8/24/14 - Gov. Rick Snyderâs running mate easily fended off a challenge from Wes Nakagiri, a Livingston County-based Tea Party activist, who had been critical of Snyder for expanding Medicaid and supporting Common Core education standards. Snyder called Brian Calley the âbest partnerâ and a strong conservative voice in the administration. The thousands of delegates inside the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi on Saturday also nominated Attorney General Bill Schuette, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, state Supreme Court Justices Brian Zahra and David Viviano and high court candidate James Redford, a Kent County judge. Out of more than 2,000 votes cast, Calley won 65 percent to 35 percent. After learning the result, Nakagiri, who helped found and now serves as the treasurer of Hartland-based RetakeOurGov, moved to make the ballot unanimous for Calley saying that it was important to be unified to defeat the Democrats in November. Jack Powell, a 66-year-old retired automaker from Montrose, said he backed Nakagiri to send a message to Snyder that heâs not being conservative enough on issues like same-sex marriage. (JK)
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