Philip Ruppe obit

Former Rep. Ruppe Was 'One of the Good Guys in the Process'

 

He was not on the list.

It was sadly poignant that former Republican Rep. Philip Ruppe died at age 99 on the day before the nationally-watched U.S. Senate primary in his home state of Michigan.

Ruppe had been a player in two Senate contests following his 12 years (1967-79) in the House. But, because of some unexpected circumstances and bad timing, he never made it to the "upper House" of Congress.

Months after he lost a bid to be Senate Republican Leader, Robert Griffin, Michigan's junior senator, announced he would not seek reelection. Ruppe, who represented what was then the 11th District in the House, promptly declared for what he thought would be an open Senate seat.

Ruppe was the immediate favorite for the GOP nomination. But as Ruppe's fellow moderate Republican and then-Gov. William Milliken was planning his bid for a third term, there was a feeling that he needed Griffin on his ticket to help him win.

"Milliken pressured him into running," former Republican Gov. John Engler told Newsmax. "So Bob [Griffin] changed his mind and Phil Ruppe got out of the Senate primary. [Then-state Sen.] Bob Davis had already lined up support from the local Republican organization. Being a gentleman, Phil bowed out of Congress rather than try to force out Bob Davis."

The resurrection of Griffin as a Senate candidate proved a disaster. Having announced his retirement in mid-1977, Griffin explained he was tired and called for new blood in the Senate. He also missed a third of the votes that year.

When he changed his mind, Democrat nominee Carl Levin slammed him hard for his record missed votes and quotes about being tired in office. Levin won with 53% of the vote.

For his part, Ruppe returned to his pre-congressional life as a director of three banks.

In 1982, he decided to get back into politics by challenging Democrat Sen. Donald Riegle. Although he defeated three GOP opponents in the primary, he went into the fall campaign with the economy in weak shape and Democrats on the upswing. Ruppe lost to Riegle by 58%-41%.

For a time, the political spotlight was on Ruppe's effusive wife Loret and talk of her as a U.S. Senate candidate in 1984. She had helped run family friend and Vice President George H.W. Bush's 1980 bid for the Republican presidential nomination and served as Ronald Reagan's director of the Peace Corps.

But it was not to be. Loret Ruppe stayed where she was and went on to be President Bush's ambassador to Norway.

"Phil was one of the really good guys in politics as was his wife Loret," recalled former Sen. Spence Abraham, R-Mich., "People respected and liked them both. I believe he would have had an excellent chance to beat Levin in '84, a very good Republican year, but he chose to run against Riegle in 1982 – a very bad Republican year."

In 1992, at age 66, Ruppe decided to attempt a comeback to his old House seat. Davis was retiring and Ruppe had an easy time becoming the Republican nominee in what was renamed the 1st District.

But he, Loret, and their five daughters had been living in the Washington, D.C. area, since he first came to Congress. The proverbial "over-the-fence gossip" spread through the Upper and Lower Peninsulas and Ruppe lost to Democrat Bart Stupak.

A native of Laurium, Michigan, the young Ruppe served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Following his discharge, he entered the banking business.

In 1966, he challenged and unseated Democrat Rep. Raymond Clevenger. In so doing, he became one of six Republicans who rode into Congress as popular GOP Gov. George Romney was leading the ticket and one of 55 Republicans who rode into the House.

Among them were future President George H.W. Bush (Texas), future Sens. Robert Taft Jr. (Ohio) and William Scott (Va.), and Margaret Heckler (Mass.), who would go on to be secretary of Health and Human Services and ambassador to Ireland.

Ruppe remained friends with them all.

Former Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis may have put it best: "Phil was the quintessential moderate establishment Republican.

"He was a class act, soft spoken, hardworking public servant who engaged both constituents as well as activists from across the state. The soft spoken Ruppe is emblematic of a Republican Party long gone not only in Michigan, but nationally.

"Virtually everyone who knew Phil Ruppe would say he was one of the good guys in the process."