MichiganRadio

Are Michigan Voters Ready To Elect An Independent Candidate Governor? ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

A former Republican congressman may run for Michigan governor as an independent.

He says an independent voice is needed at the state capitol.

Joe Schwarz has a wide variety of political experience, from the Battle Creek city commission and the State Senate to Congress. He says that experience would benefit the state, especially if he was elected governor as an independent, someone who would be able to find common ground between the legislature's ideologically divided Republicans and Democrats.

"We're standing, looking over the precipice into the abyss in Michigan," says Schwarz, "and if we don't do something, and if we don't have people who can sit down and reason with each other and then make what are going to be some very difficult decisions, we're going to have problems as far as the eye can see."

Schwarz admits it will be difficult to mount an independent campaign statewide. He plans to decide by March first if an independent gubernatorial campaign would be viable. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio