Shelby Township

Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan to visit metro Detroit

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer

For being in a state that many polls and pundits have going to the Democratic Party in the Nov. 6 federal elections, the nation’s top Republicans are spending a lot of time in Shelby Township and its neighboring communities.

On the heels of presidential Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s son Tagg Romney visiting Shelby Township Sept. 24, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is scheduled to meet with voters and speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Oakland University.

“I’m selfish, I want them all to come in,” Shelby Township Clerk Stanley Grot said of the attention Shelby Township and Macomb County has garnered this election season.

“Shelby Township is a very important, very Republican, very conservative community, and (candidates) go where the voters are.”

Grot, who is the Republican Party District 10 chairman, and Shelby Township Supervisor Richard Stathakis met with event organizers Oct. 4 as they scouted locations for the event.

“We wanted them in Shelby, but because Palazzo Grande has an event scheduled for that evening, we will be unable to host the Paul Ryan rally,” Stathakis said, noting that one location looked at was Macomb Lutheran North High School.

“They’re looking for a building that will house between 2,000 and 3,000 people.”

Grot said the final decision to hold the event at the Oakland University athletic center in Rochester Hills was made as organizers were anticipating a crowd that could grow as large as 5,000 supporters.

Ryan, a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin, will be the fifth high-profile Republican to visit the Shelby Township area since the buildup to the Feb. 29 presidential primary election.

“What I feel is it’s dead heat, and Romney is either close, if not even, or even ahead, and polls don’t count — election results count,” Grot said of the race between Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama for Michigan’s 16 electoral votes.

“If Romney continues to preach his message on jobs and economic recovery, he will do very well in Macomb County and Michigan.”

Tickets for the event can be found at paulryanmi.eventbrite.com

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