Once again, Governor Jennifer Granholm has surfaced as a darkhorse potential nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court.

If she is picked by President Barack Obama to replace Justice John Paul Stevens when he retires this summer, her nomination would evolve in a manner far different from the way that President Franklin D. Roosevelt elevated ex- Michigan Governor Frank Murphy to the bench in 1940, where he stayed until his death in 1949.

In the FDR days, pre-appointment media speculation was not what it is today. In fact, media were a far cry from what they are today.

Last year, Granholm was vetted by Obama screeners but got only limited national mention among those on the shadowy short list before Obama in May selected U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Justice David Souter.

This time around, Obama is more openly seeking reaction to possible nominees.

"White House Floats Diverse List For Court" headlined the Wall Street Journal on a story that included Granholm on a list of 10. Granholm was one of two politicians, the other being Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former governor of Arizona.

Over the decades, I have been partial to adding politicians to the mix of justices on the U.S. and Michigan supreme courts. As 1953- 69 Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, ex-California Governor Earl Warren, Republican, presided over many a wise ruling.

Former Michigan Governors Harry Kelly (1943-46), Republican, and G. Mennen Williams (1949- 60), Democrat, were strong contributors to the Michigan Supreme Court upon leaving the executive branch. Three other former governors ended up on the Michigan Supreme Court.

Granholm, former state attorney general, has been an articulate advocate of Obama programs; was early on mentioned for cabinet appointment, and has been pictured close to Obama at assorted public events.

But the Obama-Granholm relationship falls far short of the Roosevelt-Murphy ties.

Before his appointment the Supreme Court, Murphy was a popular Depression-era mayor of Detroit; Roosevelt's chief diplomat in the Philippines; the 1937-38 governor who earned fame by his refusal to use National Guard troops to eject auto workers during the landmark General Motors sitdown strike in Flint, and Roosevelt's U.S. attorney general.

In 1936, when Murphy was in the Philippines, Roosevelt, worried about his re-election campaign, wanted Murphy back in Michigan to head the state ticket to help hold Catholics who might be inclined to defect to a third party movement that included Royal Oak's Father Charles Coughlin, the radio priest who once, but no longer, supported Roosevelt.

As it turned out, noted Murphy biographer Sidney Fine, Roosevelt was "unnecessarily concerned. ...It was Roosevelt who carried Murphy to victory." Roosevelt carried Michigan by 300,000, while Murphy was elected by a plurality of less than 50,000 in defeating GOP Governor Frank D. Fitzgerald.

Later on, according to Fine, Murphy wanted to be Secretary of War but saw the court appointment as a chance to "evangelize for tolerance and all things that are just ...(and) thrust my lance at intolerance."

That he did, for nearly a decade on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Congressional Watch

As is very evident in two northern districts, Michigan's congressional delegation is in line for a big shakeup. Democrats could lose their 8-7 partisan edge in the House.

In the 1st District, Representative Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) is not seeking a 10th term, and 2nd District Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-Holland) is running for governor rather than a 10th term.

Downstate, Representative Vern Ehlers (R-Grand Rapids) is retiring; two freshmen -- Representative Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) and Gary Peters (DBloomfield Township) -- face competitive races and each already has raised nearly $2 million; and Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Detroit) faces a primary challenge from state Senator Hansen Clarke of Detroit.

Although campaign spending in the districts of Stupak and Hoekstra undoubtedly won't approach levels in the Schauer and Peters districts, there have been vigorous fundraising efforts.

In the 1st District, Dr. Dan Benishek of Crystal Falls, who seeks the Republican nomination, raised $172,709 the first quarter of this year and by now is well over $200,000. Democrat Connie Saltonstall, former Charlevoix County commissioner, raised $104,951.

Although Stupak has been winning by large margins, Republicans on paper have a good shot at capturing the 31-county district.

In the solidly Republican 2nd District, conservative activist Jay Riemersma of Holland leads GOP contenders in fundraising. In the first quarter, he raised $325,507, followed by ex-Representative Bill Huizenga of Zeeland and Senator Wayne Kuipers of Holland, $112,590.

Fourth District Representative Dave Camp of Midland, ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, has raised $1,350,000 for his campaign for an 11th term in a mostly Republican district that stretches from parts of Saginaw and Shiawassee counties to Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau counties.

Stupak Seat Scramble

Democratic state Representative Gary McDowell of Rudyard in the Eastern Upper Peninsula said Monday he will run for the seat now held by U.S. Representative Bart Stupak, whose April 9 surprise announcement that he will not seek a 10th term has sparked a scramble in both parties.

McDowell is the second termlimited House member running for the state Senate to hastily switch to the congressional race. The other last week was Democratic Representative Joel Sheltrown of West Branch in the eastern Lower Peninsula portion of the sprawling 31-county district.

Although McDowell has not formally announced, he told me that after discussing it with his family Friday they encouraged him to run.

“Even my three-year-old granddaughter told me, “Papa, you can win,’” he said.

Among those yet to decide is 1988-98 state House Democratic Floor Leader Pat Gagliardi of Drummond Island, now a Liquor Control commissioner. Monday, he well described what is happening: “Since Bart’s announcement, the whole thing is like a white tornado going through the district. A lot is happening.”

One thing happening, according to Democratic activists, is prospect of a district poll seeing how various names play.

Two of the Big Four legislative leaders have removed themselves from the congressional race consideration?\ Senate Minority Leader Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming) and House Minority Leader Kevin Elsenheimer (R-Kewadin).

In its April 19 issue, Inside Michigan Politics (IMP) said Democratic State Chairman Mark Brewer said his party has “a very deep bench” of potential candidates for Stupak’s seat.

But IMP said: “However, given the way the political winds are blowing, it might not matter whom the Democrats nominate. ?eDeep bench’ or not, this may not be the year for any Democrat to be able to retain the seat.”

As drawn up by the Michigan GOP in 2001, the district was considered to have a 54% Republican base, but IMP noted that “as long as Stupak was holding it down it proved impossible for the GOP to contest.”

George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.