Now an article about a Democratic candidate fundraising in Ann Arbor. Even he couldn't get away from Trump.
Martin O'Malley stops in Ann Arbor on way to Iowa
Donald Trump was not alone in visiting Michigan this week. One day after Trump spoke at a Republican event in Birch Run, Democratic contender Martin O'Malley paused in Ann Arbor for a fundraising event Wednesday evening.
O'Malley, a former Governor of Maryland, held his fundraiser at the Ann Arbor Brewing Company. On his way in, he spoke to reporters about what he hoped to be able to do in Iowa.
“The history of our presidential primary shows us that usually there is an inevitable (early) front-runner, but only up until the very first contest. And then, especially in the Democratic Party, usually a candidate emerges who represents the voice of a new generation of Americans." O'Malley told the Detroit News.
Michigan Radio quoted an even pithier O'Malley remark. The former Governor said, "A person can become very, very famous in our country overnight, once the people of Iowa make their determination."
He then reminded reporters that "President Obama defeated the inevitable front-runner" eight years ago. That "inevitable front-runner" was former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the same candidate O'Malley hopes to defeat.
O'Malley listed the economic issues he is running on. These include raising the minimum wage and making college more affordable. He then described why these issues are important.
"Most of us – 70% of us are making the same or less than we were ten or 12 years ago," O'Malley said to Michigan Radio. "And that's not the American dream. That's not how our economy and our country's supposed to work."
Even at a Democratic fundraiser, O'Malley could not get escape talk of Trump. Representative Debbie Dingell, who attended the event, mentioned the current Republican front-runner in remarks reported by Michigan Radio.
"Donald Trump excites people," Dingell was quoted by Michigan Radio. "You know what he believes. You know what he thinks."
Dingell said that she has not endorsed O'Malley. She came out of curiosity.
As for O'Malley, he told the Detroit News what he'd do next. "I’m virtually unknown and I’m following that path of other unknowns — Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and others who, nonetheless, climbed into a van and went town to town to town across Iowa. I’ve been in 25 counties of the 99 so far in Iowa and I intend to get to the others and then go back around for a second round."