Gubernatorial running mates Mike Bouchard and Terri Lynn Land, back row, were welcomed to the PAC fundraiser by Lita M. McKeehan, PAC chairman, John Chouinard, ERC chairman and Thomas R. McCleary, Jr., ERC vice chairman. Photo by John Lundberg

Showing support for fundraising efforts of the Eastside Republican Club-PAC at their annual dinner held April 22 at Sindbad's in Detroit are (back row from left) Michigan Secretary of State, Terri Lynn Land and Oakland Sheriff, Michael Bouchard. Also pictured is ERC-PAC chairman Lita M. McKeehan at podium with John Chouinard, Eastside Republican chairman, and Thomas R. McCleary, Jr., club vice chairman. Bouchard is running for governor in the August GOP primary with Land as his lieutenant gubernatorial candidate. Photo by John Lundberg

Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mike Bouchard and running mate Terri Lynn Land proved they could pack a room at the Eastside Republican Club-PAC fundraiser at Sindbad's in Detroit on April 22.

The Oakland County Sheriff, along with Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, who is running with Bouchard as his pick for lieutenant governor, were keynoters at the annual dinner hosted by the ERC-PAC.

Funds raised will be used to support local candidates in the November 2010 General Election, and Lita McKeehan, chairman of the Eastside Republican Club-PAC, was pleased by the enthusiastic turnout.

Bouchard and Land are one of five tickets looking to win the Republican nomination in this fall's gubernatorial race. Bouchard spoke of the need of reducing the state's budget, especially when it came to revamping the education and prison systems.

John Chouinard, ERC chairman noted, “What makes a distinct difference between the five candidates is that Bouchard has actually worked on the State budget as an elected member of the State Legislature to curtail spending--so he's fully qualified to do it again.”

“I was very impressed,” said Thomas R. McCleary, Jr., ERC vice chairman. “He came across as very knowledgeable about state government.

“He spoke of the need to return to a part-time Legislature, and criticized the governor's plan of letting prisoners loose,” McCleary said. “Mike has 1,200 people working for him and has a track record for reducing his budget.”

On the heels of the first televised GOP gubernatorial debate, an event that saw candidates trading barbs, Bouchard said divisiveness would not be a part of his campaign. It is his objective to represent the voters in the way they want to see their leaders tackle the myriad problems in Lansing, he said.

“My guy won,” she said. “Mike has shown he has a plan from day one. We have to stop unnecessary spending, rebid contracts and get the State back.” Michael J. Bouchard

McCleary said that Land has a strong following with the club, and has done an “outstanding job” as Secretary of State.

“Terri has a track record of accomplishment,” he said. “She went (to her post) and delivered on the promises she made. She has reduced voter fraud despite the protest of Democrats. Though it's not all the way there, it's getting closer.”

Though McCleary and City of Grosse Pointe councilman John Stempfle have not endorsed anyone in the primary, Bouchard scored some points.

Attendee Gregg Peabody said two of the state's greatest challenges were to fix the tax structure and reduce the highest unemployment figures in the country. He attended the function to get Bouchard's view on those and other issues.

Bouchard also said he strongly endorses the people's right to bring issues to a vote. For instance, he would support a ballot initiative to amend the Michigan's constitution, which presently outlaws capital punishment.

“I would support it if it (was placed on the ballot),” he said. “I was against casino gambling, but supported the people's right to bring it up for a vote.”

Many Republican officials were on hand, including Grosse Pointe Farms councilman Terry Davis, who has announced he will seek the Republican nomination for First District state representative.

Davis said current State Rep. Tim Bledsoe, while an honorable public servant, falls on the wrong side of too many issues in Lansing. Bledsoe, who was elected 2008, is the first Democrat ever to hold the seat encompassing the five Grosse Pointes. The district also includes a portion of the City of Detroit. Terri Lynn Land

Bouchard was born in Flint, and raised in Oakland County where he attended Birmingham Brother Rice high school. He and Pam, his wife of 20 years, live in Birmingham with their daughter and two sons.

He is a 1979 graduate of Michigan State University, and a valedictorian graduate of the Mid-Michigan law enforcement center. In addition, Bouchard is a graduate of the National Sheriff's Institute, the Darden Program for emerging political leaders-University of Virginia, the FBI National Executive Institute for world law enforcement leaders, and is a Toll Fellow with the Council of State Governments/University of Kentucky.

In the Michigan Senate, where Bouchard served as assistant Senate majority leader, he worked closely with Governor Engler and then Senate majority leader Posthumus during a time when leaders working together delivered balanced budgets and tax cuts every year.

As Senator, Bouchard wrote the real estate transfer tax cut that has saved Michigan taxpayers billions of dollars. He was also the first candidate in the governor's race to sign the Americans for Tax Reform's (ATR) “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” - pledging to fight “any and all efforts to increase taxes.”

For the last decade, he has exercised his executive leadership as Sheriff of Oakland County -- one of the largest sheriff departments in the country. In this capacity he manages 1,200 employees with an annual budget of more than $130 million.

In his effort to save taxpayer money while continuing to deliver on his department's core mission to protect the community, Bouchard privatized the jail's food services - saving $1.6 million a year.

He is also part of the Oakland County team that anticipates potential budget shortfalls by operating on a three-year rolling budget. That kind of foresight and planning has made Oakland County one of only 40 counties - out of over 3,000 - in America that has a AAA bond rating.

Bouchard's efforts to hold down taxes during difficult economic times have included cutting his budget up to 20 percent over the past several years, while not sacrificing community safety.

In a move that has added strength his candidacy with voters across the state, Bouchard took the unprecedented step of recruiting a running mate months in advance of any other Republican hopeful. The addition of Land, who has proven statewide vote-getting power and hails from western Michigan, to the popular Bouchard of Oakland County presents a “ticket” that can appeal to many Republicans.

Since taking office in January 2003, Secretary Land has worked to make government services more reliable, user-friendly and efficient. From offering expanded hours to instituting cutting-edge technology in branch offices, the department as a whole has provided services faster, easier and more conveniently than ever before. Such improvements, which also include reducing brick and mortar expenses across the state, reflect a customer driven-approach while saving taxpayer dollars.