Rick Snyder, the “one tough nerd” GOP candidate for governor, is hoping thatDemocrats and independents will join moderate Republicans to help himwin the primary election on August 3.

 

Snyder has qualities that appeal to both Republicans andDemocrats, while maintaining credibility as an independent outsider.The venture capitalist from Ann Arbor also has top credentials inbusiness at a time when Michigan could use some expertise in the jobsdepartment.

 

That’s not the case with his closest opponents, Mike Cox and PeteHoekstra, who are courting the tea party vote in hopes of winning theprimary.

 

Cox and Hoekstra represent more of the same in Lansing: stagnation,bickering and a lack of imagination needed to move Michigan forward.Cox, because he’s part of the same partisan apparatus that paralyzedour state throughout the Granholm years. Hoekstra, because as hisfinger-pointing, lecturing commercials suggest, he generally plays thepolitical blame game; adept at complaining about the Obamaadministration, but unlikely to get much done for Michigan.

 

Snyder, by contrast, has rather courageously avoided courting anyspecial interest group or political action committee in his bid forelection. He hasn’t sought the endorsements of Right to Life, theMichigan Chamber of Commerce, the NRA or other conservative groups andhas even declined to answer their questionnaires; nor has he courtedthe UAW, Michigan’s teachers union or other liberal interest groups.

 

Despite this, Snyder has been endorsed by the Michigan League ofConservation Voters -- the first time the group has ever endorsed aRepublican candidate for governor. He has also been endorsed by theMichigan Chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection.

This offers some evidence that Snyder really does have “the courageto reach across the aisle” as one of his websites claims. He’s beencalled a Milliken-style Republican, getting back to the more inclusivedays of the party, when good management and conservation were moreimportant than culture wars and divisive social issues. Last week,Bill Milliken endorsed him as “a refreshing new presence.”

 

Snyder believes that protecting Michigan’s environment is good forthe state’s economy. He also has an interest in boosting mass transit,controlling urban sprawl, and rebuilding our depressed urban centers.And, while he’s a pro-life candidate, he also supports stem cellresearch.

 

But the top concern for Michigan is jobs, and here too, Snyderoutshines other contenders. As the former president of Gateway, Inc.,he built a high-tech company with $6 billion in revenues and more than10,000 employees in the U.S.

 

On cutting taxes (the all-purpose-solution of every Republicancandidate), Snyder would do away with the Michigan Business Tax,replacing it with “a flat 6% levy on business income that would resultin a tax cut of about $1.5 billion.”

 

Snyder isn’t perfect: critics say he sold out Gateway to theChinese when the company was threatened with going under, and hedoesn’t have any particular experience in government.

But one final thing sets Snyder above the other candidates – bothRepublicans and Democrats. While many seem to be Johnny-come-latelysto their campaigns, Snyder has spent the past year visiting everycommunity of any size in Michigan, waging an arduous “town hall”campaign that has reached out one-on-one to our citizens. He’s evendeclined to participate in the debates of his own party, saying he’s“not interested in the typical career politician playbook.”

 

That worn shoe leather and the 10,000 handshakes that went with theeffort to meet the citizens of Michigan demonstrates that Snyder ishis own man and a man of the people. Whether you’re a Republican,Democrat or an independent voter, consider voting for Rick Snyder inthe August 3 primary to move our state forward.