Two supporters of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama announced today that they will produce and air campaign advertisements urging voters to cast "uncommitted" ballots in Michigan's Democratic Presidential primary on Tuesday.
U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, and Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers said they are acting because of the failure of state and national leaders of the Democratic Party to salvage a consequential primary for voters in Michigan.
"Democratic voters have been disenfranchised, indeed had their vote rendered meaningless, by not being able to vote for viable Democratic candidates because of Democratic party rules that evade reality," said Monica Conyers. "We urge Democratic party voters to cast a ballot for uncommitted if the candidate of their choice, such as Senator Barack Obama, is not on the ballot."
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U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., who achieved a surprise victory in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire Tuesday, is the leading Democrat on the ballot in Michigan. Obama, the Democrat from Illinois who prevailed in the Iowa caucuses Thursday, and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina removed their names from the ballot after Michigan Democrats chose to violate party rules by moving the timing of the primary forward in a failed effort to garner more attention for the campaigns in Michigan.
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The Conyerses, who are married, both support Obama, according to Sam Riddle, Monica Conyers' chief of staff.
"Here in Michigan, the primary is almost meaningless," said Riddle, who blamed both state and national party leaders for effectively disenfranchising Democratic voters in Michigan. "Because of the screwed up process, no one is really having a chance to endorse any of the candidates. That's why we are urging people to vote uncommitted."
Radio advertisements will begin running as soon as today, Riddle said, and the Conyerses also hope to run advertisements on television.
The cost of the advertising will likely be between $15,000 and $25,000, Riddle said.
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