Background
An honors graduate of both the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard Law School, Granholm now serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic Governors Association and Chair of the National Governor’s Association Health and Human Services Committee.

She and her husband, Daniel G. Mulhern, have three children.

Granholm began her career in public service as a clerk for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Granholm became a federal prosecutor in Detroit in 1990, maintaining a 98 percent conviction rate. In 1994, Granholm was appointed Wayne County Corporation Counsel, working to reduce taxpayer-funded lawsuit payouts by 87%.

Elected Michigan’s first female Attorney General in 1998, Granholm continued her fight to protect Michigan’s citizens and consumers. Granholm also started a successful statewide mentoring initiative.

As governor, she established the state’s first High Tech Crime Unit to prosecute Internet crimes. Following the September 11th attacks on the United States, Granholm led a multi-agency effort to ensure that Michigan laws could effectively be used to fight terrorism at the state level. In the wake of the attacks, she also cracked down on gas stations gouging consumers at the pump.

Statement
Jennifer Granholm faced a daunting situation when taking office in 2002. There was a huge budget shortfall, and a Republican legislature to work with. She overcame these difficulties and has put Michigan well along on the road to recovery.

From State of the State Address:

"Some will say, “How can you talk about a good life in Michigan when for over six years we have been losing manufacturing jobs like the ones that Ford just announced?” Here’s the answer: I will not stop working our plan until we create a Michigan where every one of you, from the autoworker to the homemaker to the nurse, has the opportunity to build that good life. The foundation of a good life, of course, is a good-paying job. But we know there are other critical building blocks. You need health care for your family. You need a quality education for your children and, today, that means an affordable college education. And you need a government that fights for you, to protect your family, your home, your community."

Comments
Granholm has worked very hard to bring additional jobs to Michigan. Many view our high unemployment rate as the number one problem in our state. Granholm's Republican opponent is Dick DeVos, an extremely wealthy man who is the Chairman of Amway. As such, he has exported many jobs and a huge amount of money to China. Who can rely on such a person to help cure unemployment in our state? It is foolish to put the fox in charge of the henhouse.

She was endorsed by The Saginaw News on Sunday, October 22nd. Campaign Website is http://www.GranholmforGov.com/. See Resources/Democrats for link.

She was a very special guest at the SADC office Grand Opening on April 3rd, and visits Saginaw frequently.

Endorsed by The Saginaw Area Democratic Club.

Opposing Candidate Information
The Republican candidate for Michigan Governor is Dick DeVos, an extremely rich heir and businessman whose family started the Amway Corporation (now part of the Alticor conglomerate). DeVos is using his inherited personal wealth to finance his campaign, flooding the state with television ads. It looks like a certainty that Granholm will be heavily outspent in this contest. All the indications are that this race will be a tight one right up to election time. For a Democratic view of DeVos, you can go to this website

Proposals

THE GOVERNOR'S JOBS PACKAGE

Signed into law 11/21/05

• The state will invest nearly $1.5 billion; that investment is expected to leverage an additional billion dollars or more in private investment focused in four key growth areas: life sciences, advanced manufacturing, alternative energy, and homeland security. The bills create a 21st Century Jobs Fund which will be used to invest in new technologies that will drive Michigan's economy into the future.
   
• Up to $450 million will be available through the Venture Michigan Fund to help start up companies succeed.
   
• New tax incentives will encourage investors to make and keep their investment dollars here in Michigan.
   
• We are slashing costs and cutting red tape to improve the climate for new businesses in Michigan.
   
• We are creating a life sciences pipeline to connect Michiagn businesses to life sciences companies to encourage research and development and create new jobs.
   
• We are creating new incentives to encourage life sciences companies to use Michigan suppliers and services.
   
• Michigan will capitalize on the best research and commercialization opportunities in the life sciences, homeland security/defense, alternative energy, and advanced automotive, manufacturing and materials fields to foster a robust, entrepreneurial private sector, thereby advancing technology and promoting collaborative partnerships which will create jobs and diversify Michigan's economy.