiege Shelby Township ahead of primary

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer

» Click on image to view full size « Photo by David Schreiber Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spoke at a town hall event Feb. 21 at Eagle Manufacturing Corp. in Shelby Township. Photo by David Schreiber Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spoke at a town hall event Feb. 21 at Eagle Manufacturing Corp. in Shelby Township.

As the heat gets turned up ahead of the Feb. 28 Michigan Republican presidential primary, Shelby Township is becoming the place to be.

And when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney held a town hall meeting Feb. 21 at Eagle Manufacturing Corp., local voters got an opportunity to have their concerns addressed and voices heard.

“I was very, very glad to see that it was a true town hall meeting, and nothing was planned,” Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis said of the Romney event. “Anyone could ask questions. It was not planned one bit, and he answered every single question.”

Romney used his time at Eagle Manufacturing to cite the importance of the private sector in Michigan’s economic rebound, and said his unique understanding of that would help him shape the country’s future as president.

“I’m the only guy in this race, Republican or Democrat, who’s had a job in the private sector,” Romney said as he outlined how his experience would help him as the nation’s chief executive.

“I’ve already put forward more plans to get our tax policy right, our budget right and reform Medicare and Social Security than our president has, and I’m just running for the job. Heck, he’s had it for three years,” Romney added.

Eagle Manufacturing moved from Sterling Heights to 52113 Shelby Parkway into a new 49,000-square-foot facility after receiving a tax abatement from the Shelby Township Board of Trustees in April 2004.

The company, which designs and builds custom in-line punching systems and special machines, tools, dies and fixtures, invested $4,226,116 in equipment and construction with its move to the township.

“You have an entrepreneur who took some risks, and it’s paying off,” Stathakis said of the significance of holding the event at Eagle Manufacturing.

“He has 30 employees there now, which is an increase. And it shows the significance of the private sector and how important it will be to have someone that understands that as a candidate for president.”

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who spoke to voters Feb. 17 at the Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township, also cited limited government as one of his talking points, as both candidates used their time in Shelby Township to re-affirm their commitment to conservatism.

“I think it’s because we’re not only Republican, but we’re conservative in the way we handle our finances and everything,” Stathakis said of the reason he felt the two leaders vying to be the 2012 Republican presidential candidate stopped in his community.

The candidates’ time in the township was made more impressive given how close the race is Michigan has become in the past week.

“The Republican race for president in Michigan has tightened considerably over the last week, with what was a 15-point lead for Rick Santorum down to four,” said. Public Policy Polling Director Tom Jensen in a Feb. 19 release.

“He leads with 37 percent to 33 percent for Mitt Romney, 15 percent for Ron Paul and 10 percent for Newt Gingrich. The tightening over the last week is much more a function of Romney gaining than Santorum falling.”

Romney, who leads all Republican hopefuls, is looking to further that lead with a win in Michigan for its 30 delegates Feb. 28.

“What we're seeing in Michigan is a very different story from Florida, where Romney surged by effectively destroying his opponent's image. Here, Romney's gains have more to do with building himself up,” Jensen said.

Santorum’s campaign effort in Michigan looks to build on the success he had in Feb. 7 primary wins in Missouri, Colorado and Minnesota.

Santorum, who also won the Iowa caucus Jan. 3, has won 71 delegates, and Romney has 105 delegates after winning primaries in New Hampshire, Florida, Maine and Nevada.

The Michigan primary takes place the same day as Arizona’s, with 29 delegates at stake. A candidate needs to win 1,144 to seal his party’s nomination.

Township Trustee Michal Flynn, who led the Pledge of Allegiance prior to Santorum’s speech, said he believes the significance the community has posed in past elections helped draw the candidates in.

“Macomb County has the history of the Reagan Democrat,” Flynn said of the voters in the county that crossed party lines to help President Ronald Regan win the 1980 presidential election. “Candidates look at Macomb County, and Shelby Township, as a bellwether community for the rest of the nation.”

Call Staff Writer Brad D. Bates at (586) 498-1029; he’s on Twitter @ShelbyUticaNews.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.