Former GOP Lawmaker Phil Pavlov Weighs Run for Congress
Pavlov, a Republican from St. Clair, joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to talk about whether he’ll run and his thoughts on state parties preemptively cancelling their presidential primaries and caucuses.
There will soon be an open congressional seat in Michigan’s 10th District, which represents much of Macomb County and Michigan’s Thumb.
Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Dryden Twp.) announced in July that he won’t seek a third term in Congress, citing partisan gridlock in Washington D.C. and a desire to spend more time with family.
A number of names have been mentioned as possible candidates to replace Mitchell.
“A primary serves the voters well,” he says. “It’s this honest exchange of ideas and policies and directions. And the person that can articulate it will usually come to the top.” – Former State Sen. Phil Pavlov
Sen. Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair) is one of those names. “I’ve given it some thought,” Pavlov says on Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson. “It would be facetious to say that I haven’t thought about it.”
But the former GOP lawmaker says he’s enjoying life outside of politics right now. Pavlov says he is “watching it, but not ready” to make an announcement yet.
Last month, Henderson spoke with another person weighing a run in the 10th Congressional District, state Sen. Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Twp.)
Michigan’s 10th is a district that President Trump won in 2016 by 32 points. As of this week, three major Republican names have announced they will challenge President Trump for the GOP nomination next year. Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is the latest to announce a primary bid against Trump. But the GOP in some states have said they are cancelling their primaries and caucuses.
Pavlov says he thinks primaries are good for democracy.
“A primary serves the voters well,” he says. “It’s this honest exchange of ideas and policies and directions. And the person that can articulate it will usually come to the top.”
But he thinks it will be difficult to unseat Trump in a primary or general election.
“President Trump has held his base and I think the economy, to continue to perform the way that it is, I see it difficult.”
