FLASHREPORT

I was born and raised in Michigan's 7th Congressional District.  For the duration of my life, it has been a Republican district - until now.
 
Liberal Mark Schauer defeated Republican incumbent Tim Walberg 49-46% in 2008.  Now I like Tim Walberg and I've rarely disagreed with him.  But his path to Congress and his performance along the way demonstrate why conservatives cannot afford him as the nominee in November if we are going to capitalize on the current advantages the GOP has going into 2010.
 
Nick Smith represented the 7th District from 1992-2004 and comfortably held the seat with nearly 60% of the vote every time.  After his retirement in 2004, a crowded primary which featured his son, Brad, Walberg, and a few others (in a race that divided the conservative base), nominated moderate Republican Joe Schwarz.  Schwarz went on to win the 7th handily.
 
In 2006, Walberg, recognizing that Schwarz's victory was based on a divided base, primaried Schwarz, and with the help of the Club for Growth, narrowly defeated Schwarz.  In the General Election, Walberg won with only only 49% of the vote against a hemp farmer who spent $50,000.
 
Walberg is back, hoping to reclaim his seat, but any objective observer will recognize that he is not the best candidate to win in November.
 
However, Brian Rooney, an Iraq War veteran and constitutional attorney at the conservative Thomas More Law Center, is running and provides the GOP the best opportunity to reclaim a seat we should have never lost.  Rooney, the grandson of Pittsburgh Steelers founder, Art Rooney, is a movement conservative with an impressive life story and the ability to reach out and unite the Republican base.
 
It is hard not to be impressed by his reaction to September 11 - he reenlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and put his life on the line in Iraq.
 
Now why do Californians care?  First, know it or not, you've already been involved.  In support of Walberg's primary challenge to Schwarz, Flash readers raised $25,000 for Walberg - and impressive amount for a guy in another state.  Second, Rooney is a bit of a Californian, too.  Of course, as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, he's lived all over the world, but of that tour of duty, he was stationed in San Diego for four years.
 
And for those of you that have followed the Atheists' perennial efforts to remove the cross from atop San Diego's Mt. Soledad, Brian's work with the Thomas More Law Center, has been instrumental in keeping that important land mark, which is also a tribute to our veterans, firmly overlooking the coast from San Clemente to Rosarita.
 
I am compelled to disclosure that Brian is one of my clients.  But his commitment to this country and our Republican values compel me to let Flash readers know of another opportunity to flex their influence and - again - give the GOP a victory in Michigan's 7th District with conservative Brian Rooney.