Episodes

A coordinated effort to steal the presidential election — by the Trump campaign. Republicans in Michigan and four other states sent forged certificates to Congress “awarding” their electoral votes to the losing candidate, Donald Trump. We’re joined by Michigan’s chief elections officer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, to discuss the plot along with failed efforts to pass federal voting rights legislation. Benson is Michigan’s 43rd Secretary of State. She is a former dean of Wayne State Unive...

The full half-hour-plus this week is devoted to several amazing developments in Michigan Politics, beginning with the dual scandals enveloping former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield. Accused first of sexual abuse by his now sister-in-law beginning when she was a teenager, he’s now the subject of investigations into his massive political slush fund. Also on the agenda for Jeff and Mark: musical chairs as Michigan’s members of Congress figure out where they are running after redistricting, and ...

To start the new year, Mark and Jeff take a look back at two of the most tulmultuous issues of 2021: the anniversary of the January 6 assault on the Capitol and Republican efforts to rig future elections. We go back to some often prescient commentary by five in our roster of amazing 2021 guests: Michael Steele Governor Michael Dukakis Rep. Dan Kildee Steve Schmidt Col. Alexander Vindman We’re back in a week to kick off what promises to be a more-than-lively 2022 campaign season!

For the first time ever, Michigan’s new congressional and legislative district maps have been drawn by non-politicians: the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, created by the 2018 ballot proposal 2. What does it mean for Michigan’s political balance of power? And will the maps survive inevitable court challenges? Mark Brewer and Jeff Timmer are both experts on partisan redistricting from previous battles. They are joined by longtime Lansing political columnist Bill Ballenger to analy...

The Michigan Supreme Court tells the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission that its closed-door meeting violated the state constitution. However, the newly released memos from that meeting were a big nothing-burger, raising questions of why the Commission created the controversy in the first place. Joining the conversation is one of the state’s top political writers, Kyle Melinn of the Michigan Information & Research Service (MIRS). The MIRS daily newsletter is a must-read for everyone ...

Two GOP heavyweights face off: Michigan Right to Life endorses one candidate for Attorney General, former President Trump has endorsed another. Who will prevail? Also on the docket this week: the Trump plan to overthrown the election and stage what amounts to a coup to stay in power. The revelations from the House Committee on January 6 are just the beginning, with public hearings in early 2022 promising to be must-see TV. Joining the discussion in our second segment this week is one of the na...

A coalition of the state’s leading newspapers sue Michigan’s Independent Redistricting Commission for what the newspaper say were unconstitutional closed sessions, signaling the beginning of a long season of legal battles for the Citizens’ Commission. Mark and Jeff also analyze Governor Whitmer’s break with the Biden administration over vaccine mandates, and discuss the politics that are being driven by the tragedy at Oxford High School. They are then joined by this week’s guest: Reed Galen, co...

Two of the most emotional issues of the last few decades came to a head this week: gun safety, and abortion rights. Mark and Jeff take a look at the politics in the aftermath of the horrific shooting in Oxford, and the U.S. Supreme Court hearing on Mississippi’s efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade. They are then joined by one of the people responsible for the petition drive creating the state’s Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission, Walt Sorg. Walt has been a part of state policy discussio...

Mark and Jeff discuss the latest entrant into the Republican gubernatorial sweepstakes, millionaire auto dealer Kevin Rinke. Plus: the potential for a bedsheet ballot with a dozen citizen petition drives underway or being discussed, the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission gets a scolding from the Attorney General, and Mark shares details of a lawsuit he has filed on behalf of the Michigan League of Women Voters challenging gerrymandering at the county level. They are then joined by Re...

Enactment of the Biden infrastructure plan is a once-in-a-generation investment in America’s economy, but will it translate into political benefits for Democrats? Mark and Jeff discuss the fallout from the bipartisan vote and the bitter recriminations for Republicans who supported the law (including death threats against Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan). They are then joined by David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party and author of the new book “Laboratories of Autocracy.” Pepper is ...

Mark and Jeff offer their analysis of Tuesday’s elections…not just the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, but also some of the key local elections in Michigan. Then, they are joined by one of the few heroes of the Trump White House: former national security staffer Col. Alexander Vindman, and USA Today columnist Rachel Vindman. The unassuming foreign affairs expert found himself suddenly thrust into the national spotlight after his frank and courageous testimony as a part of the firs...

Mark Brewer details the ballot proposal campaign he’s leading to award Michigan’s electoral votes to the national popular vote winner. The proposal, if approved by voters, would only become effective if states representing at least 270 electoral votes (a majority) were a part of the Electoral College Compact. Then, the discussion shifts to money: campaign fundraising. Joining the discussion is Simon Schuster, executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. Schuster was a reporter ...

