The Michigan Democratic party has outlined a plan to win state Supreme Court elections by nominating female Irish Americans.
Democrats in Michigan think that voters prefer Irish female candidates in a state Supreme Court Justice, according to a leaked memo.
“Males lose to Irish females,” the state party said. “All-woman ticket contrasts favorably against male incumbents,” said the memo, which was obtained by the Mackinac Center states.
Titled "2012 Michigan Supreme Court Campaign Plan: The Last Chance to Restore the Michigan Supreme Court," the presentation lays out the pivotal role female Irish Americans play in the elections.
"Male Justices: Incumbent Disadvantages in 2012," it says, "The last 3 incumbents to lose (1984, 2008, 2010) were all males who lost to Irish-surnamed females.”
State supreme court candidates are nominated for by both Republican and Democratic parties.
According to Michigan Capitol Confidential, the Democrat nominees are Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Connie Marie Kelley, Bridget Mary McCormack and 46th District Court Judge Sheila R. Johnson.
The Republican nominated candidates are incumbents Justice Steve Markman and Justice Brian Zahra, and Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Colleen A. O'Brien.
Read more: Irish American Democrats send out urgent call for Ohio volunteers
Inside Michigan Politics Editor Bill Ballenger said the plan could work.
"I think, generally speaking, women do have a little bit better success running in judicial races than men do," Ballenger said. "This year, two of the three Democrat-nominated candidates have Irish-sounding names — Connie Marie Kelley and Bridget Mary McCormack. The third Democratic candidate is, Shelia Johnson. I suppose some people might actually think that Sheila sounds Irish as well.
"That said, the one Republican-nominated candidate who isn't an incumbent is also a woman with an Irish name," Ballenger said. "That's Colleen A. O'Brien.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelb | Oct 25, 2012, 06:22 PM EDT
Your sounding frustrated Tom Mo
Tom Mo | Oct 25, 2012, 12:41 AM EDT
absoeffinglutely stupid article. Forchrissake gimmeaneffinbreak
srcarrvt | Oct 24, 2012, 10:28 PM EDT
What a bunch of idiots.
sqeyes48 | Oct 24, 2012, 06:21 PM EDT
The article did not mention the leaning of the Mackinac Center. So far right that they in the ditch. If one looks at a list of Judges in the state they would notice a lot of the names are Irish out-state and Polish in the Detroit metro area. I'm sure the Center has a theory for that too. They never let the qualifications get in the way of judgement.
mairint | Oct 24, 2012, 05:51 PM EDT
Yikes, we did not think things were THAT bad in the Democrat ranks! They will soon have to use sticky flypapers to capture someone to run for their party now that they include all sorts of degenerate behaviour as normal.
seanomelb | Oct 24, 2012, 05:47 PM EDT
ye teabag morons below take note. They are already qualified judges. tom phone number and Springfield9 are just bitter teabagging misogynists.
Springfield9 | Oct 24, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT
Candidates and Voters should focus on what's in the hat not the knickers.
FastEddy | Oct 24, 2012, 01:16 PM EDT
LOL ...
tom77381 | Oct 24, 2012, 01:04 PM EDT
This is the same type of thinking that resulted in Obama. The Democrats apparently don't know the meaning of the word word "qualified" in their micosopic brains.
bob40wil | Oct 24, 2012, 01:03 PM EDT
What a bunch of BS.If you vote for someone because of their name or ethintisity you should be taken off the voting roles.
MariettaGator | Oct 24, 2012, 12:49 PM EDT
This strategy worked for Loretta Brixey in California, who finally got elected by changing her name to Loretta Sanchez.
pilib04 | Oct 24, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT
In Ohio, Maureen O'Connor has been on the Supreme Court since 2003 and Chief Justice since 2011. So perhaps there is something to that. Maureen was on the 2011 Irish Legal 100 (Irish Voice). Maybe Michigan is on to something. Perhaps there will be a followup on November 7.
kathyodonnell | Oct 24, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT
I can tell yo, given the race, it is clear that some favor femals candidates. In my work and in my own running for a local office, some have told me that they chose me due to my name, and it is very common that people hire me because I am a woman. (Which is interesting, because that means different things). It is about their perception of me or the candidate, not vice versa.
miltonedunn | Oct 24, 2012, 11:52 AM EDT
A person with this mentality has no busines even breading
slainte9 | Oct 24, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT
Isn't McCormack a Scots name.
weeknocky | Oct 24, 2012, 10:53 AM EDT
Laughable!
weeknocky | Oct 24, 2012, 10:45 AM EDT
The days of ethnic pandering are over, since there has been no meaningful flow of Irish immigrants to the US since the 60s . Liberal cheap shots like this will go no where. Americans want Jobs and they want them now.
Portia777 | Oct 24, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT
As Eire was once the most highly respected country for justice- then justice gene is in their DNA. As we say....None doth love Justice , more than the Irish.
Murph46 | Oct 24, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT
I vote for Mary Margaret O'Brien Murphy!