One sign of this: Last week, Peters was endorsed by a group of prominent black leaders, including Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon and Edgar Vann, bishop of the Second Ebenezer Baptist Church. You can bet they wouldn't have done so if they thought Hansen was going to pull this one out.

What happened? Essentially, Peters has overwhelmed Clarke in fundraising, and has assiduously cultivated — and often won — endorsements from every group of more than three people who ever meet together. Clarke was hurt further by Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence's decision to jump into the race. Lawrence will likely accomplish two things: First she will pick up some Southfield votes Clarke otherwise would have gotten. Second, she will complete the process of making sure she has no political future herself; this will be the third major election she'll have lost in less than four years.

Former state Representative (and Sam Riddle galpal) Mary Waters, she of the guilty plea for filing a false tax return, is also running, though it isn't clear to rational humans why.

Therefore, Clarke is seen as a goner. Of course, it ain't over till it's over. But if he does lose, and state Sen. Glenn Anderson takes out John Conyers in the neighboring 13th district primary, Michigan won't have a single black congressman for the first time since 1954.

Righter than right? Think there isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two parties? The worst member of the state Legislature is, almost certainly, Dave Agema, from Grandville over on the west side of the state. The former airline pilot is openly anti-gay, anti-Muslim, obsessed with stopping "Sharia law" and is militantly in favor of protecting the monopoly interest of his patron, Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun. But that's not all.

Five years ago, during the huge budget crisis that resulted in a brief shutdown of state government, Agema wasn't there to debate or vote. Instead, he was off in Siberia hunting wild sheep.

Last weekend, the state GOP chose Agema as their next Republican National Committeeman. They rejected Saul Anuzis, a former state party chair who is slightly more conservative than the last czar of Russia, but seems principled and sane. This wasn't an accident. If you prefer voluntary exile in Siberia to making responsible decisions, the Republicans have a political party for you.

> Email Jack Lessenberry