Jeff Timmer and Mark Brewer take a look at an under-reported effort by state Republicans to bring potential chaos to the 2024 election: stacking local boards of canvassers with “Big Lie” disciples. The end game: instead of voters deciding the outcome, Michigan’s Legislature decides who gets the state’s electoral votes. They are then joined by outspoken conservative commentator Charlie Sykes, a lifelong Republican who was one of the first never-Trumpers. Sykes is founder and editor-in-chief of t...

The Big Lie lives on in Michigan and nationally. Mark Brewer and Jeff Timmer comment on the latest efforts to disrupt our democratic system through Trump’s core mendacity. They are then joined by columnist and military historian Max Boot, a self-described former conservative Republican who now says the overriding issue today is preserving our democratic republic. Boot has been called one of the “world’s leading authorities on armed conflict” by the International Institute for Strategic Studies...

President Biden launches a national blitz for his agenda in Michigan. Jeff Timmer and Mark Brewer analyze the President’s choice of location, and the impact of Build Back Better on Michigan Politics. Then they are joined by political scientist and new-age campaign consultant Dr. Rachel Bitecofer. Bitecofer is founder of the STRIKE-PAC. The mission: Where Democratic electioneering is now slow and reactive, STRIKE PAC makes it fast and proactive. With STRIKE PAC and other key innovators like Sta...

Mark Brewer discusses the ballot proposal he’s launching towards getting rid of the Electoral College (no more 2nd-place finishers in the White House), and Jeff analyzes another chaotic week for Michigan Republicans as their big-ticket Mackinac Conference finishes 2nd in attendance to a grassroots rally of party insurgents. They are then joined by nationally renowned pollster Celinda Lake. Lake is one of the Democratic Party’s leading political strategists. She was one of two lead pollsters fo...

Mark Brewer and Jeff Timmer offer their take on Donald Trump’s intrusion into the Michigan GOP races for Secretary of State and Attorney General. Will his backing of far-right “Big Lie” promoters overcome the private hesitancy of party chair Ron Weiser? The two of them are also veterans of multiple battles over redistricting. They analyze the first draft maps published by the new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. Michigan loses one seat in Congress. Which party is more likely to pr...

The gubernatorial campaign of James Craig got off to a rocky start with a blunder-filled “official” announcement. Mark and Jeff evaluate the would-be political slayer of Gretchen Whitmer. They also have a harsh assessment of state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey’s “suggestion” that universities rely less on vaccinations and more on natural immunity. They are then joined by legendary political consultant Joe Trippi. Joe Trippi is a nationally renowned political strategist who has worked on...

This week Mark Brewer and Jeff Timmer discuss in depth three of the issues that are driving politics: The Texas ban on virtually all abortions, 49 years after Roe v Wade The red-blue divide on voter suppression laws The new, organized far-right effort to control school boards through intimidation and organization Along the way, we get their analysis of why the upcoming state Republican summit on Mackinac Island is losing speakers. Mike Pence and Nikki Haley are “out” – are others also sudden...

Mark and Jeff focus on the latest Republican voter suppression petition drive and how time is running out if the GOP wants the changes in Michigan law to be in effect for the 2022 election. Then they are joined by Katie Fahey, founder of Voters Not Politicians, in a discussion of how the new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is doing its job. In November, 2016, Katie Fahey put a simple 2-sentence message on Facebook: “I’d like to take on gerrymandering in Michigan. If you’re interes...

How does the new John Lewis Voting Rights Act – passed Tuesday by the House of Representatives – offer the potential for breaking the Senate deadlock over the filibuster? Mark Brewer explains changes in the bill and tells why it could convince Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to support bypassing the filibuster to enact the bill. Then, Mark and Jeff Timmer are joined by the co-founder of Michigan’s top polling company, Bernie Porn of EPIC-MRA. Now in its 36th year, the company is ranked as Michig...

What does the census mean for upcoming Michigan elections? In the opening segment Mark Brewer and Jeff Timmer, both veterans of redistricting wars, analyze the changes in Michigan’s population. And they discuss the re-emergence of John Engler on the Michigan political stage. In segment two, they are joined by Amanda Carpenter. Carpenter is an American author, political advisor, and speechwriter. She is a former senior staffer to Senators Jim DeMint and Ted Cruz. She was a columnist for The Was...

President Joe Biden’s decades of experience in the Senate and his personal faith in compromise were rewarded Tuesday, when his $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed the Senate in a rare bipartisan vote of approval. Mark and Jeff discuss the landmark bill and related issues with Michigan Senator Gary Peters just hours after the historic Senate vote. Senator Peters was first elected in 2014 when he succeeded the late Carl Levin. Prior to that his public service included serving on the Rochester ...

In the opening segment, Mark Brewer shares his thoughts on his longtime friend and colleague, Sen. Carl Levin. Then Mark is joined by Jeff Timmer and political commentator Tara Setmayer. A llfelong conservative, Tara is a former CNN political commentator, contributor to ABC News and a former Republican Communications Director on Capitol Hill. She has appeared on ABC’s The View. ABC’s Good Morning America, and on HBO‘s Real Time with Bill Maher. In 2020, she was named as a Harvard Institute of P...