Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate Primary is one of the most closely watched and deeply debated in the country.   

With less than two weeks to go before election day, Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed have gained supporters from across the state. 

Retired General Motors worker Theresa Landrum backs Stevens and her “fight” for the US Senate seat. 

“We need a fighter like that to fight tooth and nail for the people that are going to be harmed by this current administration,” Landrum said. 

El-Sayed supporter Andrew Lyon of Ferndale was originally set to support State Senator Mallory McMorrow’s bid, but a friend offered other options.  

“My friend was like, ‘Oh no, you gotta check out Abdul.’ And then I looked him up. I think it was on TikTok,” Lyon said. “(I) started following him, and then instantly (switched). What he wants to fight for is exactly what I believe in.” 

What are they fighting for? 

Stevens has promised to push back on the Trump Administration and the president himself. 

“I’m just fired up to be out here putting my hand up for Michigan in this serious moment,” Stevens said. “It’s no joke what is going on, with Donald Trump stealing from people, illegal impoundments of funds, going after voting rights.” 

El-Sayed says he has no love for the president, but he’s fighting against the Democratic Party’s centrist establishment too.   

“I’m not dangerous if you’re someone who needs government to work for you. But if you’re Chuck Schumer, damn right I’m dangerous,” El-Sayed said. “If you are someone who wants to stand in the way of government working for people, I am dangerous.” 

According to Adam Carlson, founding partner of Zenith Research, only 47% of democrats have a favorable opinion of Schumer.  He was commissioned to do a poll for the pro-El-Sayed veterans group Common Defense.   

It’s not like Democrats couldn’t see this coming. One of the first things that Mallory McMorrow did when she announced her run for Senate in 2025 was call for Schumer’s removal as Senate Minority Leader.  

In New York and Colorado, progressive candidates have primaried centrist incumbents and won. The big question is whether wins in deep blue districts can be replicated in purple states like Michigan.  

Carlson said the rage against the Democratic political machine leaves voters open to a left-wing populist.  

“I’ve never seen in my 13 years doing this voters so angry, frustrated with like conventional wisdom, and being told who is electable, and just inflation, cost of living, and all that. Just much more responsive to populism, more than a left-right divide,” Carlson said.  

Stevens – who has been supported by Schumer from the beginning of her run – doesn’t see this race as a referendum on Democratic Party leadership.   

“There are some people who are running who assume that’s what this race is all about, and I don’t think that’s fair to the people of Michigan,” Stevens said. “I believe that this race is about the future of Michigan and our workforce, and who’s going to get points on the scoreboard for organized labor.” 

What do voters want in their candidates? 

A recent poll by the Michigan-based Glengariff Group showed that the top two things voters want out of a Democratic senate candidate are “fighters” and someone who is “electable.”   

For Stevens supporters, electability is all about the general.   

Retired U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and retiring Senator Gary Peters both believe Stevens can beat Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Peters thinks Stevens will be able to face down a ton of money from Republicans in the general.   

“That’s why you have to have someone who has a proven track record of actually winning tough races. And that’s Haley Stevens,” Peters said. “She’s won tough races. She’s had that kind of money spent against her from outside forces. She’s an independent voice who stands up for Michigan folks.” 

But in this primary, those outside forces are on her side.   

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders spoke at a recent El-Sayed campaign event in Detroit about how he views this race. 

 

“With all due respect to Congresswoman Stevens, everyone knows that this is not an election between her and Abdul El-Sayed,” Sanders said. “This is an election between Abdul and the billionaire class.” 

Stevens doesn’t care for that characterization, but seems to agree that getting money out of politics is a good thing.   

“The thing is, is that we have to pass the laws to stop dark money. It is not about whether I say it or not as a point of altruism. This is actually about changing our laws,” Stevens said.  

With nearly $70 million spent so far, MIRS news is reporting that this is the second most expensive Democratic Senate primary ever, with a chance to supplant the 2024 Democratic primary in California.  

But it’s not just the money, it’s where it is coming from. El-Sayed is running the stronger grassroots campaign, taking money and ground game support from unions and related PACs totaling $850,000.  

He’s consistently been in the top 5 fundraisers on the Democratic fundraising platform Act Blue, a site that specializes in small dollar donations. Last quarter, El-Sayed outgained Stevens $4.5 million to $2 million in grassroots support and drew $65,000 more in individual donations than Stevens.  

More than $50 million has been spent on Stevens, largely in the form of TV and streaming ads. If you’ve turned on something with a screen in the past month, you’ve likely seen one. 

