Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode

• How do we currently nominate secretary of state and attorney general?
• Reactions to this new proposal

Johnson says that having voters choose secretary of state and attorney general nominees allows for better representation for both the Democratic and Republican parties, as opposed to party conventions which are dominated by “insiders and special interests.”

“Anytime you have more people involved, you get a better reflection of society,” said Johnson. “It’s time to move forward and present this choice to the people of Michigan.”

The other two states that don’t use voters to nominate these roles are South Dakota and Indiana.

Johnson said roles that he and his group may focus on next includes Michigan Supreme Court seats and university trustees.

More from WDET

• Current and Former Secretaries of State Talk Transparency To Kick Off Sunshine Week
• MichMash: Attorney General Dana Nessel talks ICE detention center lawsuit, data centers and more
• MichMash: Secretary Benson on presidential primaries, election security

In this episode

• What is in the Money Out of Politics group’s proposal?
• What are the reactions from the supporters and opponents of the bill?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

A ballot measure that would prohibit political spending by Michigan’s regulated utilities and large state contractors could appear on the November ballot. As part of WDET’s weekly series, MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss what’s included in the proposal and how supporters and opponents are responding.

The co-chairs of Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, Sean McBrearty and Christy McGillivray, stop by to discuss the proposal.

Opponents of the proposal say it infringes on their right to free speech. McBrearty disagrees.

“They’ll still get to play a role in the political process. The utility executives will be welcome to go out and canvass for any lawmakers they support,” he said.

McGillivray added, “They won’t be able to use money to shut the door on everyone else who wants to have a conversation with their elected officials.”

The group is confident it will gather the 356,000 valid voter signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot.

Producer’s Note:

MichMash reached out to Consumers Energy and DTE Energy, as well as Protect MI Free Speech, the committee opposing the ballot proposal, to share their perspectives. However, we were unable to schedule interviews with them. We will continue to cover this issue and hope to have them on the show in a future episode.

More from WDET:

• DTE Energy is building the region’s largest battery energy storage center at old Trenton coal plant
• A Republican outlook on Michigan’s 2026 elections
• The Metro: Can a new coalition remove big money from Michigan politics?

In this episode:

• Why did Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz leave to go to Clemson?
• What was the general theme of this year’s policy conference?
• Who gave standout speeches during the conference?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Mackinac Policy Conference had a couple of surprising moments from lawmakers, leaders, and political candidates. This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben give a glimpse of some of the news happening on the island. Gongwer reporter Liz Nass joins the conversation from the conference to share her coverage of the annual meeting. 

Unlike other years, the conference was focused more on where Michigan ranked in comparison to the rest of the nation. “It’s very stat heavy. Everybody is really focused on numbers, specifically Michigan’s rankings. There isn’t specific legislation being spoken about, but more so about competition with the rest of the country,” said Nass. 

The conference had its fair share of news-breaking moments. One of the biggest was Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz leaving his position to become the 16th president of Clemson University. Nass said his departure points to a larger story.

“It follows what the MSU Board of Trustees have been dealing with for a while. A while ago, they had a special emergency meeting discussing [possibly] changing the code of ethics because of rogue trustees writing op-eds, which they expressed created a bad environment for our president.”

There is a conversation about changing how these positions are nominated. 

• More from WDET:

  2026 Mackinac Policy Conference

  ‘No!’ Whitmer shoots down presidential run, looks back at career at Mackinac Policy Conference

  Mackinac Policy Conference: Sen. Peters comments on Iran, state Rep. Puri on budgeting and DTE announces battery storage for data centers

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

With less than six months until the midterm elections, independent candidate Mike Duggan has dropped out of the race.

This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss the factors that led the former Detroit mayor to make his decision and the reactions from both Democrats and Republicans.

Even though Duggan faced an uphill battle running as an independent, the general consensus was that if anyone could win in that position, it would be him. Kasben said the current political climate did not allow for that possibility.

Later in the episode, we discuss earmarks, a way to secure funding for local government projects. Following a decision from the Michigan Court of Claims, what lawmakers consider an earmark could change. Gorchow and Kasben also discuss how the evolution of this type of funding led to current criticisms. Patrick Wright, vice president for legal affairs at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, joins the conversation to help explain the decision.

Wright said the Mackinac Center felt it was the right time to file the lawsuit that led to the Court of Claims decision.

“We thought the grant process was being abused because the voting threshold wasn’t being met,” Wright said. “We looked at the constitutional history and we tried to put a stop to it.”

The Mackinac Center’s challenge focused on two specific grants: one for a minor league baseball stadium in Lansing and another for a baseball stadium in Utica.

• More from WDET:

  MichMash: What are earmarks? A breakdown of the 2026 state budget

  Detroit Evening Report: Mike Duggan drops out of Michigan governor’s race

  MichMash: Why the MEA is withholding its endorsement; Inside Michigan elections

In this episode

• How many years has the Michigan Education Association supported a Democratic candidate for governor?
• Does the Michigan Bureau of Elections check every signature?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Democratic gubernatorial race hit some turbulence this week after a key endorser, the Michigan Education Association, did not decide who it will support. This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss why the association has withheld its endorsement for now.

The MEA normally backs Democratic candidates. Despite Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson leading in the polls, its hesitation may show that Sheriff Chris Swanson and independent candidate and former Mayor Mike Duggan might have gained some ground. The MEA’s endorsement could shift momentum in favor of whoever it backs.

