Slotkin, Hertel, Snyder and Fouts among Michigan candidates facing petition challenges

Getty Images

Updated, 7:20 p.m., 5/7/24, 10:25 a.m., 5/8/24

Major candidates from both parties have had challenges to their campaigns submitted to the Michigan Bureau of Elections. 

The list of challenges spans offices from district court judge to U.S. Senate, with some of the most prominent names including U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), former Warren Mayor Jim Fouts and former state Sen. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing).

Each of the challenges will go before the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, which next meets May 31. 

In the 2022 election, several candidates were bounced from the ballot due to a signature fraud scandal, including five GOP gubernatorial hopefuls.

Slotkin is seeking the U.S. Senate seat that is up for grabs with the retirement of Democrat Debbie Stabenow, and is facing actor Hill Harper and businessman Nasser Beydoun in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary. Beydoun is also on the challenged candidates list.

A letter from the Slotkin’s campaign from attorney Christopher Trebilcock of Clark Hill to the Board of State Canvassers the challenge was filed by an agent of Hill’s campaign. Trebilcock calls it an “unserious complaint” and claims that it did not follow the Board of State Canvassers’ procedure for signature sampling. He also said that the complaint was filed by an Londell Thomas as “an agent of the Harper Campaign” and adds that Thomas has been accused of signature fraud in a
petition challenge submitted to the Wayne County Clerk against former state Sen. Adam Hollier in the 13th Congressional District. Trebilcock said the campaign’s review shows that the Harper campaign “submitted at least 66 petitions sheets circulated by Mr. Thomas.”

The Senate GOP primary includes former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) and Justin Amash (I-Cascade Twp.), physician Sherry O’Donnell and businessman Sandy Pensler.

Fouts, who was term-limited out of running for another term as Warren’s mayor and lost a court challenge asking for a new mayoral election, filed last month to run as a Democrat for the 14th House District seat, currently held by incumbent Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park). The challenge against Fouts involves filing fees.

Hertel, meanwhile, had had his candidate petitions for the 7th Congressional District challenged for not correctly listing the office he is seeking. Because Hertel wrote “U.S. Congress” instead of the U.S. House, Republican former member of the Board of State Canvassers Norm Shinkle filed to have Hertel disqualified. 

Former state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. (D-East Lansing) discussed policies to lower costs at a campaign event in Okemos. | Kyle Davidson

Hertel’s campaign has called the challenge a “frivolous complaint,” and expects to be on the primary ballot facing off against former state Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) for the seat being left open by Slotkin.

Also facing a challenge is Republican Nikki Snyder, who is seeking the GOP nomination for the 8th Congressional District, which will be open due to the retirement of incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint).

Snyder, a member of the State Board of Education, is running against Paul Junge, who unsuccessfully challenged Kildee in 2022, former Dow executive Mary Draves and Anthony J. Hudson.

Democrats seeking the nomination are state Sen. Kristen McDonald-Rivet (D-Bay City), State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh and former Flint Mayor Matt Collier.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Bob Bezotte (D-Howell), who dropped out of the running for reelection to his 50th State House seat before changing his mind and dropping back in, was disqualified by Livingston County Clerk Elizabeth Hundley for misidentifying his true residence on his candidate filing. Bezotte indicated he will appeal that decision.

The race for the GOP nomination in the 50th District is currently down to Jason Woolford, Kristina Lyke and Dominic Restuccia. Austin Breuer is the lone Democrat seeking the seat.

Three candidates in the 1st Congressional District are being challenged; they include Republicans Josh Saul and J.D. Wilson, who seek to oust incumbent U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet). 

Also being challenged is Democrat Bob Lorinser, who faces Callie Barr in that primary.

In the 10th Congressional District, Anil Kumar is being challenged. He’s running in the Democratic primary that features Emily Busch, Carl Marlinga, Rhonda Powell, Tiffany Tilley and Diane Young. They all seek to replace the incumbent, U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Twp.).

Republican Steven Elliott is being challenged for the 12th Congressional District, where he is the GOP primary against James Hooper, Hassan Nehme, and Linda Sawyer. That seat is held by incumbent U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit).

Also being challenged is LaTanya Garrett, a Democrat running for the 8th House District seat held by incumbent Rep. Helena Scott (D-Detroit). Also running are Democrat Chris Gilmer-Hill and Republican Alex Kuhn.

Former state Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit) attends the Michigan Inauguration on Jan. 1, 2023. | Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance

One name not on the state list is that of Hollier whose candidacy for the 13th Congressional District has been challenged by incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit). That challenge is being handled by the Wayne County Election Commission as the entirety of the district is within the county’s borders.

In his challenge, Thanedar claims only about half of Hollier’s 1,555 signatures are valid, with many apparently forged.

Hollier has also said he expects to prevail against the challenge and run in the August primary against Thanedar and fellow Democrats Shakira Lynn Hawkins and Mary Waters.

Martel Bivings is the lone Republican seeking that seat.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect new information that Rep. Bezotte’s inclusion on the challenged candidate’s list is related to his disqualification by the Livingston County clerk and not a separate challenge as was originally reported.

The post Slotkin, Hertel, Snyder and Fouts among Michigan candidates facing petition challenges appeared first on Michigan Advance.