In Michigan, there is a battle brewing for the Republican nomination for U. S. Senate. Pete Hoekstra, who has spent eighteen (18) years in Congress, is the perceived favorite. However, a genuine conservative activist has come forward. While incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) awaits a challenger, a fed-up public will have to sort out the vast differences between the competing GOP contenders.
As a long-time advocate of educational improvement in practice, Durant co-founded Detroit’s Cornerstone Schools. The private-independent and charter system experiment has had great success, opening doors for more than 1,400 inner-city students a year at last check. Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press editorial page editor, applauded the candidate for his effective work: “The charter movement, the number of independent schools cropping up around the city — it all really started with Durant and Cornerstone” (Detroit Free Press, 8/25/11).
Detroiters involved in the education reform movement – including the plethora of thankful families – are well aware of Durant and his myriad contributions to moving the Motor City forward. For the past two decades, 95% of its students have graduated, compared to a worst-in-the-nation 25% rate for Detroit Public Schools. Mayor Dave Bing had nothing but praise for the alternative academic start-up, stating that “When a child attends Cornerstone Schools they are entering a learning community that brings together children, parents, teachers and partners all working toward a single goal — the success of our children” (CornerstoneSchools.org).
Amongst a long list of accomplishments, Durant served as Vice President of Hillsdale College where he started Imprimis: a conservative intellectual publication with over two million subscribers. From 1995-99, upon state-wide election, he served as President of the Michigan Board of Education. Durant has also sat on educational boards for University of Detroit Jesuit (2001-10) and the Skillman Foundation’s Excellent Schools Detroit initiative.
Any doubt surrounding Durant’s fundraising abilities can be put to rest. Having just formally announced his candidacy, third-quarter reports confirm the campaign raised an impressive $750,000 in a span of three weeks. To boot, a few years back, Durant co-hosted The Turning Point Invitational with golf legend Arnold Palmer. The highly successful event brought in over $6 million for charitable organizations like Cornerstone Schools (GoldDigestPlanner.com). Given Hoekstra’s financial woes in his failed 2010 gubernatorial bid, Durant is in prime position to make the leap to front-runner status.
Of course key votes cannot be cast, necessary funds cannot be collected, and elections cannot be won without a top campaign team. Accordingly, Durant has tapped political guru Dick Wadhams as his chief advisor. The Colorado GOP Chairman boasts a near-perfect record in high-stakes electoral contests. Notably, Wadhams is responsible for Senator John Thune’s (R-SD) 2004 upset victory.
It is time Michiganders are represented by an individual with a proven track record of making a difference. A pair of Washington insiders – Stabenow, whose approval numbers remain dangerously low and are steadily sinking, and the aforementioned Hoekstra – symbolizes all that is wrong with status quo politics. As Tea Party rallies and the mid-term cycle made crystal clear, the current climate filled with a clarion call for real change suits the conservative underdog well. Clark Durant is the right man for the job.
Nicholas Kowalski (@NKowalski) is a blogger for National School Choice Week (NSCW). The upcoming event is slated for January 22-28, 2012. Learn more at www.SchoolChoiceWeek.com.
Posted by Nicholas Kowalski 
The Other Side 