ON THE RADAR

Four Michigan Republican congressional candidates have been added to the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC)’s Young Guns program out of a total of 31 Republic congressional candidates around the country who the committee added to the program. The NRCC’s Young Guns program requires candidates to work toward specific goals and meet fundraising benchmarks throughout the election cycle. Put on the radar and receiving mentorship is Lansing’s Paul Junge, a former Lansing TV anchor who recently worked in the Trump administration at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “to stop illegal immigration and secure our borders,” he said. He is running in MI-8’s Republican primary to face off against Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly). Birmingham attorney Eric Esshaki, who specializes in litigation with Royal Oak firm Howard & Howard, is running in the Republican primary in MI-11 with a goal to take on Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Rochester Hills). Other “young guns” are state Rep. Shane Hernandez (R-Port Huron) and Doug “Odie” Slocum, a former Selfridge Air National Guard commander, both of whom are candidates in the 10th District, after Congressman Paul Mitchell (R-Dryden) announced he is retiring in 2020.