Five candidates — including longtime GOP frontrunner James Craig, the former Detroit police chief — were knocked off the ballot after election officials in the state discovered fraud in their petition signatures.

Weeks later, candidate Ryan Kelley was arrested by the FBI on charges stemming from his presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 — just after he was confirmed as the new polling leader in the shrunken Republican primary, plunging the race into a new level of chaos.

“Just when you think everything is settled, something new comes along and washes onto shore,” said Jason Watts, who was removed from his post as a district party treasurer in Michigan after publicly breaking with former President Donald Trump…

Democrats have gleefully watched the chaos in the Republican primary unfold, and have even tried to stoke the fire. Put Michigan First — the Democratic Governors Association affiliate in the state — released its first TV ad in the state earlier this week needling the entire field, before saying Whitmer is “protecting free and secure elections for Michigan.” The committee said the ad was running statewide, including “primetime slots on Fox News” in numerous markets in the state.