Since her first run for Congress in 2018, Stevens’ ties to the Obama-era auto bailout have been a center point of her campaign – though she’s never earned the endorsement of the United Auto Workers.   

What are the demographics of voters? 

Micqoua Franklin was one of the many that chatted with Stevens at a Juneteenth event in Detroit, and she said that as a Black voter, Stevens is “for us.” 

“Obama had her. That’s Obama girl. Obama girl is my girl. I know she’s gonna do right by us,” Franklin said.  

Polling backs up at sentiment too, with Stevens often having a 2 to 1 advantage among Black voters. However, President Obama has not made an endorsement in this race. 

At the rally in Detroit that featured Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the demographics of the largely white crowd didn’t match up with that of America’s largest majority-Black city. El-Sayed, who was the health department director for the city and the county writ-large, said he’s put in the work.   

 

“I’ve chosen to work in communities like Detroit and Wayne County, majority Black communities, to take on inequities my whole career. People are going to say what they say,” El-Sayed said. “My job is just to focus on defending the folks that I’ve been defending since I got into public service and let my work speak for itself.” 

There’s also the matter of the 2024 presidential election where many in the Black community felt betrayed by the Muslim and Arab American communities, resulting in a lingering resentment being heaped upon El-Sayed. 

Detroit political fixer Adoplh Mongo is one voter who echoes this sentiment. 

“He didn’t support Kamala Harris when she ran for president,” Mongo said. “He was like vote for none of the above that that sort of thing, and then when he did come to support, it was half-ass support.” 

However, El-Sayed did endorse Vice President Harris soon after she became the presumptive nominee. Fair or not, it’s a common perception among Black voters and politicos.   

Mongo is not a fan of Stevens either… citing her ‘yes’ vote for a resolution honoring slain conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk. Even so, Mongo says Black voters will likely support whomever in the general election.   

“Democrats, they the most unloyal people in the world in Detroit. And you know we love them—I’m saying Black folks—when they don’t even love us,” Mongo said. 

Campaign ads and Middle Eastern conflict 

A Stronger Michigan is one of the dark money groups putting up millions in ads for Stevens. There’s also UDP, or the United Democracy Project. Sounds bland enough, but it’s a front for AIPAC – the American Israel Political Affairs Committee.   

Stevens is not Jewish but is an advocate for Israel.   

“I will continue to fight for the people of Israel. I will continue to fight for Israel’s existence,” Stevens said. “Israel comes to me in my dreams. I see Israel’s future. And I know that Israel will continue to exist for the Jewish people!”

Four years ago, when redistricting had Stevens and former Congressman Andy Levin – who is Jewish – battling it out in a primary, AIPAC kicked in millions to help Stevens win.  

This time, AIPAC is helping to defeat El-Sayed, a Muslim. 

AIPAC wants to keep American money and weapons flowing to Israel. American taxpayer support of Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon has become a political flashpoint.  

Last year, the United Nations and the International Association of Genocide Scholars have released reports classifying Israel’s attacks in Gaza as genocide.  

Last week, Stevens voted to continue funding and arming Israel without conditions.  

El-Sayed—and many of his supporters— believe that too. 

Robert Baker, a voter from Westland, considers this issue to be “right at the top of” his list. 

“For the last three years, we’ve been seeing nonstop destruction in Gaza. We’ve seen what it was and what it is now, and all the people that are dead, all the people missing, and all the war crimes that are being recorded by IDF soldiers and published,” Baker said. “I feel like Abdul is someone that is going to take charge to make sure that this kind of stuff stops happening in our politics, and that our politics stops getting sold out to AIPAC and other big corporation PACs.” 

When Mongo talks about feeling betrayed by Muslim and Arab American voters who did not lend their support to Kamala Harris, US foreign policy toward Israel was the reason. Harris refused to distance herself from President Biden’s position, and it cost her politically.  

In a general election, her Pro-Israel stance could cost Stevens too. Data from Carlson’s poll seems to suggest it could have an impact. 

“31% of very progressive and liberal voters hold a strongly unfavorable view of Haley Stevens,” Carlson said. “26% of very progressive liberal voters say they’re undecided if Stevens is nominee against Mike Rogers.” 

El-Sayed knows he has an uphill battle when it comes to electability and likeability because of his faith. The Michigan Republican Party has already taken to referring to him by his full name: Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed. It’s a scaremongering tactic and why everyone know President Obama’s middle name is Hussein.  

El-Sayed brushes off things like that because getting angry about it gives them what they want. 

