Republicans announced in February that Michigan’s 8th Congressional District was an “offensive target” in 2020, but so far they have failed to recruit a top-tier candidate who can unite their party and pull together a credible campaign to take on Elissa Slotkin, a former national security official who has spent her career putting country over party and who has already built herself a formidable campaign warchest. In fact, one Republican political insider referred to the current field of four candidates as “lower-tier,” also noting that the “more” candidates doesn’t make it the “merrier.”
Republican challengers to Slotkin long shots from Livingston Co.
Lansing City Pulse // Kyle Melinn
[A]t this stage, the Republican 2020 field comprises four mostly unknown [canddiates…] whose collective political experience is relatively short, at best.
One Republican political insider described the field as “lower-tier.” The fact there’s “more” doesn’t make it “merrier” either.
Political parties tend not to like large competitive primaries in battleground districts. Recently history shows, more candidates scrapping over a depleting pool of money isn’t a fantastic road to knocking off a well funded incumbent.
After all, few people know any of these four fine people. Without money for ads, it’s hard to get name ID up.
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Michigan’s August primary means the winner has little time to replenish the coffers before the Nov. 3 General Election. And with Sloktin sitting on $1.7 million and much more a year from now, the primary winner will need Republican National Campaign Committee or PAC money to get their message out.
Unless polling shows a tight race, that isn’t happening.