GOP Ex-Gov. Snyder's Blessing Could Cost Biden Michigan, Flint Dems Warn

On Friday, Michigan's former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder made headlines by endorsing Democrat Joe Biden for president.

But the blessings of Snyder, who served as governor from 2010-2018, could well cost Biden a significant number of Black voters and the 16 electoral votes of Michigan — a critical, up-for-grabs state, which Donald Trump carried by only 10,704 votes (or 47.50% to Hillary Clinton's 47.23%) in 2016.

That was the opinion of two prominent Black Democrats in Flint, Michigan, which experienced a nationally-watched water crisis from 2015 to 2016 that exposed between 6,000 and 12,000 children to lead poisoning.

A report by the University of Michigan School of Public Health concluded that then-Gov. Snyder "bears significant responsibility" for the still-discussed water crisis in Flint, which has a population of roughly 99,000 and is 57% Black.

"Look what happened to Flint!" the city's former Mayor Karen Weaver told Newsmax, recalling how a lawsuit was filed against Snyder and other officials charging that they acted negligently, which led to autoimmune disorders and "brain fog" among those experiencing the lead poisoning.

Some Flint residents, she said, "are damaged permanently." Weaver added that Biden should be careful about Snyder's blessing because "he could be in prison someday for the poisoning."

The issue has clearly not faded. On April 16 of this year, Vice magazine published an extensive article detailing a possible cover-up by Snyder and how he was warned several times of the danger of decisions he made about the water supply in Michigan.

"Everybody is waiting to see whether Snyder will be charged criminally," Flint City Councilman Eric Mays told Newsmax. "He's in hot water now."

Mays noted that the former governor has faced several civil lawsuits and still faces more action in court. 

Politically, Mays believes, Biden should be careful about Snyder's blessing "in light of the missteps he made in the Black community."

"I wouldn't use Snyder in any commercials," he said. "I wouldn't embrace him, hug him, or celebrate him. If I was Biden, I would only touch him with a spoon with the longest handle I could find."

The Biden campaign has so far not issued a comment on Snyder's decision to endorse the Democrat nominee. 

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.