 

“I’ve been Abdul my whole life,” El-Sayed said.  “I was Abdul when I got voted captain on my high school football team and wrestling team and lacrosse team by people who weren’t named Abdul, who didn’t have names like mine. The reason they supported me is because my whole life I’ve been explaining myself, and so you get pretty good at explaining yourself, and I’ve learned that when people get past the name, they’re a lot more interested in what you have to say.”

Who will win on August 4? 

Stevens is less reliant on charm and more reliant on millions being pumped into TV and streaming ads. Her canvassing efforts have been lacking.  

El-Sayed has over 10,000 campaign volunteers. His lawn signs are everywhere – not just in Metro Detroit but outstate as well. Recent rallies drew thousands in a way Stevens has been unable to replicate. But lawn signs don’t vote, and rallies are often packed with volunteers.  

Will El-Sayed prove that charisma and lefty populist politics can be palatable in a purple state? 

Can Stevens get by on her stay-the-course center left politics and campaign ad ubiquity? 

Michigan’s primary election is August 4. 

Outgoing US Senator Gary Peters is endorsing Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for US Senate. 

Peters described Stevens as an “outstanding” candidate who will hit the ground running on day one. He talked about working with Stevens during the Obama administration and how he thinks that experience gives her a leg up over her opponent, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. 

“We want someone who can come in that doesn’t have a learning curve,” Peters said. “Someone who’s going to immediately represent the people of Michigan and fight for their interest. She’s Michigan through and through.” 

Peters changed his mind on endorsement

Peters said he wanted to stay out of endorsing in the Democratic primary until he realized how Michigan’s elections will impact the entire country. He said he sees “chaos” in the Trump administration, with inflated prices making it harder for Michiganders to buy gas and groceries. 

“It’s absolutely essential that a Democrat wins in Michigan. We need to have a check and balance with the administration,” Peters said. 

Peters denied his sudden endorsement meant the Stevens campaign was “panicked” as alleged by the Michigan Republican Party.

“That should be very telling when Republicans are making that comment. I guess they want the other candidate to win.”

El-Sayed has largely been leading in the polls since the beginning of May.

Representing Michigan

Peters described Michiganders as “practical, common-sense folks” who just want to get things done. To Peters, out-of-state endorsements for El-Sayed don’t reflect the needs of Michigan. 

“To me, this race is about Michigan,” Peters said. “It’s not about who’s attracting a national audience or who’s on national TV. It’s about who’s actually delivering for the people of Michigan.” 

However, money from outside sources like AIPAC has benefited Stevens’ campaign, with millions of dollars coming in for ad campaigns. 

Challenging the GOP

Peters says there would be big spending for Republicans in their primary if Mike Rogers had a serious challenger. 

“Whoever wins the primary, part of that $45 million of Republican money is going to go after that person with everything they’ve got, and that’s why you have to have someone who has a proven track record of actually winning tough races,” Peters said.  

What people should be focusing on instead of money, according to Peters, are the messages from each Democratic candidate.

On the Republican side, Peters said that Mike Rogers will serve as a “rubber stamp” for the Trump administration instead of serving the needs of Michigan. 

President Trump continues to argue, without evidence, that voting by mail is plagued by fraud, even though he often casts ballots that way himself.

But the president has hit some judicial roadblocks in his efforts to curtail voting by mail.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a state’s right to count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day, if they arrive within a certain grace period.

Last week, a federal judge blocked President Trump’s plan to forbid the U.S. Postal Service from delivering mail-in ballots to states that refused to provide a list of absentee voters.

Michigan U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is the ranking member of the congressional committee that oversees the Postal Service.

Peters says he welcomes the court decisions, but he still has a few concerns.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

Gary Peters: The caution to all of this is twofold. One, of course, is that the Trump administration will likely appeal this decision. And two, the court decision affected 23 states that filed suit. Michigan was one of those states, so that can’t occur here in Michigan. But that still leaves it open for all of the remaining states in the Union. So, it is simply unacceptable.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: You’re the ranking member on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees the Postal Service. At a recent hearing with the committee, the Postmaster General was arguing the President’s executive order would “match the ballots that a state believes they’re sending out to what actually gets sent out.” What is your response to that statement?

GP: It was ridiculous. I asked him very directly, “Under this executive order as the Postmaster General, does this mean if a state does not provide that voter information to you that you will not mail the ballots there?” And he said that is correct. “We will not mail any ballots unless that information is provided.” So clearly it’s blackmailing states that they want to provide that information.

