TAKE A SEAT

The number of those looking to fill the shoes, and the seat, of Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) are increasing, with former state Rep. Leslie Love (D-Detroit) announcing her intention to join Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing), businessman Nasser Beydoun, lawyer and scientist Zack Burns of Ann Arbor, and state board of education chair Pamela Pugh in the primary. Word is actor Hill Harper, who moved to Detroit’s Boston-Edison district in 2018, is poised to announce his run, despite his continued presence on The Good Doctor, which films in Vancouver.  At a recent event, Slotkin said the only fellow candidate she has a slight concern about is Harper, while questioning how he can actively campaign in Michigan while working in Canada. As for Republicans, Slotkin currently isn’t very worried about any of them, as the current crop of potential candidates – Nikki Snyder of Dexter, who has announced; Michael Hoover of Lainsburg, a former employee of Dow Chemical, who has announced; former Detroit police chief James Craig, former Bloomfield Township auto dealer Kevin Rinke  – seem to hew to the MAGA state theme. As for Milford native John Tuttle, now vice chair of the New York Stock Exchange – “How I would love to go against a Wall Street guy!” she chuckled. The only possible note of worry is towards her friend and former fellow congressman Peter Meijer (R-Grand Rapids), who Slotkin noted voted to impeach former President Trump. However, she said, if he could get through the primary (an iffy possibility, all note), there are whisperings of a deal with Trump for him to not endorse or disparage Meijer. And then there’s all that family grocery money, which is formidable. However, Slotkin is known for her own fundraising prowess. Stay tuned.