Michigan GOP push into Detroit: A serious or symbolic effort?

  Are Michigan Republicans, who control the state legislature and governor's office, getting serious about winning statewide federal offices?

A modest proposal: The first Michigan Cold Butt U.S. Senate Debate

  Political campaigns, especially for statewide offices, are largely scripted affairs.
  Candidates from either party announce they’re running. Sabers being out of date, they then rattle their checkbooks to scare off competition within their own parties, and start making the rounds solidifying the loyal and raising money.
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See Also:
  14 issues in Michigan U.S. Senate campaign
  Michigan U.S. Senate race by the numbers_
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  Then follows nearly a year of public appearances, manufactured news events and, if the race appears close enough, a debate or two aimed at wooing Michigan’s large independent and ticket-splitting population.

Issue advertising: A new push for disclosure

  After outside spending in Michigan judicial races in 2012, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is proposing new administrative rules that would require disclosure of who pays for controversial issue ads.
  Issue ads are gaining national scrutiny because of their increasing use and because those who buy them are exempt from disclosing their identities.
  In Michigan, so-called dark money spending even reached down to the local level in Pontiac's mayoral race Nov. 5.