Says a Thousand Words

Election-eve. We have completed 80 stops in 8 days and ended with a rally where it all began, back at my dad's high school, Brother Rice. Here are some pictures from the event that speak volumes on their own. Shot by the acclaimed and talented, Jeff Bouchard.

The lovely Karen Newman singing the National Anthem!

The energy and excitement was overwhelming! 

Greeted by a thunder of applause! Along side running mate
Terri Lynn Land and L. Brooks Patterson.

Good mojo--In the same gym where the championship
banner from his high school basketball team is displayed.
Moving towards another victory.

A full house of Michiganders eager to Fix Lansing
and get Michigan back to work!

With Joe "the Plumber" Wurzelbacher

It is so important that you make it to the polls and vote Mike Bouchard for Governor. Every vote counts. You know him, you trust him. Now honor him with your vote so he can fix Lansing and get Michigan back to work. Our election night festivities will be held at the Somerset Inn, Troy. We hope to have you with us for this exciting evening that will change the course of Michigan's future.  

xoxo

Top Ten

Less than 36 hours before the polls open for the Primary election. With that in mind, here are the top ten reasons why I think you should vote Mike Bouchard for Governor.

10. He is seeking this office not for the power or prestige, but to change the direction of the state of Michigan. To restore the economic environment to one that gets government out of the way for businesses to succeed.

9. He is totally pro-life, a gun carrying Second Amendment advocate and stands up for freedom “of” religion not “from” religion. He wants to secure our borders and plans to use the Tenth Amendment to stop an overreaching federal government.

8. He is willing to be a one-term governor. He has said from the beginning his benchmark of success is if families in Michigan can continue to live and work here, not being popular. For him, this is about the “next generation, not the next election.”

7. He is a constitutionalist first and passionately safeguards those principles. No matter the party that is wasting your money or encroaching on your rights, he will not stand for it.

6. He is the ONLY candidate that has the successful legislative experience to train him to guide the legislature on an operational level. It taught him how to get the votes needed to move critical legislation and will be crucial knowledge when governing the process. Fun fact: On average, a legislator would get one bill to sign every year. He averaged TEN for NINE years!

5. He wants to make Michigan a part-time legislature, with part-time pay and no benefits. Adopt the budget by May 15^th, everyday after that the legislators and Governor lose a day’s pay.

4. He is the only gubernatorial candidate in Michigan history to come out in support of Right to Work. It may be a controversial issue (in fact, someone threw something threw my car window after the announcement) but it evidences that he is willing to address any issue to make Michigan more business friendly and get her citizens back to work.

3. He has the team to win and, more importantly, the team to govern. He announced early on that Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land would be his running mate; another proven leader that believes in government transparency and making the necessary tough choices.

2. He has had a well-rounded history that makes him uniquely qualified to be our next governor. Besides being in the legislature during the ‘90s, he has owned three small businesses and he has been the Sheriff of Oakland County for 11 years. He administrates a government organization that is a third of the Oakland County budget and employs about 1,200 people. He knows how to separate needs versus wants when obligated to reduce his budget. In fact, he is balanced three years from now due to the three year rolling budget he operates on (and plans to have the state move to a similar system).

1. He is an honest man that will look you straight in the eye and tell you how he feels even if you may not agree. His talk matches his walk. He lives by the principles of honor, integrity, duty, respect, courage and commitment. In this unpredictable and chaotic world, no matter the challenges that may face him, he is a steadfast leader. He served on the streets of New Orleans after Katrina and at Ground Zero after 9/11. If elected Governor, he will do anything he must to protect his state and his people. 


