Kildee clinches Democratic nomination against first primary opponent since 1976

August 04, 2010
From © The Saginaw News
by Barrie Barber

U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee has defeated his first party challenger since the Flint Democrat won election to Congress 34 years ago. Kildee, 80, beat Scott L. Withers Jr, 37, a Birch Run Democrat and former cable TV talk show host.

With all but six precincts in Bay County reporting, a Saginaw News unofficial tally showed Kildee captured 34,109 votes (78.5 percent) compared to Withers 9,328 (21.5 percent) in Genesee and Tuscola counties and parts of Saginaw and Bay counties.

The veteran congressman said he was surprised he had never had a challenger before in a congressional primary since his election, and accused his Republican opponent in November of wanting to return the nation to the failed economic policies of former President George W. Bush.
Late election return shows Mundy Township Republican John Kupiec leading Grand Blanc Township party opponent Rick Wilson by a tally of 21,669 votes (56 percent) to 17,064 (44 percent).

But Wilson, 60, a former Delphi Flint East manager, wasn’t willing early Wednesday to concede as he awaited results from the “most conservative” areas of Bay County.
The Saginaw News left messages for both Withers and Kupiec, 53, an ad agency and Subway franchise owner.