Virg Bernero

South Lansing Ingham County Commissioner '91-'99

68th District Representative '00-'02

23rd District Senator '03-'04

Lansing Mayor '05-'09

Although he has not yet announced his bid for Governor some have mentioned the mayor of Lansing as a potential candidate and there are some grassroots efforts to 'draft' Bernero into running in 2010 (the site has not posted since February)

Having conducted his political career in moderate obscurity, Virg Bernero suddenly jumped in the spotlight when he ran against Tony Benavides in the 2003 mayoral election. If my memory serves me right Benavides painted Bernero as a carpetbagger (“the leader you know...the leader you trust”). In the end Bernero, who had more money, lost by a mere 258 votes. Then in 2005 rallied and won 68% of the vote over Benavides who's new image was, ineffective mayor, rather than the hometown boy. He was reelected as Mayor of Lansing in November 2009.

Early Political Image:

The cable news rounds ought to make the point clear enough. Virg Bernero is not using the kind of conciliatory or party platform rhetoric of a person who is about to enter a gubernatorial primary campaign. If He is planing on running, Virg is going to have to change his campaign style quickly. During the GM meltdown, the language that Bernero used invoked small town protectionism with community salesmanship, what a mayor should sound like if s/he is about to enter a reelection campaign not a governor's race.

There are some rumors floating around that say the DNC pushed Cherry out and had a hand in Bernero's entering the race. I feel that all these rumors are just that and there is no wider conspiracy. Now let's see how things heat up in 2010!