I hope your choice is an easy one on August 3rd...
God Bless

DAY 6

       Today was the point in the tour when I officially lost track of what day it was! Friday? Sunday? By the end of Saturday, however, as I type this sitting on my own bed (hooray!) with Bandit asleep at my feet, I have been returned to a state of total awareness. Awareness of the endurance that a campaign like this needs, and an awareness of the body and mind that can either push itself over the finish line or slow down with end in sight. Even while the Primary is just a step to ultimately getting my dad elected, this day has been the focus of so much planning and work that it demands every last drop of commitment only to be renewed and refocused for the General on August 4th (knock on wood!). Which means that my body and mind are concentrated on pushing through the line, not yielding.

            After a day of shaking hands in Macomb, Shelby, Romeo, Washington and Dearborn (let alone 6 days on the bus!) I was glad to get back in the campaign office for a “family” dinner in-between get out the vote (GOTV) calls. An important side note—local restaurants and individuals have been SO generous in donating food for our volunteers. We have so many people in the office making calls and volunteering that the donated food is vital to keeping everyone fueled and focused!

On the bus with my dad, brother, Grandma and Great Uncle KJ!

After the dinner ended, the family went home to spend some time with my Great Uncle KJ who is visiting from Texas. While we sat and talked with the news on in the back round, the seemingly looping political advertisements had me fidgeting to get back to work. My dad was busy finishing paperwork and I found myself on autopilot heading right back to the HQ to make GOTV calls. When the late hour ultimately came for us to hang up the phones, the mass of workers took to the parking lot for a dimly lit game of beanbags before we went in to tidy up the office in preparation for tomorrow’s similar whirlwind of a day. 

            Tonight I am saying my prayers in thanks. Thanks for the relentless campaign team that has not slept in days, but seems to eat and breath this campaign. Thanks for their constant restlessness to always find something to work toward and improve. Thanks to the people that give—their time, their talent, their treasure, their prayers, and their votes. Thanks to the people that support my father and my family in this endeavor. We still have a long road ahead but Tuesday’s Primary is an important mark along the trail that, I feel, demands some reflection. So, for now, thank you.

I hope to see you Monday night at the Election-eve Rally! Brother Rice High School on Lahser in Bloomfield Hills starting at 7:30 pm!

Freaky Friday: Day 5

Next to the restaurant's famous rock!

It is a small world. This morning we started in Bay City meeting the morning crowd at the local favorite, Krysiak’s House. The Bouchards have a lot of ties in the area with my grandparents growing up there as product of the American Dream. My great grandfather came over from Lebanon and began his small business in the area that grew from a grocery cart into a very successful department store, Sams Brothers. After we mentioned our common history, one woman happily recalled she had bought her wedding dress from the store! Even more bizarre, as my dad and I talked to one gentleman (who said he had recently voted for him absentee), he asked what my grandma’s maiden name was before she changed to Bouchard. “Sams,” we said. His eyes widened and he exclaimed,  “I dated Doris Sams my junior year of high school!”  A veryy small world after all!

The rest of our day didn’t have as many surprising discoveries as the first stop, but the conversation was just as fruitful. After Bay City was the Midland Chamber of Commerce luncheon where my dad addressed the group on his platform to revamp a pro-business environment in Michigan. In Saginaw we met with the Young Republicans and I had the pleasure of introducing my dad before he answered their questions on securing the border, his proposed structural changes and his unique back round that sets him apart from the other candidates.

We ended the evening in Grosse Point with the last fundraiser of the Primary Election. (!!!!) It’s still surreal that the polls open in under 96 hours. Monday night, Election-eve, is the big get out the vote rally held at Brother Rice (my dad’s high school). It is sure to be a blow out event with special guest, Joe the Plumber! I have to admit that I don’t know too much about Joe besides what I saw of him during the McCain campaign, but I look forward to meeting him and rallying with YOU on Monday night before the big day! 

Contact the campaign HQ for more info and, as always, keep getting out the vote!

"Stairway to Heaven"

Nothing tops our Michigan views!

Day 4 of the 8-day extravaganza and it was a sweet one. Literally. It began with an opportunity to see my mom, Pam, and youngest brother! Bandit was especially excited to see them and be able to run around a little bit as my dad addressed a large statewide group of individuals looking to make a difference in their community and help those the troubled economy hits the hardest. After his speech our great Secretary of State and her husband joined us for a light breakfast before we once again boarded our separate buses and parted ways. Even for the few minutes we were together, though it was nice to be able to see family face to face instead of playing phone tag and trading voicemails.

A rare joint photo of the whole group before
we split up head off on the second half of the tour!

See what I mean?!
Amongst the sweets with my new clutch in hand!

From there we headed to Gaylord for an interview and handshakes at the Sugarbowl Restaurant, stopped in to the attached collectables store (where I picked up an adorable $5 vintage clutch!) and then over to the must-stop-shop, the Alpine Chocolate Haus. When I said, “sweet,” this is what I meant. Even though they have an unfair advantage playing on every girl’s weakness, I must proclaim them the stop of the day! Not only did they have every possible indulgence in milk, dark or sugar-fee chocolate, but they gave us a tour of the factory! Heading up to the factory you pass a door painted “Stairway to Heaven.” Indeed! I started calling the owner Willy Wonka as he showed us the chocolate creams being dipped and the cooling “Pure Michigan” chocolate bars produced in his little slice of heaven! His store is a great example of the necessity of small businesses. Not only do they represent 80% of jobs in Michigan but they create products second to none with creativity, ingenuity and the ambition to expand the company by delivering better goods and services. The case is also true with the great people at Reeds on the River in Tawas City. They are constantly fighting too much red tape as they try to start and grow a business in a state whose tax structure is anything but friendly.

In true 'I Love Lucy' style!

Michigan's purest treat!

            Those principles of cutting taxes, reforming regulation and reducing government were the focus of our last stop at the Gladwin County Tea Party meeting. The full hall spent almost two hours with my dad hearing his qualifications and asking him questions just like an in-depth job interview. And he agreed—that’s what a campaign should be; an examination of each candidate and deciding which one has the best resume/platform to be hired. In the end, our elected officials represent and work for us. The Tea Party certainly hasn’t forgotten that and more than one person said my dad earned the support of the room by the end of the evening. Even Michael Patrick Shields, statewide syndicated radio host, said that his resume is ideal to be the next Governor and with his running mate, Terri Lynn Land, it’s “as good as a one-two punch!”  

Currently heading to a 24-hour gym to work off some of the chocolate and then catch up on some sleep. Sweetest of dreams!

DAY 3

The Flint Coney Island makes a statement

If there is one thing that I have learned about the campaign trail, it’s that you never quite know what a day holds for you. No matter how thorough of a line-by-line you can refer to, as the saying goes, “When you make plans, God laughs.”  For example, I didn’t know that today’s very first stop would bring an unanticipated family reunion. I haven’t been to Flint, my dad’s birthplace, very often save for playing soccer against their high school back a few years. When we arrived at the Flint Original Coney Island we were greeted by a throng of people eager to sample the restaurant’s famous Coney Dogs they have been serving since 1912! Not only were the owners as generous and sweet as could be, but that was also where we met my Grandma Doe’s long lost cousin! As my dad sat down for an interview with the local ABC station, we chatted about the old family store, Sam’s Brothers in Bay City, and how the election was going. As we snapped some photos outside the restaurant, the owners handed us a box stuffed with probably 25 of their famous dogs! They. Were. Delicious. I only ate one but my dad finished off a whopping 3! (He said he would add on another 15 minutes of cardio to makeup for it) Needless to say, the fridge is still stocked with the Michigan favorite surely to be demolished over the course of the week.

From there we headed over to Treasures Restaurant in Owosso for a Town Hall. The restaurant, totally up my alley, also doubles as a vintage store! As my dad spoke to the crowd, I snuck away and perused the diverse collection of oldies ranging from WWII gear to old records to a retro Chanel ring! I love the one-of-a-kind finds vintage stores offer. You’re never quite sure if you’ll walk away empty-handed or with a new must-have item. As I returned to the Town Hall empty handed, it looked as if the voters had found their must-have candidate. His message of lowering taxes and streamlining government to mirror the private sector continues to resonate with people across the state.

