Mark Schauer, a Democratic candidate for Michigan governor, made a stop in Cass County Saturday morning.

Schauer paid a visit to the Cass County Democratic headquarters and hit upon a few topics that residents could really get behind — roads and education.

With the unusually tough winter leaving county roads in bad shape, Schauer talked about how Gov. Rick Snyder and the state legislature have left residents stranded.

Cassopolis Public Schools spent much of 2013 trying to keep their heads above water as Michigan continued to pull back funding to public schools.

Schauer said that Snyder is helping the wrong people.

“A nerd should know that the last thing you do when you want to build a strong economy is to cut education and attack working people,” he said. “A nerd should know better than that.”

Schauer, a Battle Creek resident who spent six years in the state house, six years in the state senate and two years as a United States Congressman, said that Snyder has been tough on students, families, retirees and teachers.

“Jobs have not been trickling down with his policies,” he said. “Michigan has the fourth worst unemployment rate in the country. He’s out of touch with families, retirees and workers. Four hundred thousand people are still unemployed, and the fastest growing job segment in the state is at fast-food joints.”

Schauer touched a nerve in speaking about fixing the state’s roads. He feels that repairing the roadways would lead to more jobs and less unemployment.

Schauer is no stranger to the road issues. When he was a state legislator he worked with Republicans to raise the gas tax in 1998 to help repair Michigan’s roadways.

“He’s gotten nowhere in fixing the roads with a Republican legislature,” Schauer said. “I will lead on the issue in a way that is fair and not on the backs of the middle class. It’s also a great job program and will put tens of thousands of people to work.”

Also on hand Saturday was Mike Moroz, who is running for the Michigan House of Representatives in the 59th District.