A quick brief on the Republican race in Michigan:

Mike Huckabee continued to push his populist economic message and work an informal network of grassroots supporters in the Wolverine State. Yesterday afternoon Huckabee went before a potentially hostile pro-business crowd at a luncheon of the Detroit Economic Club, telling the crowd, "my goal is not to make rich people poor, it's to give poor people a shot at the American dream."

Huckabee also recalled Detroit's heroic efforts in churning out equipment and munitions to help secure victory in World War II before telling the group, "I think it's fair to say that there was a time in this nation's history when Michigan saved America, and now it may be time for America to help save Michigan."

Late yesterday evening Huckabee spoke to a crowd of 500 before a homeschooler's high school basketball game. The Lansing State Journal reports on Huckabee's pitch to the audience:

In St. Johns, Huckabee said he believed in an America that is "unapologetically one nation under God." He said that "president after president" until recently called on the nation to pray in times of crisis.

He spoke about "Facing the Giants," an inspirational movie about a Christian academy football team and its coach who turns to God.

People face giants in their own lives, whether it's bad medical news or the loss of a job, Huckabee said.

"Just like you face your giants every day, I face mine Tuesday," he said.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney held a midday event at Macomb Community College described by the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press as "sparsely attended," in which he continued to blast John McCain's comment that some jobs in Michigan are gone forever. "I am not willing to accept defeat like that, that those jobs aren't coming back," Romney said, "I will fight for every good job for Michigan and for America."

But the Detroit News also carries a story today quoting experts backing McCain's claim of "straight talk" on the job situation in Michigan:

"The relentless trend in Michigan and the United States is that manufacturing jobs will continue to decline," said Dana Johnson, chief economist for Comerica Bank. "Nothing is going to stop that trend."

McCain returns to Michigan today to hold town hall meetings in Warren and Clawson.