Michigan's Best Political Bromance
Doug Lloyd and Anthony Forlini didn't know each other before running for state-wide office, but they've become quite the duo
Casco — During the Oakland County Republican debate in April, I noticed something interesting off-stage. Two low-key guys were working the room, and they looked comfortable.
My vision slightly obstructed from my perch in the media bullpen; I continued watching both men—one taller with brown hair, the other shorter with dark hair—shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries. These men had secured their nominations for Attorney General and Secretary of State. They were current Eaton County prosecutor Doug Lloyd and current Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini.
“These two guys must go way back. Probably ran in the same crew as kids,” I uttered to a Enjoyer colleague. “Two old buddies running for office together.”
This casual retail politicking by Lloyd and Forlini stood in sharp contrast to the frantic tension in the room as competing factions of Republicans self-isolated into uneasy circles. I couldn’t help quipping, “These are the only two normal guys in the room.”
Over the last several months the team-up of Doug Lloyd and Anthony Forlini’s campaigns has become so consistent it feels more like one campaign for two candidates. Very much unlike the forced party coalition campaigning, “the boys,” as their PR chiefs call them, have distanced themselves from partisan politics.
This may be a brilliant tactic in today’s environment, where being an establishment Republican is frowned upon and grassroots conservatism scares the shit out of average voters. Lloyd and Forlini have targeted the sweet spot of non-ideological nonpartisan conservatism. In laymen’s terms; the politics of normal.
But the story behind Team Lloyd/Forlini is even more interesting: Until just nine months ago, Lloyd and Forlini had never spoken to each other, and the story behind their friendship highlights the very best of dude-bro culture.
Shortly after Forlini declared his candidacy for Secretary of State, he began the lonely journey of crisscrossing the state, attending small events, shaking hands, and kissing babies. The Macomb County native was driving back home from the west side of the state and was informed that Lloyd was holding a small campaign event in the Lansing area. Thinking “why not,” Forlini crashed the event and was pulled on stage by Lloyd.
Since that moment, a fast friendship developed and partnership was born.
We met up with both candidates at a campaign event in Casco and hilarity ensued. These serious men with strong devotion to civil service and the offices they currently hold can also have fun.
At Little Camille’s on the Green, they were chirping each other like guys who played high school hockey together.
Without skipping a beat, and having never met me, both chirped me like a guy they hadn’t seen since back in the day.
Switching gears, Lloyd spoke definitively on his belief in the rule of law, ordered freedom, and holding criminals accountable. Without directly mentioning his opponent, Eli Savit, Lloyd keyed on his opposition to cashless bail, the current trend of decriminalization, and getting violent criminals off the streets.
When informed that Savit, the current Washtenaw County Prosecutor, refused to prosecute drug offenses and decreed that prostitution was legal in his district, vowing to take that approach state wide, Lloyd shook his head, rolled his eyes, and uttered: “That isn’t happening if I’m elected.”
Forlini, in between busting this reporters balls, got laser focused on his concerns about voter ID and efficient use of tax payers money. When informed current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson blew $9 million on campaign finance software that didn’t work, Forlini stated he streamlined Macomb County’s software for only $20,000, and it did work!
After an hour or so of sincere interviewing, their need to return to bro mode took over. Forlini started cutting on Lloyd’s movie star appearance and his “Kevin Costner hair,” further adding he looks like Elaine’s boyfriend in Seinfeld.
Lloyd unfazed, and with a dead-pan delivery, cut back that Forlini was “Scorsese,” because he needs several takes when they shoot campaign videos.
With politicians of one party seeming to get weirder by the year, it’s an interesting coincidence that two normal guys from opposites sides of Michigan are standing together, yelling “stop.” Is this a return to the politics of normal? Can we have more, please?
At the conclusion of our time with both presumptive nominees, Forlini tried throwing me in the river. It wasn’t to be mean, but because it might be funny.
