KEEPING THEIR POWDER DRY

Mackinac Island is a beautiful vacation destination anytime...but for those Republicans looking to run for office, or keeping their options open, the Michigan Republican Party Leadership Conference September 20-21 was a particularly lovely port-of-call. In attendance? Former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop (R-Rochester), who has been playing coy as to whether he wants to take on the woman who arm wrestled him to the ground in the 8th District 2018 election, Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-Rochester, Rochester Hills, northern Oakland County, parts of Livingston and Ingham counties). While he told fellow GOPers on the island he doesn't want to run again in 2020, let's point out that he showed up, shmoozed and glad-handed his way through the event. He's also become something of a regular political panelist on WDIV newscaster Devin Scillian's Sunday Flashpoint show. Also on the island for the confab was Ingrid Tighe, executive director of Birmingham Shopping District. While flattered she's been asked to run against Democrat Mari Manoogian (Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) for the state House 40th District, she told us recently the time isn't right. Yet, she was all over Mackinac, posting photos of herself. Hey, timing in life is everything. Or not.