Last week we talked about what was unfolding in Michigan with who would likely receive the Democrat nomination for AG this weekend.  There are so many moving parts to this one – it’s just fun to watch. 

This is probably the first of several “run up to the Democrat convention stories” that will be run this week, but we think it captures what’s happening with the AGs contest very well. 

Couple of fun excerpts:

Longtime Attorney General Frank Kelley, who served for 37 years before deciding not to run for re-election in 1998, advised Bowen throughout his candidacy. Bowen was encouraged to run by Granholm, who succeeded Kelley after he left office and who appointed Bowen to a district judgeship in 2003.

Kelley says that Bowen is the only Democrat who can beat Cox. He notes that Bowen has raised more money, has more political experience and is from Grand Rapids in GOP-dominated western Michigan, where Democrats are “hungry” for representation in Lansing.

“Diversity doesn't mean anything unless you have electability,” he says of the race between Bowen and Williams.

Bowen twice won election as city commissioner in Grand Rapids and once was a special assistant attorney general under Kelley.

When asked to describe the effort to build consensus around Bowen, Kelley says: “Frustration is a polite word.”

And then:

One thing in the back of Democrats' minds is 1990, when then-Democratic Gov. James Blanchard lost to Republican John Engler, a loss some blamed in part on lower turnout in Detroit than
expected…

…Because Democrats traditionally put one black at the top of the ticket, Williams likely is the guy. Democrats are pushing Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh to run against Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, a Republican. Rep. Rich Brown of Bessemer also has been mentioned as a candidate.

As much as guys like Bowen and Williams try, sometimes you just can’t control the direction your campaign’s going to head.