“Going back to 1982, the MEA has always supported the Democratic candidate for governor. A Duggan endorsement would be a monumental embarrassment for Benson or Swanson if that were to occur,” said Gorchow.

The MEA is the state’s largest employee union, with more than 140,000 teachers and support staff as members, so its endorsement would have a large impact.

Later in the episode, Jonathan Brater, director of the Michigan Bureau of Elections, explained how the government office works in conjunction with the secretary of state, how signatures are approved and more.

There is a different system for reviewing signatures depending on the office a candidate is running for and the number of signatures required. The process is thorough to guarantee the authenticity of signatures.

“My position is a little bit unusual in that it is listed in the state’s statute. It does expressly require that it’s a civil service position as opposed to a political appointee position, so there is a level of separation and protection there,” said Brater.

Brater said there is concern about misinformation surrounding the election process, and he emphasized that voters should get their election information from their local election officials.

More from WDET:

• The Metro: Trust in elections is declining. A Michigan Republican clerk blames politics
• Detroit Evening Report: Shri Thanedar questions validity of campaign signatures submitted by Adam Hollier
• Governor candidates present school funding plans at education forum

An important state senate race for Michigan’s 35th Senate District was decided Tuesday, and it could have huge implications for the November midterm elections. This week on WDET’s weekly series, MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss what how the race was decided. They are joined by Alvin “AJ” Jones from WCMU Public Radio to break it all down.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode

• What were the campaign strategies for Democrat Chedrick Greene and Republican Jason Tunney?
• Why did it take so long to call this special election?
• What could this race signal for the 2026 midterm elections?

Jones also pointed to the focus on the race being a reason why Greene won this special election. “The two candidates had very different strategies. Tunny’s campaign really hammered in local issues—talking about reading levels and tax cuts. Greene’s focused on national issues of affordability.” 

Both Greene and Tunney will face off again in the 2026 November midterm elections. 

More from WDET

• MichMash: The 2026-27 fiscal year budget process is outpacing last year
• The Metro: Trust in elections is declining. A Michigan Republican clerk blames politics
• 4 living ex-Michigan governors make case for civility in politics

In this episode

• Recap of the 2026 Democratic Endorsement Convention
• What stood out about the filing deadline?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

According to the team, there were few surprises during this year’s filing deadline. One development that stood out to Oosting was Republican James Hooper entering the race against U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

“James Hooper announced that no one filed, so he was going to give it a go,” Oosting said. “It’s good for a candidate to have at least one challenger. Rashida Tlaib is a lock for reelection, but what if something happens?”

The 13th congressional district in Detroit probably had the biggest news with Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters jumping into the race to challenge Shri Tanadar. Oosting said Waters jumping in may take votes away from state Rep. Donavan McKinney who was already running. “For [McKinney] to be successful you need a small primary field. Mary Waters getting into the race complicates things”. 

The party primary elections will be held on August 4th. 

• More from WDET:
  MichMash: Michigan Democrats hold 2026 state endorsement convention
  
  MichMash: Will the Michigan Senate race forecast other critical races across the nation?
  
  Detroit Evening Report: Shri Thanedar questions validity of campaign signatures submitted by Adam Hollier

In this episode

• Recap of the 2026 Michigan Republican State Endorsement Convention
• Who is running for Secretary of State and Attorney General for the Michigan Democratic Party?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Michigan Democratic Party is holding their endorsement convention this weekend to determine the party’s supported candidates for critical positions. As part of WDET’s weekly series…MichMash…Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discusses what those positions are and which candidates have the best chances of winning. Party chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, Curtis Hertel, Jr. describes the convention will go and the status of the Michigan Democratic Party.

“We are prepared for a long day and shorter lines.” said Hertel. The party chair said this might be the largest convention in the history of the Michigan Democratic convention. The voting process is made easier with what Hertel calls a simple text and email based voting system. The voting is proportional voting.

Secretary of State and Attorney General are the biggest positions being voted on during the convention. “Everybody has a chance to run. What’s important is that we run a fair process. It’s going to be an organizing effort. Who can get their people and their votes to the convention floor” said Hertel.

The midterm elections will be held on November 3rd 2026

• More from WDET:
• MichMash: Michigan Republicans hold 2026 state endorsement convention
• US steps into war between Israel and Iran, strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites

The State of Michigan and the City of Romulus have sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to stop them from converting a warehouse into an ICE detention center.

This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben talks with Attorney General Dana Nessel to discuss her concerns about the department’s actions and much more.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode

• Why did the State of Michigan and the City of Romulus sue the U.S. Department of Homeland Security?
• Attorney General Nessel’s take on Pres. Trump attending Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship.
• Data centers in Michigan
• What Attorney Nessel plans to do after leaving office this term. 

Nessel felt that the legality of the Romulus warehouse purchase was in question, and even pointed out the irony of the DHS operation.

“They are taking people who mostly have no criminal records of any kinds and [saying] that these people didn’t come into the state properly so we are going to detain you or deport. Well, DHS didn’t come in to Romulus properly. They are not abiding by the laws. So I think it’s a bit of hypocrisy by the federal government.” 

Nessel said they filed a preliminary injunction so that DHS could not proceed with the project while the legal battle evolves. 

More from WDET:

• Detroit Evening Report: Michigan and city of Romulus file lawsuit to halt ICE detention center

• The Metro: Data centers, coming to a community near you