Looking to the future, Michigan Republican Party co-chairman Jane Abraham told the Eastside Republican Club Forum, “Republicans must count up our assets.”

Despite losing the U.S. House and Senate for the first time in 12 years, and seeing leadership changes in many state legislatures, she said, Michigan Republicans fared better than it might appear.

While Abraham admitted that in November 2006 Michigan voters didn't unseat Sen. Stabenow or Gov. Granholm, she reminded the audience that every Michigan GOP incumbent running in a statewide contest was re-elected.

Abraham also noted that Republicans continue to hold a majority in the Michigan Senate, voters retained a strong Michigan Supreme Court, and every Michigan GOP seat in Congress was held.

Abraham explained the upset change in the Michigan House of Representatives as the result of the last minute political contribution of one billionaire who poured his personal wealth into a number of races around Michigan.

She stated that by re-electing Justice Cliff Taylor to the Michigan Supreme Court, the rule of law will continue. His defeated challenger, she said, would have been a “rubber stamp for trial lawyers.”

In addition, she reported that Michigan Republicans completed the election cycle without any carryover debt.

Abraham sees the next opportunity to make a change on the national level as the 2008 challenge to Sen. Carl Levin, who just announced his intention to seek re-election for a sixth term.

She noted that Michigan has earned its “blue state” label in very close elections, and said that designation will end in 2008.

Abraham said, “Bring on Obama, Kerry, Gore, and Hillary!” She said that because all of the Democrat front-runners are liberal on moral, economic, and security issues, the Republican alternative would be more attractive than ever to voters in 2008.

She said that instead of supporting candidates who favor higher taxes to provide more money “for” Washington, voters would demand more protection “from” Washington's tax and spend politicians.

Abraham predicted, “If we work together, we can carry the State in 2008, and when we do this our candidate will be the next president of the United States.”

Expressing confidence, she said, “It can be done, it needs to be done, and it will be done!”

In response to questions about future potential Republican candidates, Abraham said there is a strong pool of interested possibilities presently evaluating their options.

Without naming specific individuals, she pointed out, “We have several, popular Republicans who are statewide office holders, a strong GOP delegation in the U.S. Congress, and other well-qualified potential candidates.”

Born in Detroit, Abraham was educated in the Detroit and Warren public schools. At the age of 19, she graduated from Oakland University in 1981. In addition to academic honors at Oakland, Abraham served as president of the university's student government.

Following college, Abraham held senior positions with the Michigan Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, as well as the Michigan State Senate. Assignments included national party liaison to state and local government, and grass roots party building.

Abraham is founder and president of Abraham Strategies, a firm that specializes in strategic marketing. She is also general chairman of the Susan B. Anthony List, a not-for-profit membership organization with over 100,000 members, and its political action committee that supports pro-life candidates and issues. Under Abraham's leadership it has become a significant source of financial and grassroots support for candidates.

She serves on the boards of Detroit-based Covenant House for at-risk and homeless youth, the National Arab American Museum based in Dearborn, and the LAB School, a nationally recognized center for diagnosis and education of children with learning disabilities.

Abraham is the mother of twin daughters Julie and Betsy, age 13, and son Spencer, age 10. She is married to Spencer Abraham, former U.S. Senator and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy.

From 1995 to 2001 Jane Abraham served as unpaid advisor and surrogate for her husband, Senator Spencer Abraham.

The Eastside Republican Club Forum is normally held on the third Tuesday of the month from September through June. Admission is free and the public is always welcome.