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Detroit Democrats Expected to Flood Peters House Seat #MI14 | The Field

Clarke, center, might run again. (Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Clarke, center, might run again. (Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Now that Democratic Rep. Gary Peters has officially entered the Michigan Senate race, Detroit-area Democrats have started to eye his House seat for 2014.

Democrats are assured to hold this majority-minority district, which voted for President Barack Obama with more than 80 percent. Party operatives expect a crowded 14th District primary filled with familiar names of local lawmakers and candidates who have run for this or nearby seats before.

Potential candidates include:

  • State Rep. Rudy Hobbs, the Democratic floor leader, represents Southfield and has roots in Detroit, two key parts of this district.
  • Former Rep. Hansen Clarke, a former state senator and one-term member, lost to Peters in a member-vs.-member primary by a large spread last year. “It’s almost a certainty that he’s going to run,” one Michigan Democratic operative said.
  • Southfield Mayor Brenda L. Lawrence trailed Peters and Clarke last year when she ran in that same primary. Democrats say she could seek this seat again, but they noted voters might be tired of Lawrence, who has unsuccessfully sought various local offices a few times in recent cycles.
  • State Sen. Vincent Gregory is considering a run for this seat, a Michigan source said. He also represents Southfield.
  • State Sen. Glenn Anderson lost his primary bid to Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., in a neighboring district last year. His state Senate district does not overlap with this House district, but he told CQ Roll Call that he will give another congressional campaign some thought. “I’ll probably look at everything, all the options,” Anderson said. “But I haven’t really made a decision yet.”

The Field is a reoccurring series that examines the political landscape in a specific congressional race. Want to read about the field for a particular district or state? We take requests: Tweet @rollcall with #thefield or 
email us at politics@cqrollcall.com.

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