By David Eggert
Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bob Young Jr. launched his U.S. Senate campaign Wednesday, touting his conservative record and becoming the second Republican to seek the nomination to challenge third-term Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2018.
"I'm not a politician. I'm a judge. When I get to Washington, I'm going to lay down the law — no more big government and no more government getting in the way of businesses and communities solving problems and creating jobs," Young, who was an appellate judge for 22 years, said in a news release. He planned to also livestream his announcement on Facebook.
Young, 66, disclosed his plans to run last week at a meeting of local Republicans in Midland. He stepped down from the high court in April after serving there for 18 years. He described himself as a black conservative Republican — three words "almost never spoken in the English language" — and said Wednesday that he reformed the judicial system while serving as the court's longest-serving chief justice and a "rule-of-law" judge.
Lena Epstein, co-owner of Southfield-based Vesco Oil Corp., is also running for the Republican nomination.
Young grew up in Detroit and graduated from Harvard with bachelor's and law degrees. He was appointed to the state Supreme Court and state Court of Appeals by then-Gov. John Engler in the 1990s and later won elections to stay on the bench.
Before that, he worked as general counsel for AAA Michigan and worked in private practice.
"Debbie Stabenow is a product of the past" who "loves government more than she loves us," Young said.
Epstein, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, criticized Young and Stabenow for holding elected office for decades, combined. "Voters across Michigan spoke loud and clear in 2016 that they are looking for outside leaders with business experience," she said in a statement.
Stabenow coasted to re-election in 2006 and 2012.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Brandon Dillon said in a statement that Young "sided with insurance companies, polluters and other special interests" while Stabenow is "on the side of Michigan families."
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