With conclusion of the primary season, big money from afar will be at play in Michigan for the November 2 election.

For starters, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) has put about $4.2 million in a Michigan political action committee (MI-PAC). Its "large footprint put an otherwise soft year for interest group fundraising onto a path that may be record-setting," the Michigan Campaign Finance Network said last week in listing the state's top 150 PACs.

Extensive outside financing also looms for three Michigan congressional districts, including the northern Michigan 1st District. I'll touch on those later.

Only $84,418 of the RGA's contributions for the PAC contributions came from donors with Michigan addresses, although longtime state GOP contributor Rich DeVos gave $138,000 from his Florida address. Top two contributors are one New Yorker at $988,000 and another at $500,000.

Given Governor Jennifer Granholm's poor job approval ratings, and the malaise about Michigan's lingering economic slump, Republicans are upbeat about winning her open seat.

Democrats were encouraged by President Barack Obama's Friday remarks at the Sterling Heights Chrysler plant about the Big Three, which he said are "operating at a profit--first time in six years."

Obama was pumped up for his for his auto gig: "Don't bet against the American worker," he told auto workers. "Don't bet Against the American people. You are proving the naysayers wrong."

Naysayers were not silenced. A statement from the Republican National Committee called Obama's fifth Metro Detroit visit as president "nothing more than a public relations pit stop."

On balance, the auto bailout was a positive move--as was the 1980s bailout of Chrysler by several states led by Michigan, which also required payback.

Granholm called Chrysler's Friday announcement that it will keep its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant open past its scheduled 2012 closing date "the best news of the summer.

"This is a project that we and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation have worked on long and hard along with Macomb County, the city of Sterling Heights, and many others.

"The fact that the more than 1,000 workers at the plant will keep their jobs, and a second shift of another 900 workers will be added in 2011, is a tremendous economic boost. This is a fabulous day for Chrysler and Michigan."

House speaker Andy Dillon, who seeks the Democratic nomination to replace Granholm, agrees.

Dillon is one of at least three gubernatorial contenders campaigning in northern Michigan the last weekend before Tuesday's primary. His Saturday schedule included stops in Alpena and Traverse City before a swing downstate. On Friday, Attorney General Mike Cox brought his "Putting Michigan Back to Work" tour to Traverse City.

On Sunday, Republican contender Rick Snyder, an Ann Arbor businessman, scheduled a "free family event" at the Grand Traverse Pie Company for people to meet Snyder and ex-Governor William G. Milliken, who endorsed Snyder.

Congressional Watch

These are the Michigan districts attracting most national attention, and in at least two cases will attract substantial out-of-state money:

• The 9th District is Michigan's most affluent congressional district, and is now represented by former Lottery Director and ex-Senator Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township), who defeated eight-term Republican U.S. Representative Joe Knollenberg in a race that saw combined spending of about $6.6 million.

• In the 7th District, Representative Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek), elected in 2008 with help of strong union support, defends a seat he won over Republican Tim Walberg, who was supported by more than $500,000 from the anti-tax Club for Economic Growth in a race where each spent more than $2 million.

• For years, the 1st District seat of retiring nine-term Representative Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) continually won in a district that on paper looked good for Republicans. He had little trouble raising enough money--in his last race he outspent Republican Tom Casperson, $1,281,683 to $236,254. Now that he is retiring, it's a toss-up that lures money on both sides for possible influence.

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.