NOT EVERYONE’S A FAN
One bright spot on the Republican Bingo card was twice-failed Senate candidate John James of Farmington Hills who is the newly-elected congressman for Macomb County’s ( and part of Oakland’s) 10th District. James barely squeaked in a win – as in only 1,600 votes – against Macomb-institution Democrat Carl Malinga, who word is took off his judicial robes for the party when the newly drawn seat was originally left vacant. James raised and had cash on hand of over $6 million to Marlinga’s $736,000, and the national party appeared to throw in some bucks, if ads were an indication, to flip that seat. A good part of the district had been part of Rep. Andy Levin’s 9th District. One reason it might have been a squeaker is a vile and heinous racist email making the rounds on the East Side, coming from a Republican named Lucille Wellington, saying “This is the first time in my life I’ll be voting against a Republican. Husband was a card carrying member of the GOP and NRA, he’d be shouting at ya’ll with much fiercer language than I’m using. Bunch of braindead darkie lovers,” amongst much, much worse language regarding James. Post-election, there is much musing amongst Dems as to whether the district could have remained in their hands if Levin had recognized his strength in Macomb, rather than running – and getting trounced – in the primary against fellow Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens in the 11th.