This morning, House Intelligence Chair and GOP Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08) announced he would retire at the end of his term to take a talk radio position at Cumulus. A former FBI agent, Rogers has proven a hit with voters, winning easily even as the 8th CD has remained competitive at the presidential level. Without Rogers running, the 8th CD moves to the Lean Republican column.
The last time this seat came open in 2000, Rogers edged out state Sen. Dianne Byrum by just 111 votes. The 8th CD is a bellwether: it contains both liberal Ingham County (home to the state capital and Michigan State University), and Livingston County, the largest Republican bastion in the Detroit exurbs. It gave President Obama 52 percent in 2008 and 48 percent in 2012.
In a neutral year, an open seat race in MI-08 would be a classic Toss Up. But in a GOP-favorable year like 2014, Republicans begin with the advantage. Former state House Speaker Craig DeRoche and former state Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop are mentioned on the GOP side, while
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.