👋 Good Friday morning!
In today’s Each day Kickoff, we bring you the most recent from the House floor, and interview Ukrainian-Israeli photographer Vera Vladimirsky about her latest Tel Aviv exhibit. Also in today’s Each day Kickoff: Yair Lapid, Yossi Klein Halevi and Amb. Deborah Lipstadt.
For less-distracted reading over the weekend, browse this week’s edition of The Weekly Print, a curated print-friendly PDF featuring a number of recent JI and eJewishPhilanthropy stories, including: How Hady Amr represents Biden to the Palestinians; Nachman Shai’s goodbye; Inside Israel and Jordan’s latest bid to rehabilitate the Jordan River; A hip-hop artist within the Holy Land; British TV judge Rob Rinder’s crowded docket; A Jewish nonprofit is changing the best way a Florida city responds to 911 calls; and How an emergency vehicle in Jerusalem got here to be often known as ‘Bikey McBikeface.’ Print the most recent edition here.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) announcement yesterday that she’s going to not seek reelection when her term ends next 12 months marked the beginning of what’s prone to be probably the most closely watched primaries — and general elections — of 2024.
Several Democratic candidates are already mulling bids for the seat: A person near Rep. Haley Stevens’ (D-MI) campaign told Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod she’s “strongly considering” and is “feeling really confident” a couple of run. Reps. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) are also reportedly considering entering the race. Read more on Stevens’s considering here.
Other possible Democratic candidates include state Rep. Mallory McMorrow and Secretary of State Joceyln Benson, Michigan political strategist Adrian Hemond told JI. He said he sees Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Attorney General Dana Nessel as possible but longer-shot candidates. Shortly after Stabenow’s announcement, some floated the chance that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who moved to Michigan last 12 months, might enter the race. In a Fox News interview yesterday, Buttigieg said he’s “completely focused on the job that I actually have.”
“To be blunt, Elissa Slotkin is one of the best general election candidate for Democrats on this race, if she will get the nomination,” Hemond said, noting that she’s won in three successive elections in a highly competitive district and has proven to be a powerful fundraiser without corporate PAC support. “That’s to not say that among the other names… wouldn’t be competitive and even reasonably heavily favored. But when Slotkin gets the nomination, she wins barring a toxic environment for Democrats nationally.”
Slotkin stands a powerful chance in the first as well, Hemond said, noting that moderates have done well in statewide Democratic primaries in recent cycles. The person near Stevens emphasized the Detroit-area representative’s high name recognition in the realm, but Hemond noted that, in her 2018 and 2020 two runs, Slotkin also ran ads within the Detroit media market.
On the Republican side, Hemond said, “the high-quality get” can be moderate former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), who lost a primary to a Trump-backed challenger in last 12 months’s primary. But, he added, “the first goes to be tough for any electable Republican here.”
Rep.-elect John James (R-MI), who delivered a nominating speech for Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) speakership bid on Thursday morning, can also be being floated as a possible GOP candidate. But Hemond called one other James candidacy on the statewide level — he has lost past gubernatorial and Senate bids — “a tall order.”
Other potential Republican contenders include Kevin Rinke, who largely self-funded a bid for governor last 12 months; 2022 attorney general nominee Matt DePerno; Ryan Kelley, a 2022 gubernatorial candidate and Jan. 6 defendant; and former Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI). Tudor Dixon, the 2022 gubernatorial nominee, can also be reportedly mulling a bid.
One other name being floated is former Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), who lost his member-on-member primary to Stevens following redistricting within the state. Hemond argued that the “smarter play” for Levin, moderately than a Senate run, can be running for Stevens’ seat if she runs for Senate — “and I feel he can be a heavy favorite in that primary.”
