Lyons, Breslin earn GOP noms for MSU Board of Trustees
Tweet
Nugent
Lyons
Breslin
Former MSU athletes took the two Republican nominations for the MSU Board of Trustee over incumbent Don Nugent at the Michigan Republican Party convention, held Saturday at Breslin Center.
Former MSU football player Mitch Lyons and former MSU basketball player Brian Breslin were chosen as the GOP’s two candidates.
Nugent’s term expires January 2011, and despite his two terms on the Board of Trustees and his bid for reelection, he will not appear on the November general ballot.
Since there are two slots available for the MSU Board of Trustees, Breslin ran unopposed, while Nugent and Lyons had to face off for the second nomination. A motion was proposed to allow all three candidates to run against one another, but it did not receive a two-thirds vote and was rejected.
Nugent said he was disappointed by the convention’s outcome but will continue to support MSU in the future.
“I just hope that the newly elected will serve the university with great dedication and will help the university continue to grow in a positive fashion,” he said. “I’ll do whatever I can do to help out, but I’ll probably have a little more time to myself.”
After graduation, Lyons played in the NFL for seven years and has since worked in financial services.
Lyons is a dedicated Spartan and will bring conservative Christian values to the Board of Trustees, said former MSU football player Toby Heaton.
“(Lyons’) number one objective is fiscal responsibility and to make MSU accessible to the residents of Michigan,” Heaton said in his speech nominating Lyons. “As a trustee, I know that (Lyons) will always act in the best interest of MSU.”
Breslin is the son of Jack Breslin, namesake of Breslin Center. He has served on the board of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and was the senior vice president of Meijer.
Breslin is a name indistinguishable from MSU, and he would serve the school well, said Holly Hughes, a Republican National Committee member.
“When (Breslin) said his last name, I thought, ‘No brainer.,’” Hughes said in her speech nominating Breslin. “Breslin. MSU. You can’t separate the two … Go green. Go white. Go Breslin.”
The convention also confirmed state Rep. Brian Calley, R-Portland, for lieutenant governor alongside GOP gubernatorial candidate and Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder. The GOP delegates selected Bill Schuette as the Attorney General candidate.
The Michigan Democratic Party’s convention also was held Saturday in Detroit’s Cobo Center.
Commentary
Add your $0.02, go to the comment form or follow the comment feed
The Real Deal
(08/28/10 8:23pm)Report
Mitch Lyons is the real deal. Part of Mr. Lyons plan for Michigan State is to cut tuition costs for students. Mr. Lyons you have just won my vote.
Tuition
(08/29/10 10:28am)Report
Tuition goes up the same amount that U.S. Department of Education FAFSA loans go up. Tuition will never stabilize to sane levels until the Department of Education is razed to the ground.
Mitch Lyons really?
(08/29/10 12:01pm)Report
Mitch lied on Trustee Nugent and for almost a year as he went around the state saying he Don was told and he would die.. He also played under one of the most liberals board members on the board. Everyone says they will cut tution hell Faylene Owen campaigned on it but in the four years since shes been on the board tution has gone up. Students need to hold their feet to the fire on this and not get duped into to voting for just another dumb jock. The students,faculty and spartan community lost an true friend on the board.
The marxist Teacher's Union
(08/29/10 12:41pm)Report
How’s that pigin English Graduate Employee Union working out for higher education? We’re speaking to you Board of Trustees.
I just
(08/29/10 2:15pm)Report
can’t get over that picture. Ted Nugent has really let himself go…
OMG are you funny "I Just"
(08/29/10 10:47pm)Report
Hahahahaha, the short hair was a dead give away..Ted wears it long, hahaha…I know you were kidding and it made me laugh so thanks! “DON” is the real name, but you already know that.
student
(08/29/10 10:57pm)Report
From article:
“(Lyons’) number one objective is fiscal responsibility and to make MSU accessible to the residents of Michigan,” Heaton said in his speech nominating Lyons. “As a trustee, I know that (Lyons) will always act in the best interest of MSU.”
I believe this statement just cost this guy my vote. MSU is one of the most accessible and fiscally responsible universities in the Big Ten. While MSU has been impacted by budget cuts, just like every university in the US, I consider the University is consistent and effective in its development.
Furthermore, if Lyons thinks that he’s going to come to MSU and limit the development of our University, he is wrong. MSU has an incredibly positive momentum and Spartans want to keep it that way.
No Jocks
(08/30/10 7:59am)Report
What now, mandatory conservative Christian classes? This isn’t Beck U.
Unanticipated
(08/30/10 9:05am)Report
We must stop the bleeding by adopting sound business principles. Outsource non-core functions, from laundry to traffic enforcement. Privatize service functions including residence halls, dining services and parking. Continue to close unproductive departments: their students are a permanent drain on the Michigan population and should be encouraged to leave the state. Speculative studies such as evolution, global warming, distributive justice and liberal thought belong in the department of religion. As space is freed, sell it, starting with the farms. Offer naming rights on every building, street and department; sell banner ad space on every web page. And sell this rag to Murdoch, who will free your minds from serfdom.
Mitch Lyons, Seriously???
(08/30/10 10:32am)Report
Mitch Lyons is a radical, polar right wing, uncompromising mistake to the Republican ticket. If he is elected to MSU’s board of trustees, he will cause more harm than good. A candidate must have the ability to work with others who do not share the same points of view, and still be able to get things done. This is not Mitch – and he lacks the life experience to serve the role of trustee justice. Mitch seems to want to serve as trustee for access and prestige. A bit too arrogant for this Republican’s blood.
Bill Boyce
(08/30/10 10:30pm)Report
Mitch Lyons is truly an honorable individual who will represent the University and the people of the State of Michigan well. He is the type of leader that MSU needs on its Board.
Bill Boyce if you believe that
(09/01/10 12:35pm)Report
Bill if you believe that you’re just as stupid as Mitch Lyons is. You call yourself a conservative yet he’s on wife number 2. He’s never voted in schoolboard elections in his area yet you expect me to believe that he’ll drive from GR to EL to sit in boring monthly board meetings. Even if you dreamt what you said was true you need to wake up because its just a BAD DREAM!!!
eyes wide open
(09/04/10 5:17am)Report
Right wing idiotic dogma. We’ve all seen the “private” sector’s idea of “honor” in the recent securities, auto industry, health insurance,and home mortgage crime wave. A trillion dollar surplus turned into a trillion dollar deficit in less than 6 years. To bad they didn’t “privatize” social security I’m sure the neo-CONS would have “fixed” that too? Jobs are created by demand not free rides for the top 2%. Try thinking and watch something besides Neo CON-I mean Fox “news”.
Class of 1979
(09/11/10 7:51am)Report
Reading student comments to articles makes me shake my head. Typographical errors in this day and age are unexcusable. Furthermore, those of you bashing “Conservatives” will find yourselves being much more conservative ONCE YOU’VE STARTED PAYING YOUR OWN WAY and once you have real employment. When you realize that so much of your hard earned money is going to wasteful spending, you too, will find yourselves becoming a little more conservative.