Former congressman Pete Hoekstra is locked in a tough battle with two-term Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., in a state that went red in 2010.
As of mid-Septemberr, Stabenow has raised some $12 million compared to Hoekstra’s $3.5 million and the Real Clear Politics polling average has her ahead by 8.4 points.
Independent newsletters analyzing the race conclude it leans Democratic.
The Rothenberg Political Report characterizes the race as “Democrat Favored” and The Cook Political Report has it “Lean D.” In 2006, Stabenow beat back the GOP challenger, winning 57 percent to 41 percent.
Further complicating matters is that President Barack Obama has opened up a lead in the state that the GOP had hoped to be in play due to it being the birthplace of Mitt Romney. The Detroit News recently reported the Romney camp has stopped advertising in the state.
However, Michigan, a state normally considered blue, could be in flux. During the 2010 mid-term elections that saw the GOP triumph across the country, Michigan elected a Republican governor and took two House seats from the Democrats.
Hoekstra has picked up endorsements from Herman Cain, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., among others.
Should the 2010 fervor repeat, Hoekstra could find himself headed back to Washington.
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