You can add another highly intriguing name to the list of possible Republican opponents for 8th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly.
Livingston County Republican Party chair Meghan Reckling is reportedly among those being courted to consider a run against Slotkin. Reckling works as the chief of staff for State Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton Township, and has been the Livingston County GOP chair since last year. Word is that national Republican officials have already met with her several times.
Reckling enjoys fairly high name recognition in Livingston County, which is by far the most Republican part of the 8th District (it also includes heavily Democratic Ingham County and Republican-leaning northern Oakland County).
Slotkin ended 18 years of Republican rule in the 8th when she defeated U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop last year. Based on presidential voting patterns, the district still leans Republican, and the national GOP has made the 8th a prime priority for 2020. The district is currently rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
Reckling is the latest name to be mentioned as a possible opponent for Slotkin. Among the others:
- State Sen. Lana Theis, who continues to say she doesn’t want to run, and who continues to be high on the wish list of NRCC types.
- State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder (no relation to the former governor), a registered nurse whose name has surfaced in recent weeks in GOP circles. Snyder currently lives in Dexter, outside the 8th District, so she would likely have to move to the district to run.
- Kristina Lyke, a Fowlerville attorney who primarily practices law in Ingham County.
- Mike Detmer, a Howell resident who is currently announced as a state rep candidate, but who recently floated a trial balloon on Facebook, asking friends whether he should run for Congress instead.
State Sen. Tom Barrett of Eaton County had been rumored early on to be interested, but those rumors seem to be dying off.
