Dingell, Clarke Blast Opponents and McCotter Resigns as Campaigns Heat Up

With the August primary a month away, the campaigns for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate seats are heating up just like the Michigan weather.

This week several of the candidates made headlines as the Aug. 7 election approaches.

• U.S. Rep. John Dingell, who is running for his 30th term in Congress, touted his experience and criticized his opponents in the 12th District race. “I never thought ignorance or inexperience was a qualification for running for office,” . His remarks drew sharp responses from the candidates for the Republican nomination, and .
• U.S. Rep. Hansen Clarke, , picked up a key nomination from the Fannie Lou Hammer political action committee and criticized an “opponent” for attacks on his heritage, according to the Detroit Free Press. Clarke has vowed to skip all the debates because of the “racist rhetoric” after he was accused of misidentifying his mother’s race. Clarke is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
• U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra, a former Congressman, faces an accusation that he paid a felon to gather signatures to appear on the primary ballot, according to the Detroit News. Rival Gary Glenn made the allegations to the News. Hoekstra previously had denied paying anyone to gather signatures. In addition to Hoekstra and Grant, Clark Durant of Grosse Pointe, Randy Hekman and Peter Konetchy also are running for the Republican nomination.
• Former presidential hopeful, turned lame-duck, Congressman Thad McCotter resigned from office Friday. According to an article in the Detroit Free Press, the Livonia republican said the past 6 weeks have been "nighmarish" for him and his family.