Amidst an Alma interview

Alma, Mount Pleasant and Osceola County were next on the list with a brief oil change in between. The miles are adding up as we get to our goal of 80 stops in 8 days. Hoping the votes are too! Tonight we end in Bellaire for some brief r & r before another full day. As we drive over, after a laughter-filled dinner in at Da Dawg House restaurant in Cadillac on E M-115, I must give them a plug. Their food is absolutely terrific (splurge the calories on the pie!), the atmosphere a fun combination of firefighting and hunting paraphernalia and the hard working owners are fantastic to talk with—new supporters too! As you travel up to northern Michigan it’s the perfect place to stop in and refuel!

With all the running around, events and too much good food, a full night sleep is definitely on the horizon. Tomorrow starts early! Bon Soir! 

With my little Bandit outside Cadillac's Da Dawg House!

Life is a Highway

….or at least it feels like it! 

Bandit relaxing between stops!

80 stops in 8 days!! This is absolutely crunch time and the Bouchards have all boarded buses (My mom with my brother and Secretary of State Land on one, and my dad, my pup Bandit, and I on the other!) to take Michigan by storm and get out the vote in this homestretch of the Primary Election. Day 1 started at 5:50 am in Jackson then over to G. Rap, K-Zoo, Battle Creek, Spring Arbor and everywhere in between. This is the part of campaigns I love. A chance to reach out and meet voters, talk issues and ask for their vote rather than ask for money. (Which the campaign would still very much appreciate, though!)

            Day 1 went off without a hitch featuring meetings at Home Builder Associations across the state, multiple picnics, a Tea Party event, and stops at local restaurants to hear people’s thoughts and answer their pressing questions. It was nice to end at home after the long day only for it to start again bright and early this morning. When we arrived in Frasier this morning, little did I know the vigor that stop would instill. We met Nina Sylvester former owner of Quality Die Sets Inc., and learned her story of being an automotive supplying cornerstone to out of business because of backwards banking policy, an over regulating government and toxic taxes for small businesses. Her daughter brought tears to the group as she said how heartbreaking it was to watch her mom, “a role-model for strong work ethic,” go from having such a successful business and being awarded the Female Entrepreneur of the Year to losing almost all hope as she struggles to find a job during her ongoing fight with banks. The scariest thing was that in the group assembled at the now empty factory, there were many more stories just like hers!

In the former Quality Die Sets factory

After leaving the factory, there was no feeling but that of determination to do something, anything to change the helplessness that I saw in people’s eyes. As my dad said, “I wish I could do something right now to help, but I just have to get there first.” The “getting there” is where I am putting my energy. The rest of the day was filled with stops in and around Lapeer County ranging from packed rooms of people who came out to meet my dad to spontaneous coffee house stops where many of the patrons excitingly said they had either sent in their absentee votes for my dad or were planning on voting for him! The rest of Day 2 is winding down as I type on our Bouchard/Land-bannered-bus and we drive home after two Tea Party stops in Brighton and Milford. The West Oakland Tea Party had almost 500 people attend! Bringing the day to a fabulous end, the group gave him a standing ovation as his speech came to a close. Hoping for more of that energy tomorrow! 

            I will leave you with this—the primary election normally turns out 25% of the electorate; of that probably half of the people will vote in the Republican primary. In a five way primary maybe 25% of that will choose our nominee. That means 25% of 13% can decide our next Governor. If you bring ten people to vote, and ask them to get ten people to do the same, I cannot stress how you can truly alter the outcome of this election. The primary is one week away. Lets get to work, get this done and help elect a Governor who is passionate about helping the people of the great state of Michigan.

At an editorial board in Kalamazoo
which later endorsed him!

Hope to see you in the next 6 days!