State Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith officially joined U.S. Rep. David Bonior in his gubernatorial campaign.

Wheeler Smith, D-Salem Township, announced her decision to drop out of the running for the Aug. 6 primary on the east Capitol steps Wednesday afternoon after posting continuously poor polling numbers.

“I am going to be as active on the Bonior campaign as I was on my own,” Wheeler Smith said. “David brings the same kind of commitment to issues that were very important to me in my campaign. Together we’re going to mean real change for Michigan.”

Bonior, D-Mt. Clemens, expressed enthusiasm in taking on Wheeler Smith as a running mate.

“She is enormously qualified, bright, active and passionate about what she does,” he said. “She’s highly respected and considered one of the finest public servants we have.”

But Bill Ballenger, editor of Lansing-based newsletter Inside Michigan politics isn’t sure what Wheeler Smith will offer.

“I think some of the other candidates are going to view this as an act of desperation, he said.

But Bonior claims two heads are better than one, calling their combined experience an advantage over the other candidates.