Today on Stateside, Michigan's primary election, where voters will choose the candidates who will appear on the ballot in November, is less than a week away. Michigan Public's Morning Edition host Doug Tribou has been interviewing the people hoping to be Michigan's next governor. Today, his conversation with current Secretary of State and Democratic candidate for governor Jocelyn Benson.

Then, a look at an under-discussed subject: men’s mental health. Men are less likely than women to self-report conditions like depression and anxiety. Michigan State University clinical nurse practitioner Michael Martel discussed the nuances that shape how men experience mental health conditions.

And, writer John Freeman reviews the new collection Dementia Lyrics by Michigan poet Dennis Hinrichsen. In it, Hinrichsen uses neuroscience and prose to make sense of a friend’s decline.

Finally, there are an estimated nearly 20,000 Amish residents spread across more than 50 settlements in Michigan. Their commitment to preserving traditions for centuries has set them apart and drawn fascination from mainstream society. Ohio author Kevin Williams reflects on more than three decades of observing Amish settlements in his new memoir Not So Simple: My Adventures Among the Amish, Mennonites, Shakers, and Other Plain People.

GUESTS ON TODAY’S SHOW:

• Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State and Democratic candidate for governor
• Michael Martel, assistant professor at the MSU College of Nursing 
• John Freeman, lecturer at Oakland University and author of the books Brother of Leaving and Fight Songs
• Kevin Williams, author of Not So Simple: Adventures Among the Amish, Mennonites, Shakers, and Other Plain People

Today on Stateside, businessman Perry Johnson discussed his run for governor, in the Republican primary, with Morning Edition Host Doug Tribou.

Also on the show, have you ever wondered where Claude A.I. got its name? As we found out, its origin is close to home.

Then, we talked to Michigan Public’s Reporting Fellow Etai Smotrich-Barr, on how an Oakland County man's mental distress led to a suicide inside the county jail. Smotrich-Barr's story, published in the Detroit Free Press, also details how the man's family is seeking accountability.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The number is 988, with the option to text or call.

Plus, Third District Court of Appeals Judge Mark Boonstra is the author of three books, and in his spare time, also writes for a Substack. However, nowhere in his campaign financial disclosures does he mention those side hustles. So, is Judge Boonstra in compliance with the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct? Ben Solis, senior reporter for Michigan Advance, joined us to share his reporting.

And, in the latest edition of our On Hand podcast, we heard your Michigan cherry stories. In today’s episode we hear from a listener about the lessons in tenderness and abundance a forgotten cherry taught him. You can find that here.

GUESTS ON TODAY'S SHOW:

• Perry Johnson, Republican candidate for governor
• Etai Smotrich-Barr, freelance journalist
• Ben Solis, senior reporter for Michigan Advance
• Michelle Jokisch Polo, Stateside producer