Whew! Kid Rock is not running for U.S. Senate

I know I promised "a report on "The Rachel Maddow Show" winning two News and Documentary Emmy Awards, one for its coverage of the Flint Water Crisis" for today, but I also promised "I'll keep an eye on it and report updates as events unfold" at the end of Kid Rock for Senate?  I made the latter promise first, so I'm keeping it today.  I'll get to the Maddow, the Emmys, and Flint tomorrow.

First, the Los Angeles Times reports Kid Rock says, '... no, I'm not running for Senate' in Michigan.

"... no, I'm not running for Senate," Kid Rock said. Turns out that all the while he was promoting — surprise, surprise! — his forthcoming album. With Kid Rock's would-be run now over, he will likely focus on his craft.

So it was just a publicity stunt.  Even though that means I'll have a less entertaining time blogging about next year's congressional elections here in Michigan, I have to say I'm relieved.  He would have caused a lot of disruption, both in the Republican primary and the general election and he would likely have been a joke as a Senator.  I'm now much more confident that Senator Debbie Stabenow (who I've met) will defend her seat successfully next year.

Just the same, Republicans are still having a competitive primary.  Both Robert Young and John James have filed and are raising money, with James raising more.  As I wrote two months ago, Young looks better on paper, but James looks better in person.  Speaking of "in person," here he is in I'm Running.


Impressive.  The man has a future in politics, even if it won't be in the U.S. Senate.

As for Lena Epstein, she is now running for Republican nomination to the 11th Congressional District, so she's no longer a candidate for U.S. Senate.*  That's a good thing for her, as first Kid Rock and now John James sucked the oxygen out of the room in the Senate race.  Someone else could do it in the near future -- U.S. Representative James Upton from the 6th Congressional District.  MLive reports that he is considering getting into the race as well.  If so, he'd immediately be the front runner, although I don't think he has what it takes to beat Stabenow, either.  If he gets in, I'll post an update.  Stay tuned.

*On the other hand, it will make the Republican primary for the 11th Congressional District more entertaining, although not as wacky as it was in 2012, when I posted about my volunteering experience in A-10s on parade.  I don't expect any candidates to be either LaRouchies or Bad Santas!