I've been in regular contact with key staffers on Pete Hoekstra's campaign team for about the past two weeks now (both because of my responsibilities with the 3rd District Michigan FairTax Assocation leadership team and because of my responsibilities with the 3rd District Independence Caucus vetting team).  As of about five hours ago, I was told that Pete had voiced his frustration with the attack ads of Cox and his supporters.  Pete said, in effect, that Mike doesn't realize that Pete has a "loaded cannon" that he can use if he's forced to; and even one round will bury Mike by the end of the weekend.

A quick sidebar to Jason and Nick:  It's my understanding that the information that Pete has on file is essentially the same stuff that Mark Brewer has in waiting.  This isn't "urban legend" material such as the Manoogian Mansion mess, nor is it distortion, half-truth, and innuendo; this is on-the-record sources and verifiable paper trails as to exactly what bodies Mike Cox has buried where.

However, Pete doesn't want to run his campaign that way.  (Although I can assure you that Mark Brewer could care less about playing dirty or going negative.)