Episodes

In Washington D.C., Republicans are a hot mess – with two former Michigan congressmen waiting in the wings as a possible solution. In Michigan – a political shocker. Even as Democrats take full control of state government, Senator Debbie Stabenow drops a political bombshell. Michigan politics has been upended by the decision of Senator Stabenow to end a half-century of public service to, in her words, “I intend to begin a new chapter in my life that includes continuing to serve our State outside...

More than 100 years ago, George Satayana wrote “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” When it comes to political scandals it is especially true. So today, some Michigan political history that may foreshadow one of the first big stories of 2023. Pulitizer Prize-winning reproters Eric Freedman, and Jim, Mitzelfeld, right, celebrate news of their award April 12, 1994 with Detroit News Editor and Publisher Robert H. Giles. The first story in their winning series on the mishandling of sp...

The recounts show what we all knew: Michigan’s elections were fair, and the vote counts accurate. Michigan has a major supporting role in the January 6 final report – with evidence that could put some state Republicans in jail as it details efforts by Donald Trump to overturn Joe Biden’s Michigan victory. And two of the top-tier Biden successors, according to the buzz machine, are Michiganders: Gretchen Whitmer and Pete Buttigieg. One of them is reported quietly building a campaign infrastructur...

Jeff and Mark are traveling this week as we record the “pre-criminal-referrals” episode of the podcast. Jeff is getting the better end of the deal! He’s in Nashville where leaders of the Lincoln Project are holding their post-midterm victory lap…beginning planning for 2024..and sampling the hospitality of America’s country music capitol. Mark is coming up for air after still another long day of another recount. The futility of the partial recounts of Proposals 2 and 3 being highlighted by a Mic...

Lame ducks, federal subpoenas re: Michigan’s 2020 election, a Supreme Court hearing on ending democratic elections, another court hearing on the lawyers who pushed the BIg Lie in Michigan, a bizarre farewell speech from the top Republican in state government, and a new wrinkle in the Democratic Party’s plans to shift the presidential primary schedule – a shift that could mean even better news for Michigan. And for the last few days Mark has been in the middle of some of some won’t-change-anythin...

Donald Trump may be drawing a lot of heat for his Ye-Dinner with white nationalist Nick Fuentes at his Mar-A-Lago crime scene, but his acolytes in Michigan appear to be firmly in control of the state’s Republican Party. Potential criminal defendant Matt DePerno appears poised to become the new state Republican chair, but he now has opposition from a more traditional Republican: former congressman Pete Hoekstra. Pete Hoekstra plans to run for Michigan GOP chair against Matt DePerno Pete Hoekstra...

On this week’s podcast: In Lansing, Democrats are quickly and quietly putting in place their leadership structure as they prepare to take control of both chambers. In Washington, it’s just the opposite for House Republicans who face the prospect of being unable to elect a Speaker of the House. The upcoming resignation of Michigan Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack brings some major changes to the court: a centrist Republican appointee as the new Chief Justice (at least, for awhile) and the fir...

Welcome to 2024! The dust is still settling from last week’s mid-term elections (especially among the shell-shocked GOP), but Donald Trump’s inevitable campaign is now official … greeted by the New York Post headline “Florida Man Makes Announcement” and burying the story on page 26 <ouch!>. Closer to home, Gretchen Whitmer surprised many by making it clear she has no Presidential ambitions. Also this week: 7 policies Whitmer, Michigan Democratic lawmakers will push Democrats big midterm win ov...

It was supposed to be a nationwide Red Wave, but nationally turned into a Pink Drizzle and (in Michigan) a Blue Tsunami. Mark and Jeff analyze an election that Re-elected the Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General Flipped both the state Senate and state House to Democratic majorities Gave overwhelming voter approval to a woman’s right to choose, progressive election reforms and changes in term limits Kept the state’s Supreme Court with a 4-3 Democratic majority Despite the pre-vo...

It’s down to the last days and hours until Election Day. With more than 1.1-million votes already cast, the turnout likely will come close to the record mid-term election of 2018. The outcome is definitely in doubt: will the polls showing close-but-comfortable leads for the top of the Democratic ticket mean Michigan Democrats successful overcome the historic headwinds of a mid-term, or will the election deniers leading the state’s GOP ticket pull off historic upsets? Add to it continuing false ...

We’re less than two weeks away from election day; about three-quarters of a million ballots have already been cast, and another million absentee ballots have been issued. November 8 may be Election Day, but the election could well drag on for weeks as losing candidates … at least among the Republican nominees … scream “stolen election”. Some of the highlights of this week in Michigan politics: Barack Obama records TV ad promoting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 5 clashes in the final Gretchen Whitmer-Tud...

Absentee ballots are coming in a record rates with election day just three weeks away – and a lot of Republicans are preparing to scream “rigged election” after they lose since a lot of them, including the GOP’s statewide candidates, refuse to say they’ll accept the results. On this week’s podcast, Jeff and Mark take a deep dive into what may be the most under-appreciated political battle this cycle: the battle for control of the Michigan Legislature. Republicans have dominated the Michigan Legi...

