Years ago, Wayne county was very much like the east coast. Lots of wealthy people from the era of the industrial revolution who controlled a population of imigrants who largely did not vote. This combined with the fact that the republican party of yesterday was a more liberal/libertarian party, lent MI to be a solidly republican state. It was also republican because the South was Dem - that sounds simplistic, but true.
Hard to believe now, but the Republicans used to be the high tariff party. This got them support from all the Industrial areas that are now Rust Belt unionized Dems.
