Skip to content

Heard on the Hill: Who Exactly Is Dinky?

As a presidential hopeful, Rep. Thaddeus McCotter is now under a microscope.

Does the Michigan Republican really love rock ‘n’ roll? (Yes. As he told HOH once, “If it rocks, it rocks.”) Is he actually a smoker? (He has been known to smoke in the outfield during the annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game.)

And, most importantly, who exactly is his brother, Dinky?

After a little investigative work, we know that Dinky plays the guitar like his music-loving brother and that he won’t give back the Congressman’s Fender Stratocaster.

Most recently, McCotter talked about his brother in a release about performing at last weekend’s Ames straw poll with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R).

“It is always great fun to jam with Governor Huckabee,” McCotter said in the statement. “The only downside is that my bass-playing brother, Dinky, will now be freed up to play all six strings loudly.”

Times McCotter has mentioned Dinky on Twitter:

• “Ur a ‘Dinker.’”

• “No, Dinky wins. We are but pawns in Dinky’s game.”

• “‘As goes Dinky, so goes the country.’ Now if only Dinky will give me my stratocaster back.”

Now, our search for an actual person named Dinky McCotter was a little less fruitful. But constant vigilance! The Congressman’s hometown paper, the Livonia Observer, and the National Review have both referenced his brother, Dennis, who plays guitar with McCotter on election nights and is his preferred bassist.

So, does Dennis = Dinky? No word yet from the Congressman’s office, but we’ll leave you with this tweet:

“Yes, my brother Dinky jammed at the election party. No, Dinky did NOT bring my stratocaster.”

Recent Stories

Legal questions surround Trump’s talk of political prosecutions

Trump can make immigration moves on his first day back in office

How RFK Jr.’s health proposals would stack up in practice

High hopes for bald eagle bill in the lame duck

Here’s a look at who’s in — and possibly in — Trump’s second administration

Trump administration faces antitrust enforcement dilemma