Glenn criticized for misleading, ‘half-cocked’ attacks of primary opponent
MIDLAND, Mich. — Republican state Senate candidate Annette Glenn is being criticized by community leaders for a barrage of misleading negative campaign attacks and press releases targeting one of her primary opponents, Christian Velasquez.
“The literature that Annette Glenn sent out against Chris Velasquez was both half-cocked and less than half factual. I’ve spent thirty years fighting this kind of nasty politics, and all that time protecting my constituents from half-truths,” State Senator Ken Horn wrote in a public post on Tuesday.
Mr. Horn represents the 32nd District, which includes parts of the newly created 35th District that Ms. Glenn and Mr. Velasquez are vying to represent.
“As I’ve said all along, how a person campaigns will always reflect how they govern. In 2008, I wrote a letter to the editor defending my Democrat opponent from a lying robocall sent out anonymously against him, and I made it clear in each election that I would rather lose my race for office, than lose my integrity. It’s that important,” Mr. Horn added.
Ms. Glenn currently represents the 98th District as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Mr. Velasquez is a retired Dow and Dow Corning executive. The two are also facing another major challenger, Tim Kelly, in the Aug. 2 primary election.
Ms. Glenn has a history of being associated with negative campaign tactics and mailings. Two years ago, her general election opponent in the state House race, Democrat Sarah Schulz, criticized the Michigan G.O.P. for mailing out multiple negative campaign flyers portraying her as a radical and falsely accusing her of being a member of Michigan United and supporting efforts to “defund the police.”
The Glenn campaign’s latest salvo involves publishing highly-selective court excerpts from a federal sex discrimination suit against Dow Corning, which was later settled. Mr. Velasquez was a witness in the case and is mentioned in a court opinion denying Dow Corning’s motion for summary judgment. The case is Sharon Schram v. Dow Corning Corporation.
Ms. Glenn said that her campaign went on the attack because the court’s ruling on a motion makes Mr. Velasquez “unelectable” and that if she failed to attack Mr. Velasquez, then “a Democrat media campaign would surely alert voters after the primary, and we could kiss this seat goodbye, giving control of the state Senate the next four years to the same Joe Biden Democrats who’ve given us record-high inflation and crime, open borders, and boys competing in girls’ sports.”
“They’re making it seem like I’m the defendant and I was merely a witness,” Mr. Velasquez told the City Paper. “I was the manager of the manager managing this person.”
Ms. Glenn was also criticized for the mailings by ABC Michigan CEO Jimmy E. Greene. ABC Michigan has endorsed Ms. Glenn in the race.
“I get politics; when it crosses a personal line that’s when we all have to draw our own lines and speak up,” Mr. Greene said. “[Mr. Velasquez is] as decent a man as one can find. I’d trust any of my daughters careers with him in a heartbeat. I didn’t like what I read or heard when I saw it and I hoped it would go away. But it didn’t.”
Ms. Glenn’s campaign has doubled-down on the attacks even after community leaders criticized her tactics. On Tuesday, she announced that she would be returning $1,175 to Mr. Velasquez, which the campaign said was the amount of campaign contributions Mr. Velasquez sent to Ms. Glenn in 2018 and 2020.
Mr. Velasquez’s campaign issued a statement on the matter on Thursday.
“During my 29 years with Dow and Dow Corning, I worked with thousands of women, earned a reputation for being fair, and am credited as an advocate throughout their career journeys. My commitment to ensuring equal opportunity for all people is unwavering,” part of the statement reads.
“It’s a disappointment that the Glenns continue to run a negative campaign against me and other candidates instead of focusing on what they bring to the table for this new district,” Mr. Velasquez told the City Paper.
Michael Westendorf is the chairman and executive editor of Chemical City Paper. As Executive Editor, he leads the City Paper’s news coverage and editorial team.