State - -- Michigan Votes -- Crowded fields in some congressional districts 11 of 15 incumbent U.S. representatives in primary election

By Mike Householder Associated Press Writer DETROIT (AP) -- Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick's political future was on the line in Tuesday's Democratic primary where she faced five challengers eager to deny an eighth term to the mother of Detroit's imprisoned former mayor. She squeaked by two years ago when son Kwame Kilpatrick's legal troubles were just getting started. Now, the ex-mayor is serving time for violating probation in a state case and faces federal fraud and tax charges. Add to that an angry electorate in the economically distressed 13th District, and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick's road to re-election seemed rocky. She and 11 of Michigan's 15 congressional incumbents were running in Tuesday's primary. U.S. Reps. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, and Vernon Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, were retiring, and Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland was giving up his 2nd District seat to run for governor. The five men running against Kilpatrick in the Democratic primary were Crime Stoppers of Michigan President John Broad from Grosse Pointe Farms; Vincent Brown, a former auto dealership sales manager from Garden City; state Sen. Hansen Clarke of Detroit; boat yard operator Stephen Hume of Detroit; and Glenn Plummer, a Detroit businessman and pastor. Businessman John Hauler of Grosse Pointe Woods was running unopposed in the Republican primary. It's likely the Democratic primary winner will easily win in November in the heavily Democratic district. The absences of Hoekstra and Ehlers on the ballot after 18 years led to crowded GOP fields in their conservative western Michigan districts. The 2nd District GOP race included businessmen Bill Cooper of Norton Shores and Field Reichardt of Grand Haven; former state Rep. Bill Huizenga of Zeeland; state Sen. Wayne Kuipers and ex-NFL player Jay Riemersma, both of Holland; Ferrysburg City Councilman Chris Larson; and law enforcement officer Ted Schendel of Honor. The Democratic primary pitted Hope College history professor Fred Johnson of Holland against Lake County Commissioner Nicolette McClure of Idlewild. In the 3rd District, all the GOP candidates except Air Force veteran Bob Overbeek of Wyoming are from Grand Rapids. They included state Rep. Justin Amash, state Sen. Bill Hardiman, former Kent County Commissioner Steve Heacock and attorney Louise "Ellie" Johnson. Ehlers endorsed Heacock. Both Democratic candidates also are from Grand Rapids: attorney Pat Miles and former Kent County Commissioner Paul Mayhue. In south-central Michigan's 7th District, three Republicans were running for the right to take on first-term Democratic incumbent Mark Schauer of Battle Creek in November. They are businessman and former cattle rancher Marvin Carlson of Manchester; Brian Rooney, a lawyer and Iraq war veteran from Dexter whose grandfather founded the Pittsburgh Steelers; and Tim Walberg of Tipton, who held the 7th District seat for one term until Schauer beat him in 2008. Schauer was running unopposed on the Democratic side. Another first-term Democrat, Gary Peters of Oakland County's Bloomfield Township, was unopposed in his primary in the suburban Detroit 9th District, but five candidates lined up on the Republican side: businessman and Army Reserve officer Rocky Raczkowski of Farmington Hills; Paul Welday, former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, whom Peters unseated two years ago; beauty consultant Anna Janek of Oakland County's West Bloomfield Township; and former circuit court judge Richard Kuhn of Waterford. In the 1st District, state Rep. Gary McDowell of Rudyard was the lone Democrat in the race to succeed Stupak. But the GOP side of the ticket was crowded even before the 18-year congressman decided to retire. Crystal Falls physician Dan Benishek was one of the Republicans who got in early, driven by his anger over the federal health care changes. State Sen. Jason Allen joined the race after Stupak announced his retirement, moving from Traverse City to Alanson so he'd be within the district, which encompasses the Upper Peninsula and much of the northern Lower Peninsula. Also on the GOP ballot were attorney Linda Goldthorpe of Helmer, steel industry sales representative Tom Stillings of Antrim County's Torch Lake Township, businessman Patrick Donlon of Mackinac County's St. Ignace Township and trucking business owner Don Hooper of Iron River. In other races: -- Kande Ngalamulume pulled out of the race for the 8th District Democratic nomination, but remained the sole name on the ballot. Former educator Lance Enderle of East Lansing was running as a write-in candidate in the mid-Michigan district, but in order to win he needed to receive more votes than Ngalamulume and a minimum number of votes required by state election law. -- Four Republicans were facing off in southeastern Michigan's 15th District for the right to face Dearborn Democrat John Dingell. They were Tony Amorose, a middle school teacher from Dearborn Heights; database systems project manager Jack Lynch of Ypsilanti; Dearborn lawyer Majed Moughni; and Rob Steele, a cardiologist from Washtenaw County's Superior Township. Published: Wed, Aug 4, 2010

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