The Michigan Credit Union League said it was "disappointed" by Aug. 3 primary defeat of gubernatorial candidate, GOP Congressman Pete Hoekstra.
But the league added that its lobbying efforts still produced long-term goodwill for the industry.
"We've already heard from our other Congressmen that they appreciated the fact that we came out so strongly for Pete in a race that was a surprise and at the same reflects some new voter trends that we need to be aware of," declared league CEO David Adams,
The league in May had said it was going on a limb in making a special endorsement of the Holland lawmaker in his unsuccessful bid to succeed Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, barred by term limits from running again.
In the voting last Tuesday, Hoekstra, representing Michigan's 2nd District and a nine-term House veteran, lost to businessman Rick Snyder, who easily bested Hoekstra and state Attorney General Mike Cox to claim the Republican nomination for governor.
Snyder, a former top executive at computer maker Gateway Inc., claimed 37% of the vote with Hoekstra second at 26% and Cox third with 24%. It was Snyder's first foray in electoral politics and was greeted with surprise by political observers.
On the Democratic side, Lansing Mayor Virgil Bernero clinched the gubernatorial nod and will now face Snyder in November.
"We were in good company with other Michigan business and trade groups in our support of Pete Hoekstra but Snyder's win demonstrates the influence on voters of the outsider with no political experience coming into such a race," observed Adams.
Despite the Hoekstra loss, the league said it did well overall in other primary races racking up what it said was a "stunning" 93% win ratio. And those victories demonstrate "the continued political growth and influence of the credit union movement," crowed the league in a website message.
