An all-white slate is a disaster for Michigan Democrats

The Michigan Democratic Party likely emerged from its convention this weekend in Detroit with an all-female, all-white ticket, thanks to the nomination of Dana Nessel as attorney general. If the pundits and pollsters are correct, and frontrunner Gretchen Whitmer wins the primary, we will have the least diverse Democratic ticket in years. How can the party be so tone deaf? Does Michigan Democratic Party really believe it can woo back the Democrats statewide who voted for Donald Trump without a single white male on the ticket? Does the party really think it can ignite the minority vote without at least one minority on the ticket? This is a recipe for disaster. Since 1970, when Richard Austin was elected secretary of state, Michigan Democrats have nominated at least one African-American for one of the top three statewide offices in all but one election. And even that election in 2010 included future U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, an African-American, on the ballot for lieutenant governor. In a big upset, Nessel rode a progressive wave to defeat Pat Miles, an African-American and former U.S. attorney, during Sunday’s convention at Cobo Center in Detroit. Miles was backed by unions and traditional Democrats, but she brought thousands of new members to the party by forging a coalition of LGBTQ activists and cannabis proponents.