Michigan Republicans are starting to wonder about the bona fides of congressional candidate Matthew DenOtter of Waterford, running in the August primary against Mark Ambrose to be the Republican standard bearer in the November general election for Oakland's 11th District which covers the Birmingham-Bloomfield area, along with a large swath of the county. Reliable sources have shared with Oakland Confidential that the “Christian Conservative,” who claims to know how to solve

Those who attended the Mackinac Policy Conference, an annual policy and political shmoozefest put on by Detroit Regional Chamber, reported it had a definite “blue” tint to it this year, held May 31-June 3, on Mackinac Island. In past years, it’s been a GOP hunting ground, with nary, or very few, Democrats hanging out on the storied Grand Hotel porch. This year, purportedly because of vaccination requirements indoors, more Democrats attended than Republicans, although some who

There is a split court of opinion as to who is really running the Michigan Republican party when it comes to anointing candidates for state office. One school of thought is that the Maddock couple – state party chair Meshawn and husband Matt ‘Mad Dog’, a state Representative – are having heavy sway with former President Donald Trump.  One Republican said that the former prez “listens to them.” But  then we hear that they, like others, are taking their marching orders from Mar

Some could assume that Democrats at the top of the ticket – Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel – would be riding high and coasting into a second term with the meltdown of half of the Republicans running for governor, and the Trump-appointed secretary of state and attorney general candidates, Kristina Karamo and Matt DePerno. But they’d be wrong. The gossip is they are taking nothing for granted, and all three, as well

Once upon a time (2021), former Detroit Police Chief James Craig was the Republican’s numero uno choice. He was placed in the hands of esteemed GOP political strategist John Yob...who fled to self-funder Perry Johnson when Craig seemed to prefer hanging out to yak with Fox News, rather than chugging it around the state. Both Craig and Johnson, as we know, were two of the five candidates who failed the first test of a candidate – to submit qualified signatures to get on the ba

Speaking of James Craig, since he failed to make it as a Republican candidate for governor by submitting enough legitimate signatures, he’s announced he’s filing as a write-in candidate. Those in the know estimate a write-in statewide campaign will cost about $22 million. Craig has $1 million. “I don’t know anyone writing him checks,” said one early Republican backer. “Templar Baker (former GOP Chair Bobby Schostak’s political consulting group) was raising money for him, but

It’s a no-holds-barred battle between sitting Congresspeople Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Township, Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, most of Macomb County) and Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Troy, Clawson, western Oakland and Wayne counties), and that includes fundraising and the airwaves. Levin ticked off several members of the Congressional Black Caucus with a campaign ad not just talking about his relationship with the late Congressman John Lewis (D-Georgi

We’re not saying it was her goal – as a matter of fact, we know state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak) was just angry and disturbed with being portrayed as a “predator” and “groomer” who sexualized young children by fellow state Senator Lana Theis (R-Brighton) when she responded with a now viral speech standing up for herself as a “straight, white, Christian, married, suburban mom”...“You can’t claim that you are targeting marginalized kids in

Facing an active political year, the two Detroit daily newspapers and other publications have changed their line up of talent, starting with The Detroit News, adding last year former Michigan Campaign Finance Network and one-time MIRS reporter Craig Mauger as a reporter in the Lansing bureau. Mauger was most recently named the Journalist of the Year by the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). The Detroit News in May added Chad Livengood, who was m

Craig Mauger of The Detroit News received SPJ recognition for the following type of effort, first reported in early June. The Michigan Secretary of State chief legal director, Michael Brady, is stepping up formal review of two groups, Michigan! My Michigan! and Michigan Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, for failure to respond to multiple request for copies of donations made to Unlock Michigan, which ran a petition drive that helped repeal the 1945 law that gave executive po