It’s Debate Week in Michigan. Gretchen Whitmer faces off with Tudor Dixon in a one-hour TV event that pits the former talkshow host against Michigan’s first-term Governor. The debate comes days after a new poll showing what we’ve suspected all along: Whitmer’s reelection lead is strong, but not the double-digit blowout indicated by earlier polls. Also happening across Michigan’s political landscape this week: Whitmer: Defunding police ‘dangerous and foolish’’ House Democrats Allege Corrupt Repu...

As we speculated in last week’s podcast, Donald Trump spent most of his two-hour diatribe in Macomb County talking about … Donald Trump, dedicating about 5% of his speech to actually supporting the BIg Lie believers leading the GOP state ticket. Also in the political headlines this week: longtime Republican powerbroker Bob LaBrant calls this year’s GOP ticket “the most unqualified state-level ticket in recent Michigan history” as he actively supports the entire Democratic statewide slate; the st...

Early voting is underway in Michigan. In the race for Governor, Tudor Dixon is finally campaigning, focusing on social wedge issues, but her campaign continues to lack money. She may get some help when the nation’s #1 election denier, Donald Trump, brings his Big Lie Tour to Michigan this weekend to talk about himself and maybe help Tudor and the rest of the Republican statewide ticket. The polls are saying that, as of now, it could be a Democratic landslide at the top of the ticket in Michigan...

Absentee ballots go into the mail in just two weeks. In Michigan, the attention and the massive ad spending is split between candidate races and two very high-profile ballot proposals. Also this week on the podcast: * President Biden makes his 6th visit as President to Michigan with another Trump visit to Macomb County in 2 weeks … * Michigan’s battle over Reproductive Healthcare Rights gets the attention of the entire nation … * A surprising retirement from the state’s Supreme Court … * Mark...

Another week, more political turmoil providing mostly bad news for the Michigan GOP: Two petition drives go to the Michigan Supreme Court after Republicans refuse to accept the Reproductive Rights and Voting Rights petitions on seemingly spurious claims; Tudor Dixon’s stealth campaign: no money, no events; Whitmer’s polling lead grows to 13%; The Court of Appeals rules Michigan’s 1931 abortion law unconstitutional; House Democrats Dare Daire; Bipartisan support for stricter gun safety laws...

Bernie Porn Craig Mauger The two statewide tickets are set, with Republicans facing an uphill battle as the party’s All-MAGA slate tries to inch away from extreme positions on reproductive freedom, election integrity and state taxes. Also in the mix: some growing legal problems for more than a few Republican candidates. Mark and Jeff are joined by two non-partisan experts to help set the stage for the final 9 weeks of campaigning: Bernie Porn, chief number cruncher for EPIC-MRA Craig Mauger, p...

Sitting in with Jeff Timmer this week, guest co-host Walt Sorg, one of the founders of Voters Not Politicians and a longtime Lansing political presence. This week: A surprise Democratic victory in a New York special election. Is this a sign of things to come, or a strictly New York phenomenon? New polling shows shoring up of Joe Biden’s approval numbers, and widespread support for the major elements of the Inflation Reduction Act. Tudor Dixon’s running mate is a little-known former legislator...

While Joe Biden gets to celebrate a B.F.D., Republicans continue to pay homage to their Golden God nationally and in Michigan as the once Grand Old Party continues to disintegrate. One ominous sign (of many) for the GOP’s state ticket: a lack of money. The Whitmer/Gilchrist/Nessel/Benson ticket is banking millions for the fall campaign while the opposition campaigns operate on fumes. Also this week: opponents of the Reproductive Freedom constitutional amendment lash out at the petition printer ...

A search warrant at Mar-A-Lago, a special prosecutor may put Matt DePerno’s campaign to be Michigan’s chief law enforcement official, and state Republicans look to what could be a volcanic summer convention. In other words, just another bizarre week in Michigan politics. In Washington, a string of victories for President Biden. Congress is set to pass the biggest climate bill in history after already pushing through long-overdue support for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the first gun safety la...

Reproductive rights win in ruby-red Kansas… Peter Meijer pays the price… DeVos money and (maybe) Trump’s endorsement does the job for Tudor Dixon… Incumbents fall in state legislative races We record the day after Tuesday’s primary election and are joined in the conversation by one of the shrewdest political analysts in the state: former Lt. Governor John Cherry. Former staff member to Michigan State Senator Gary Corbin, Cherry served as the state political director for the American Federat...

The primary voting ends next Tuesday at 8 p.m. with multiple key battles brewing. The most visible is, of course, the most-bizarre-ever Republican primary for the right to take on Gretchen Whitmer in November, a campaign with five candidates who have never held public office beyond the local level. A week out polling still showed “undecided” in the lead, with Tudor Dixon and her DeVos-funded campaign holding a slight lead over self-funding millionaire Kevin Rinke and indicted January 6th insurre...

With just two weeks until the primary election, nearly 40% of Republican voters haven’t made up their mind between the five candidates. Three candidates are in a statistical tie; adding to the uncertainty is the impact of Democratic crossover votes, and whether Donald Trump will endorse a candidate. Also on this week’s agenda: Joining the conversation is David Eggert, senior reporter for politics and policy with Crain’s Detroit Business. Before joining Crain’s in May, he was Lansing bureau chi...