Mark Schauer poses for a group photo with activists and supporters.

DEARBORN — Michigan Democratic candidates and leaders met with cheering supporters at a reception for gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer at the Arab American National Museum on Monday, Oct. 27. The officials urged attendees to encourage everybody they know to vote on Nov. 4. 

The Dearborn Democratic Club and Arab American Democrats organized the event.

Schauer, who was endorsed last week by both the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) and the Yemeni American Political Action Committee (YAPAC), voiced his appreciation for the support of the Arab community.

“The endorsements of AAPAC and YPAC mean so much to me,” Schauer said.  “I was invited to the AAPAC dinner to speak. My opponent was invited there to speak; he didn’t come, by the way. We were there because the endorsement was hanging in the ballots. They needed to hear from the candidates about what we stood for. When I heard the results that night, that moved me more than anything in this campaign.”

Schauer added that AAPAC’s endorsement meant more to him than a “newspaper endorsement that went the wrong way”,  referring to the Detroit Free Press, whose editorial board announced Sunday it was backing Gov. Rick Snyder. 

“I didn’t spend 30 seconds thinking about that,” Schauer said of the newspaper’s decision. “The endorsements that mean something to me are from the Arab American PAC, from the Yemeni American PAC, because they come from the people.”

Schauer, a former U.S. congressman, criticized Snyder’s pension tax and education cuts. He also renewed his pledge to have an administration that would reflect the diversity of the state, including Arab Americans.

A poll published by the New York Times on Monday showed Schauer one point ahead of the governor, but a poll by the Detroit News the following day said Snyder has a 5.7-point lead.

Schauer said his campaign’s internal polling indicate that he has a slight lead and that higher turnout can tip the scale and seal the election in his favor.

“My pollsters always tell me this: We are making the best guess [as to] who will turn out to vote,” Schauer said. “We can shake the math here. I don’t know how many people here ever got calls asking how you’re going to vote— probably not many people in this room. We can change the math and determine the outcome of this election.”

Local enthusiasts surrounded Schauer, posing for pictures with him and chanting “We want Mark.”

Schauer told The Arab American News that he is more confident because of the “commitment and energy of the Arab American community.” He described the enthusiasm of his supporters as incredible.

Debbie Dingell, Democratic candidate for Congress, who is running to replace her retiring husband, John Dingell, the dean of the House of Representative, urged the crowd to vote for all Democratic candidates. She said she was hesitant to run for Congress at first, but she has no mixed feelings about what’s at stake in this election. 

Dingell, who is the chair of the Wayne State University board of governors, said Snyder’s education cuts are pricing students out of college.

Local officials, activists and a host of Democratic candidates attended the event.

Ismael Ahmed, who was the director of the Michigan Department of Human Services under Gov. Jennifer Granholm, read a welcoming statement to the candidates at the museum. These included Godfrey Dillard, who is running for secretary of state; and Richard Bernstein, who was nominated by the Democratic Party for the Michigan Supreme Court. 

Lon Johnson, the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), stressed the importance of high voter participation, highlighting efforts by his party to increase the turnout.

He said the MDP has identified the names and addresses of more than 95,000 Democrats who did not vote in the last elections and is urging them to vote on Nov. 4. He added that Democrats are also encouraging people who cannot make it to the polls to file absentee ballots.

“We are knocking on doors; we will do everything we can to get people to vote,” Johnson said.

Mohamad Bahlawan, 17, a Fordson High School Student, said although he cannot vote, he will volunteer for Schauer’s campaign. 

“Mark Schauer stands for causes that are important to all of us,” Bahlawan said. “He supports education, wants to end discrimination and make sure that our voices are heard.”