MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

Elissa Slotkin

Mike Rogers

Now that it’s officially primary season, the money is beginning to flow like water, especially in Michigan’s hotly-contested open Senate race, which could become a free-for-all. Since Michigan’s Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow announced in January 2023 she would retire from her long and esteemed political career at the end of this term, wannabes on both sides of the political spectrum have come out of the woodwork announcing runs – some actually are, while others found different campaigns to pursue. Wonks are putting their shekels on Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing) ending up representing the Democrats, and former Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Brighton) as the Republican candidate. They both may end up battered and bruised in the process – but outside groups will be spending beaucoup buckeroos on the races. According to Politico, One Nation, a  conservative political group which states their creed, “E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. This was the founders’ vision for America: a nation forged from different cultures, countries, creeds and classes – yet unified by a common commitment to freedom, democratic governance and guaranteed individual rights,” will be unloading $70 million in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada in ad buys focused on the southern border and inflation, in an effort branded as the “Stop the Insanity” campaign. They will particularly focus almost $10 million here in Michigan before August’s primary. The Democrats have no intention of being left behind. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee – of which Senator Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) is chairing for a second time after a very successful outing in 2022, plans to spend $79 million on advertising to hold onto the Senate’s Democratic majority. In Michigan alone, the DSCC plans to spend $11 million to keep the Senate seat in Democratic hands. According to Politico, this year’s Senate battle could be the most expensive one ever.