ONE MORE RUN

Mike Kowall

Is former state Sen. Mike Kowall (R-White Lake) still looking for his final act? Word around both Oakland County and Lansing is that he’s getting his ducks lined up to run in the Republican primary for Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner. If he does run, Kowall will face fellow Republicans Robert E. Buxbaum of Oak Park, who ran unsuccessfully against water resources commissioner Jim Nash (D) in 2016 (Nash prevailed, 54 percent to 46 percent) and Jim Stevens of Rochester Hills, who ran for mayor and lost to Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett in 2015. Nash, a former county commissioner for Farmington Hills, has a reputation as an avowed environmentalist and has worked to prevent the spread of invasive species, stormwater pollution and oil drilling in the county during his time as water resources commissioner. Kowall, who most recently worked in economic development at the Oakland County executive complex for former exec L. Brooks Patterson, was also White Lake Supervisor for many years, and last sought elective office in 2018 when he ran – and lost – to be the Republican congressional candidate for the 11th District congressional seat now held by Democrat Haley Stevens (D), who flipped the long-held GOP seat. Would this be Kowall’s swan song, or the spot that floats his boat?