U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, the Republican from Livonia who is a national GOP leader, might not have enough signatures to get on the Aug. 7 primary ballot, but will explore running as a write-in candidate, the Free Press reports.
"He's the only one with the name recognition and the cash on hand to win a write-in race," said a source close to the McCotter campaign.
In his last report with the Federal Election Commission, McCotter reported $193,000 in cash available for the upcoming campaign.
But political insider Bill Ballenger, publisher of the Lansing-based newsletter Inside Michigan Politics, said McCotter's flub displays serious dysfunction in his campaign staff and could be an ominous sign for his chances as a write-in candidate.
"Circulating petitions to get yourself renominated is like Politics 101. It's not rocket science," Ballenger told the Free Press.
"I wouldn't hold out much confidence that McCotter is going to be capable of getting the write-in votes necessary" to win the primary election, particularly if other prominent Republicans decide to run write-in campaigns as well, now that McCotter is vulnerable, Ballenger said Saturday.
