Reply #7: DeVos didn't have the support of rank and file Republicans. McCain does.

[knitter4democracy]

McCain's well-loved by most Republicans I know here in SouthCentral and SouthWest Michigan, even though he's a putz for letting Bush kick him around like he does.

In 2004, only four counties, if I remember right, were blue--the rest of the state went red. That was after DFA built up groups in counties that didn't even have a local Dem party and local DFAers were working their butts off. Granholm didn't carry the ticket at all, either. None of the other big-name Dems won, and our state senate numbers weren't good, either. She won because of her charisma, her economic plan that she seems to have chucked, and because DeVos just didn't have the rank and file Republicans sold on how great he was.

McCain or Huckabee would be hard to beat on this side of the state, even with someone like Edwards. Our nominee's starting in the hole--no ads, no signs, not enough press, no fundraising, no delegates coming home pumped up and ready to knock on doors and phonebank. That's really bad.