But Dick Posthumus got the GOP nomination and now Schwarz is left to flirt once more with running for governor but as an independent candidate.
He's been here before, lots of times.
"The climate for an independent is about as good as it's ever going to be," he correctly surmises as the voter anger and dissatisfaction with republicans and democrats is off the charts.
That's why Schwarz reveals, "I think about it every other day.  Persons have asked me to consider it and we talk about it,  yes."
"Money is the question," he again correctly deduces.
Ross Perot had money, ran as an independent for president and got 19% of the vote and helped to elect Bill Clinton president the first time.
Former wresller Jessie Ventura got himself elected governor in Minnesota and he was as independent as you can get.
In other words, it can happen but Schwarz needs guys like Phil Powers, who talks a good game about changing the culture in Lansing, to open his check book to launch such a bid.
Time is running out. Schwarz is not getting any younger but his ideals and approach to government are not out dated and could have appeal to an electorate that wants a government that works for them and not the two political parties.
But Schwarz is still a realist and says there's only about a 50-50 chance his flirtation with an indepenent candidacy will turn into something more than just that.

I've vote democrat before I'd vote for Schwarz. People like Joe Schwarz are the problem. Joe Schwarz is disliked by most of the electorate but loved by the Lansing elite. He's no moderate. He was a RINO in a true sense, but now left the party. Good riddance. My definition of RINO is different than most. A moderate republican is someone like George W Bush (Fiscal liberal, social conservative) or like former senator Bill Roth in Delaware (Fiscal conservative social liberal). A liberal Republican is Rudy Giuliani. Those aren't RINO's. They are moderate or liberal republicans. There is a difference. A RINO is someone who goes out and campaigns against Republicans, like Joe Schwarz did.

Joe Schwarz is also one of the two most arrogant pols I've ever seen in my life. He knows everything, and he'll tell you himself. Anyone that remembers his 2002 gubernatorial campaign understands that. In 2002, he campaigned on being pro-abortion (calling pro-lifers zealots), opposing guns (this was the guy who railed against "Bubbas who strap on a 9mm"), and supported an increase in taxes. He said he didn't "give a shit" (exact quote) about the votes of pro-lifers or pro-2nd amendment advocates. At the gubernatorial debate in 2002, I saw people who were a lot less conservative than I am, walking out after the closing remarks of Schwarz with steam coming out of their ears because Schwarz was so insulting. He didn't even say "bubba" or "zealot" or how he didn't "give a shit" about their votes, either that time.

In 2002, he lost 80-20 in the primary to Dick Posthumus. In 2004 primary for congress, he won only because the conservatives split the vote. He didn't break 30%. He got knocked out in 2006 despite endorsements from all of the Republican establishment including Bush, and even the NRA for some reason which I still don't get. Hey, I didn't think Schwarz gave a shit about their votes......

Joe Schwarz is also one of the big pushers for the con-con, and also was part of the panel that wants to eliminate tax safeguards like Headlee, raise property taxes, giving the governor more power, and making judges the arbitrator for allowing recalls.

We've had budget troubles for years in Lansing. Joe Schwarz was part of that problem. He won't be the solution.