Slotkin raises $1.2 million over final 3 months of 2019 for House race

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat who unseated an incumbent Republican in 2018, raised more than $1.27 million over the final three months of 2019, her campaign said Monday.

Slotkin, D-Holly, drew national attention when she explained her support for impeaching President Donald Trump at a town hall in Rochester on Dec. 16. The Republican National Committee has aired television ads attacking her stance on the impeachment inquiry as did the GOP nonprofit American Action Network.

The fundraising total for the last three months of the year is the largest Slotkin's campaign reported for any quarter of 2019. It's also four times what the former representative for the 8th District, Mike Bishop, raised over the same period ahead of the 2018 election.

"Democrats, independents and Republicans across our district are looking for leaders in Washington who will fight for the issues that have a direct impact on people’s lives, like bringing down the price of healthcare and prescription drugs," Slotkin said in a Monday statement. "I am proud to have their support.”

Slotkin defeated Bishop by about 4 percentage points in 2018. Trump won the district by nearly 7 percentage points in 2016. While Republicans hope to unseat Slotkin in 2020, her campaign will begin the year with more than $2.8 million in cash available to spend, according to the release.

Five Republicans have announced plans to challenge Slotkin in 2020: Mike Detmer, general sales manager at an auto dealership; Alan Hoover, a military veteran; Paul Junge, a former Lansing news anchor; Kristina Lyke, a lawyer; and Nikki Snyder, a member of the State Board of Education.

Citing Slotkin's support for impeachment, Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox said Slotkin had chosen to side "with the most extreme members of her party over the values of the 8th District."

"It's time she put the best interests of her constituents ahead of the radical liberal agenda of her out of state donors," Cox added.

The 8th District includes Ingham County, Livingston County and a portion of Oakland County.

Also on the Republicans' radar is U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Rochester Hills, who won the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Dave Trott, R-Birmingham, in 2018.

The Stevens campaign says it raised more than $550,000 over the final three months of 2019. The district includes portions of Oakland and Wayne counties.

"I am so grateful for the incredible outpouring of grassroots support we have received so far this year," Stevens said in a statement.

Whittney Williams of Canton Township and former U.S. Rep. Kerry Bentivolio of Milford are among five Republicans seeking to challenge Stevens, according to the Federal Election Commission. Only Williams and Bentivolio have raised any money, according to the FEC website.

The races in the 8th and 11th districts were the two most expensive U.S. House contests in Michigan in 2018, according to the nonprofit Michigan Campaign Finance Network.

Full campaign finance disclosures showing where the campaigns' dollars came from won't be available until Jan. 31.

cmauger@detroitnews.com