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MARQUETTE -- The “Nerd Mobile,” as it’s called, rolled into downtown Marquette Monday morning, and Republican Rick Snyder, who prides himself on being a “tough nerd,” arrived with a plan to nurture Michigan’s ailing economy.

He says the solution lies within state lines.

“We need to move away from having our focus be on attracting a few big out of state companies with huge incentive packages and start realizing that the comeback of Michigan is going to be Michiganders creating and growing small businesses,” said Snyder.

But he says taxes have been an obstacle to those small businesses; he wants to scale back corporate income tax to six percent.

“The Michigan business tax is a job killer,” he said.  “Lansing goes too far...they often treat people as if we’re bad and should be controlled.”

A seasoned businessman and venture capitalist, Snyder calls himself the “job creator,” a title that appeals to the large unemployed population statewide.

While Snyder lacks political experience, he says that will only help him in his campaign.

“I’m excited about my background,” he said.  “People respond well to that.  I’m the proven job creator here.  I’ve created companies, and I know what it’s like to struggle to keep a business going.”

Before returning to his campaign headquarters, Snyder was scheduled to make two more stops in the U.P. Monday--to Munising and Sault Ste Marie.