News
Debbie Dingell filed the maximum 2,000
petition signatures to gain a place on the ballot to replace her husband U.S.
Representative John Dingell (D-Dearborn) in Congress. Her fundraising, name
recognition, the lean of the district, and her prior activities make her a
favorite to win both the Democratic nomination and the race.
Ingham Country Treasurer Eric Schertzing is
collecting signatures to run for the 8th U.S. House District now
that Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum has declared she will not run. He still may
face Central University Professor Susan Grettenburger and former state
demographer Ken Darga in the Democratic primary.
State Senator John Pappageorge (R-Troy) has
endorsed former State Representative Andrew “Rocky” Raczkwoski to succeed him
in the 13th Senate District. Mr. Razckowski is running in a crowded
primary that includes former RepresentativeMarty Knollenberg and former RepresentativeChuck
Moss, as well as political newcomers Ethan Buker and Al Gui.
State Senator Bert Johnson (D-Highland Park)
has ended his congressional campaign, and will run for re-election in the State
Senate. RepresentativeJohn Olumba (I-Detroit) has already declared he will run
in Johnson’s 2nd District as a Democrat, which may lead to a
showdown if Senator Johnson’s announcement does not change RepresentativeOlumba’s
mind.
State Representative Peter Pettalia
(R-Presque Isle) announced on Monday his intention to run for re-election to
the 106th House District, rather than run against House Majority
Leader Jim Stamas (R-Midland) for the State Senate. Pettalia cited his wish to
keep the Republican Party in the majority in the House as his reasoning for
abstaining.
Former RepresentativeKurt Damrow and Dan
Grimshaw will join five others in the Republican primary for the 84th
State House District. Mr. Damrow defeated RepresentativeTerry Brown (D-Pigeon)
in 2010, but lost to Mr. Grimshaw in the primary in 2012, who then lost to RepresentativeBrown
in the General election. RepresentativeBrown cannot seek re-election due to
term limits and will run for the 25th Senate District seat against
incumbent Senator Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair).
State Senator Virgil Smith (D-Detroit)
received significant endorsements for his re-election campaign, working to
defeat a challenge from State Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit). The
United Auto Workers, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council, and
Michigan Teamsters Joint Council all endorsed Senator Smith’s campaign.
Finance
Debbie Dingell raised $500,000 in her first
month of candidacy for the U.S. House, more than several incumbents did over
the past two years. 93 percent of that sum came from individual donors.
Democratic U.S. Representative RepresentativeGary
Peters and Republican Terri Lynn Land are neck-and-neck in fundraising. RepresentativePeters
raised $1.35 million in the first quarter, while Ms. Land raised $1.5 million.
Peters has $4.82 million total, which is just under the $5 million raised by
Ms. Land, which includes $1.7 million in personal funds.
In the 11th U.S. House District,
David Trott has raised $1.68 million and has $1.04 million cash on hand. Mr.
Trott has put $808,402 into the campaign from his own funds. Mr. Trott is
challenging U.S. Rep Kerry Bentivolio (R-Milford), who has $155,917 in cash,
but also has $203,854 in debt from his initial campaign committee from 2012.
Bobby McKenzie, an anti-terrorism expert
recruited by top Democrats to challenge RepresentativeBentivolio, has raised
$239,861, but only has $164,986 cash on hand. Anil Kumar, another Democrat, has
$610,542 cash, $610,000 of which is his own money. He has raised $223,126 so
far for the election, but has spent $172,475.
In the 3rd House District, U.S.
Representative Justin Amash (R-Cascade Township) has $114,491 cash on hand
after raising $123,707 last quarter. He is still carrying $100,000 in debt.
Brian Ellis is challenging RepresentativeAmash in the GOP primary and has
raised $429,632 total, with $413,423 in cash on hand, but has $400,100 in debt.
Former State Representative Pam Byrnes, who
is challenging U.S. RepresentativeTim Walberg (R-Tipton) in the 7th
U.S. House District, has raised $221,819 with $423,343 in the bank. Meanwhile RepresentativeWalberg
has raised $116,360 with $327,472 in the bank.
In the 1st District, U.S. RepresentativeDan
Benishek has raised $952,623 and has $654,483 in cash, with $74,500 in debt.
His opponent, former Kalkaska County Sherriff Jerry Cannon, has raised $438,200
and has $270,479 in cash.
State Representative Rudy Hobbs has a slight fundraising
lead over Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence in the 14th District
Democratic primary. State RepresentativeHobbs has $173,329 cash from the
$370,403 he raised and $5,000 in debt. Ms. Lawrence raised $223,240 and has
$145,411 in the bank.
Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic Super PAC,
has spent $884,000 criticizing Republican candidate Terri Land on her policy
history. The PAC has raised more than $19.7 million since January 1, 2013.
On the state level, independent committees
and organizations have outspent candidates in the first quarter of 2014.
Governor Snyder’s campaign spent $400,000 on a Super Bowl Ad, accounting for
most of the $666,000 the campaign has spent so far. The Democratic Governors
Association spent $1.469 million in Michigan in the first quarter on a series
of commercials. The Republican Governors Association spent only $268,000.
Americans for Prosperity has largely been responsible for advertising against
U.S. Rep Gary Peters, especially for his support of the Affordable Care Act.
AFP spent $2.6 million through March 31st.