Oakland Confidential | Michigan | Political Gossip/News

PENCE POLITICS

Imagine holding a political dinner in Oakland County, bringing in the Vice President of the United States – and then not inviting any leading Republican lawmakers from the county. That’s what occurred on September 27, when Michigan Republican Chairperson Ron Weiser of Ann Arbor planned a little get-together of special donors at the Bloomfield Hills home of Lauren Fisher and husband Philip, the only son of the late businessman and philanthropist Max Fisher who was a close adv

PENCE POLITICS

GOP KNIGHTHOOD

More than one person has mentioned the growing sense among state Republicans that Michigan GOP chair Ron Weiser is taking the role of kingmaker to new heights. Examples include the story making the rounds about one former Republican lawmaker who was looking at running for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow, who has held the seat since 2000, but was supposedly told “we have a strong candidate” – former Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court Robert Young. A

GOP KNIGHTHOOD

CHESS GAME

When Bloomfield Hills Republican and oil heiress Lena Epstein switched campaigns to run for the 11th congressional seat after Birmingham Rep. David Trott (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield, Rochester Hills, Troy, western Oakland County, parts of Wayne County) announced he was not running for a third term, fellow (male) Republicans got snarky. “Lena’s in over her head,” said one. And more than one male candidate raised the question of how a pregnant candidate would handle both a new po

CHESS GAME

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Speaking of Haley Stevens, the Democrat who announced early on she wanted to take on Rep. David Trott for the 11th District of Congress appears to be racking up the dough – announcing she raised over $500,000 in the last quarter. Stevens, who was chief of staff to the auto czar under former President Obama, likely added to her coffers at a Hollywood fundraiser October 12 at the home of uber-TV producer (The Big Bang Theory) Bill Prady, who grew up locally and attended Cranbro

EYES ON THE PRIZE

SHOO-SHOO-SCHUETTE

As Lt. Gov. Brian Calley continues to drag out the possibility of when he’ll announce his run for governor, Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette appears to have the wind at his back after finally announcing his run. At the 32d Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference in late September, word is Schuette was “all over the island,” including shaking hands with everyone who came off Shepler’s ferry on Friday afternoon before his event. “There are no votes on the island, and

SHOO-SHOO-SCHUETTE

SOS FIELD

After months of speculations, former Wayne State Law School Dean Jocelyn Benson has announced her run to be the Democratic candidate for Secretary of State, her second try, after losing to current Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, who is term-limited. Benson is the first Democrat to jump into the race, where three Republicans, Stan Grot, Shelby Township clerk; Joseph Guzman, a Michigan State University professor; and Mary Treder Lang, a Grosse Pointe Farms CPA, have all announ

SOS FIELD

HOMEBODIES

State Rep. Mike McCready (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township) formally announced his candidacy for the state Senate’s 12th District, where Gov. Rick Snyder and a gaggle of other prominent Republicans endorsed him. The elephant in the room? McCready would have to move into the 12th district, an issue a number of people are quietly talking about now. A 12th district run leaves McCready’s House seat, the 40th, where he’s term-limited, open. Former Republican cou

HOMEBODIES

COMMISSION CHALLENGE

Former 40th District state Rep. Chuck Moss (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham) has thrown his hat back into the ring to challenge Oakland County Commissioner Shelley Goodman Taub (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) for her seat in the 12th District. Two years ago, despite loaning his campaign $100,000 and walking the district, he still came up short on votes – most likely because Taub, who was a county commissioner from 1993 to 2002 and again since

COMMISSION CHALLENGE

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