When looking to get support for a leadership position, it doesn’t hurt to know people in high places. State Rep. Matt “Mad Dog” Maddock (R-Milford) really, really wants to be the next leader of the state House – so badly, he’s turned to the Big Dog of the current Republican Party himself, former President Donald Trump, who recently issued his endorsement. “I am with you all the way,” Trump appeared to have handwritten on a copy of a Detroit News story about “Outspoken Trump

Trump is keeping his track record solid in terms of supporting more fringe candidates, which “elevates them within the conservative movement and gives them cachet,” as Vice magazine points out, as he seeks relevancy by endorsing candidates around the country – most notably those with connections to murky QAnon association. In Michigan, he has endorsed QAnon candidate Kristina Karamo, who is running to be Michigan’s next Secretary of State. Also running, at this point for the

The Michigan Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission has released its sets of maps for the next decade for Congress, state Senate and House, and sitting members of each chamber, as well as candidates, are jousting to see where they could land in the new configurations. One possible hiccup for Congress is that with the 2020 Census, as expected, Michigan has lost one congressional seat. Barring someone deciding to retire, that means that when the music ends, one congressi

Don’t think for a moment that Elissa Slotkin will have a free ride in 2022 just because she is choosing to run for re-election in the liberal leaning Lansing/East Lansing area. Just after the latest maps for the new congressional districts were released, state Senator Tom Barrett ( R-Charlotte), a constant critic of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, announced he would be running for Congress. As an army vet with 21 years of service – including a number of tours in war-torn countries – a

Speaking of new districts for Congress, word has been circulating in recent months that former U.S. House member Republican Mike Bishop from Rochester may try to revive his political fortunes in the 2022 election, after losing in 2018 to Slotkin who likely won’t be running in the Oakland area again. Bishop has actually confirmed to a reporter that another run could be in the offing. An attorney, Bishop served in Congress starting in 2015 after serving in the Michigan House an

“We are unable to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.” So said Sarah Pulda, Ingham County Prosecutor, when announcing that their office would not be charging Macomb County Rep. Steve Marino (R-Harrison Township) of domestic abuse against state Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township). The two had a romantic relationship in 2019 and after they broke up, Manoogian filed a complaint with Michigan State Police in 2021 that Marino threatened an

Noah Arbit, a Democratic candidate for state Representative for West Bloomfield, may or may not be facing incumbent state Rep. Ryan Berman (R-West Bloomfield, Commerce Township) in ‘22, depending on if Berman succeeds in his quest to be chosen as his party’s nominee for attorney general. What Arbit will have is some serious dough in the bank. Ahead of the October 25 campaign finance filing deadline, he announced he had raised a total of $71,277 from 358 contributors, and no d

State Rep. Mari Manoogian’s announced Republican challenger Anthony Paesano made a splash in late October when the quarterly fundraising reports were due at the office of the SOS, touting how in his first quarterly report in this election cycle he had raised $65,545, which at first blush may seem like a major haul. On closer look, however, it appears Paesano lent his campaign $30,000. At the end of the reporting period, his committee had $50,239 on hand. And by the way, his c

Well we find ourselves at Oakland Confidential having to issue a retraction (and apology) to the chair of the Oakland County Republican Party after an initial item was released for our December edition of the gossip column. The website for the county Republicans carried a section with a list of party endorsements of candidates in many county races for the November election – partisan and non-partisan contests. Then a missive from GOP county chair Rocky Raczkowski made its way