MIRS Monday Podcast

Before leaving last week's Mackinac Policy Conference, MIRS was joined by Charlie Langton of WWJ News and Nick Austin of Detroit public radio for a policy and political media roundtable (2:18).

Additionally, U.S. Senator Gary Peters explains why he wanted the job of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair, and why Democrats are targeting GOP strongholds Texas and Florida (27:12).

Also, GOP U.S. Senate hopeful Sandy Pensler s...

The MIRS Monday Podcast presents a special Mackinac Policy Conference edition with updated coverage from the Detroit Regional Chamber’s gathering on Mackinac Island.    

U.S. Senate hopeful Elissa Slotkin says she’s taking nothing for granted in her primary bid despite encouraging polling data (2:18).

And Michigan’s Senate majority leader, Democrat Winnie Brinks, tells MIRS she’s confident her caucus will get its concerns and quest...

For today's episode, members of the MIRS team discuss Michigan's U.S. Senate race, and the significance around why upcoming primary debates have been canceled (3:15).

Also, Danielle Brown, an urban journalism professor at Michigan State University, explains her research of how the media's coverage of college protests is "more likely to be sensationalized" than not. Her latest studies hone in on recent campus protests concerning the...

Members of the MIRS team come together to discuss the latest updates in Michigan's U.S. Senate and House races. They also dive into how candidates and elected officials did in the debut year of financial disclosure mandates, and some under-the-radar budget proposals that state legislators have put forward (1:23). 

Former Attorney General spokeswoman Andrea Bitely launched her own public relations firm on Monday. She says there's "a...

State Senator Sue Shink, a Northfield Township Democrat, discusses her $2.145 billion spending plan for Michigan's prison system. The budget aims to improve corrections officer recruitment by upgrading retirement benefits, and to honor communications between inmates and legislators (1:42). 

MIRS is also joined by President Spencer Nevins of the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association. He explains why his association wants to...

The MIRS team is joined by Bridge Detroit journalist Malachi Barrett and Adolph Mongo, a Detroit political commentator, to discuss how Detroit voters are feeling about the 2024 election cycle. 

They zoom in on the Democratic rivalry between U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar and challenger Adam Hollier in the 13th congressional district, as well as how Detroiters are reacting to the U.S. Senate and presidential races (1:20). 

Additionally, st...

The MIRS team discusses what could be the most competitive primaries, as well as who could be the most vulnerable incumbents, in the 2024 state House elections. More than 100 state representatives are running for reelection, and more than 32 percent of them are facing primary challengers (1:10). 

Additionally, state Sen. Veronica Klinefelt, an Eastpointe Democrat, joins today's episode to discuss her legislation to explicitly outla...

Last week, the Attorney General announced 13 felony charges against former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield in relation to allegedly using state, campaign and non-profit funds for "self-enrichment." 

Today, MIRS speaks with legal professional Jessica Bartlett on what exactly are 501(c)4 and 527 non-profits, and why it's rare for states to pursue charges involving them (1:15). 

Also, Executive Director Britany Affolter-Caine of the...

Founder Cassy Jones-McBryde of the Michigan Chamber for Reproductive Justice and midwife Nicole Marie White – the director of the MI State Of Birth Justice – describe legislation introduced recently by some Senate Democrats to improve how the state investigates, combats and reports on racial disparities in pregnancy and maternal care (1:20). 

Pamela Pugh, a candidate in Michigan's 8th Congressional distric...

State Representatives Penelope Tsernoglou – an East Lansing Democrat – and Kristian Grant, a Grand Rapids Democrat, join MIRS for a legislative roundtable. They discuss why Democrats are continuing to focus on abortion and reproductive issues this election cycle, although former President Donald Trump has not endorsed a federal abortion ban proposal (1:22).

Should Michigan drop the state's gas tax in exchange for charging drivers a...

Director Dave Dulio of the Oakland University Center for Civic Engagement and reporter Russ McNamara of Detroit's public radio and NPR station describe the issues Democrats and Republicans are honing in on this spring (2:02).

The MIRS team was also joined by Republican commissioners Rhonda Lange and Erin Wagner of the state's citizens redistricting commission. The panel recently changed 15 state House districts in response to feder...

When it comes to the Republican primary for Michigan's U.S. Senate race, candidate Mike Rogers – a past chair of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee – says "this thing is done" (1:23). 

The share of likely GOP primary voters supporting Rogers grows from 27 percent to 67 percent after they learn he is backed by past President Donald Trump, according to one March survey. 

MIRS is also joined by Executive Director Cheryl Bergman of ...

Last week, a Senate committee moved bills requiring the Governor and state legislators to respond to public records requests through Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.

Meanwhile, some House Democrats introduced still more transparency bills involving 501(c)4 or 527 accounts not regulated by Michigan's campaign finance laws. 

Executive Director Nick Pigeon of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network and Lisa McGraw, the public affa...

Should staffers in the Michigan Senate and House have union representation? (starts at 1:10)

Former state Senator Wayne Schmidt, a Traverse City Republican, believes "the need for a union is really not there," and that being a legislative staffer is not a clock-in and clock-out type of job. 

Meanwhile, past state Representative LaMar Lemmons III, a Detroit Democrat, would be against staffers being represented by a union that's invo...

In a reporter roundtable, the team is joined by Michigan politics reporter Joey Cappelletti of the Associated Press to discuss the recent state GOP nominating convention, where past President Donald Trump won all of the available delegates. They also talk about what presidential primary stories they're still thinking about as the state and voters move on. 

Additionally, Democratic state Representatives Mike McFall and Jason Morgan ...

On this week's MIRS Monday Podcast: 

Matt Wilk – a Northville-based attorney and Republican 6th congressional precinct delegate – says "no one can guarantee" which delegates will move forward in the GOP presidential nominating process.

Most of Michigan's Republican delegates for deciding the presidential nominee will be determined through a party-run convention on Saturday. But there are dueling conventions, one run by the Pete Hoe...

Today, former Wisconsin congressman and Washington, D.C. lobbyist Scott Klug discusses his story-telling podcast, "Lost in the Middle: America's Political Orphans." 

He details how the present-day state of political polarization has left a lot of voters "floating around on icebergs."

Also, the team is joined by Tom George, a past state senator and Historical Society of Michigan board member. In honor of Presidents Day, he describes...

Last week, the Governor proposed a $80.7 billion state budget to lawmakers, including a suggestion to withhold $670 million in intended public school retirement debt payments to be spent on other things. 

The team is joined by Research Director Craig Thiel and Senior Research Associate Robert Schneider of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan to discuss the Governor's recommendations. 

...

Robert Morris Owens – an unofficial advisor to Kristina Karamo and her faction of the divided state GOP – doesn't imagine either the courts, the Republican National Committee or past President Donald Trump himself having much authority in resolving the current chair conflict. 

State Representative Alabas Farhat, a Dearborn Democrat, describes what it was like to read an opinion piece referring to his home ...