Patrick Colbeck Set To Join Governor's Race

CANTON, MI — A local politician appears ready to make a run for governor. While not formally announcing, State Sen. Patrick Colbeck has filed paperwork necessary to launch a campaign. The Canton Republican would be joining a crowded field that includes current Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and Attorney General Bill Schuette.

Gov. Rick Snyder will be term-limited out of office. The general election is set for Nov. 6, 2018. Colbeck believes he’s the right choice to succeed Snyder.

"Michigan deserves principled solutions that prioritize the best interests of all of our citizens, not an influential few," Colbeck said in a Thursday email to supporters. "I have spent my career engineering innovative solutions that satisfy the best interests of my customers. It is about time that elected officials remember that our customers are all of our citizens, not simply the ones who contributed the most to our campaigns. The government works for the people, not the other way around.”

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The race to the governor’s office promises to be interesting. Gretchen Whitmer and Mark Bernstein are the most prominent Democrats to announced their intentions thus far. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said this week at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference that he is a better than “50-50” shot to announced his own bid this summer.

As for Colbeck, he has served as Michigan’s 7th District state senator since 2010, the Canton Observer reported. The district includes Plymouth, Canton, Northville and Livonia. The University of Michigan graduate worked as an engineer for more than 20 years before moving into politics.

"Because I have been boldly leading on good policies and boldly opposing the bad policies over the past six years as a state senator, many grassroots activists across the state have been encouraging me to run for governor," Colbeck said in the email. "Today, my wife Angie and I have taken the first formal steps necessary to do so by filing paperwork with the state."

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