WHO’S ON FIRST?

With state Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D-Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Oak Park, Hazel Park, Berkley) termed out of his 27th District seat and having announced he’s running for county treasurer, and Dave Coulter, who last June had announced he would jump from Ferndale mayor to the state House, now ensconced as the county exec with plans to run again for a full term, it appears there will be at least four Democrats candidates and one Republican vying for this district’s heavily-Democratic state House seat. Those knocking on doors and meeting in living rooms now are Regina Weiss, an Oak Park city council member who is also a Detroit high school teacher; Robert Lathrop, of Berkley, who owns an adventure travel club, and ran for, but lost, mayor of Berkley in 2019; Matt Stoel, a school social worker and Christian youth ministry director; and Martin Tutwiler of Oak Park, a UAW worker and community activist. Also running is Michelangelo Fortuna III, a Republican from Hazel Park – who ran as a Democrat in 2018 and lost in the primary to Wittenberg – but ran as a Republican candidate in 2010, when he lost to former state Rep. Ellen Lipton (D) for the same seat. Will the third time be the charm?