And then his response was, “Well, states want to know that these ballots are getting mailed out.” That’s ridiculous. Because right now everybody believes that when you drop a letter into the post office box with an address you believe it’s actually gonna be mailed out. Do you need to provide a bunch of personal information before the post office actually delivers it to someone? That’s not the way the process works.

The post office has one job: Take a letter that’s dropped in a mailbox that’s addressed to somebody and then deliver it on a timely basis. And that’s how ballots should be handled as well. The clerks know who they are mailing those ballots to. They would assume, like every American, that the Postal Service will actually deliver them and then deliver them back to the clerk. So those arguments do not hold any water.

QK: You argued during that hearing that if this all went through, the Postal Service in many ways would actually be running elections. Because they would decide who should get a ballot or not.

GP: Absolutely. The U.S. Constitution is very clear that states run elections, not the federal government. The Trump administration is trying to do everything they can to take over elections at the federal level, which is unconstitutional.

We’re confident courts will continue to rule that it’s up to local communities and states, ultimately, to control elections. And yet the Trump administration is now trying to use the Postal Service to require that information be provided to the federal government before they actually will mail ballots. That gives the Postal Service tremendous power.

And when you have this voter information available to the federal government, who knows what it could be used for? We have indications that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was making inquiries as to how could they access this data that was going to be provided to the Postal Service. That could be used for potentially nefarious purposes. It’s simply unacceptable. We have to maintain the integrity of states to run their own election and not allow the federal government to attempt to do something that is clearly unconstitutional.

QK: Is there anything you see that could be done on a congressional level to argue against this order if by some chance it’s reinstated?

GP: The Constitution’s clear. If we have to pass specific legislation, we can look at doing that as well. Certainly, this court ruling is encouraging. But, again, it only applies to the 23 states that actually filed suit against the executive order. We’ll be looking at how we can make sure that applies to all 50 states.

With war brewing abroad, Michigan is looking at bolstering defenses close to home.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill Wednesday that provides $150 million in state money to support upgrades to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Southeast Michigan. 

Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters spoke to WDET about how the bill will strengthen the National Guard Base and his views on the war with Iran, as well as his upcoming retirement after almost two decades in office.

Peters: We’re looking forward to having that signing and you know this is a key element. We needed to have the state make this investment, $150-plus million dollars. But for your listeners, the really important exciting thing about it is that because of the seed money, we’re going to bring in nearly $800 million from the federal government, so we’re going to have the best Air National Guard base in the country. In fact, I had the general part of the Joint Chiefs say on the record that Selfridge will now be the finest Air National Guard base in the entire country, and I said, ‘thank you, that’s right. It will be.’

McNamara: Explain, for people who don’t really follow it, the strategic importance of Selfridge. 

Peters: It is absolutely strategic for national security, our geographic location, for one,  and when we think about INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command), a lot of the ways to get there is over the Arctic, and so having a base in the northern area is why a lot of the strategic bombers back in the day were in Michigan. We had two major air force bases for that, so it continues to be important.

But from a training aspect, we’re going to have the KC-46, which is the next generation tanker, replacing a very old platform out there, now. They’re going to be around for 40, 50, years. We’re going to have the F-15EX, which is the advanced fighter jet that will be working off that platform, and then most people don’t realize, but in Northern Michigan, when you head up into the Grayling area and over in the Alpena area, we have the largest training area for the military east of the Mississippi. So it’s a very large area, we got aircraft coming in from [all] around. We’ll team up with our aircraft from Selfridge and train, it just puts Michigan in a key location. When people think of national security, we’re going to be one of the places people think about in terms of bases in the United States. 

McNamara: How important is the national defense industry to the economy of southeast Michigan?  

Peters: Incredibly important. It’s getting more important and this helps actually drive that, too. So, there’s the economic driver. You have the driver of the fact the base is there, you have a lot of people there… we may even potentially have some active-duty folks that will be coming into that base as well. So, that’s an economic driver, but it’s really about advanced technology. Where are things going?

When people think of national security, we’re going to be one of the places people think about in terms of bases in the United States. 

Everybody knows we’re the place for manufacturing cars, but the aerospace industry is realizing if you know how to make cars, you can make aerospace components as well. In fact, one area that I’ve been spending a lot of time on now is trying to think of another aircraft squadron we can bring there, and those are called collaborative combat aircraft. Those are not crewed, there’s no person in it, but they’re controlled by an operator somewhere else, and actually those KC-46 tankers, they have capability, not just as a gas tank, they also have command and control capabilities. And you could see them commanding a squadron of collaborative aircraft, and then launching those aircraft forward. That’s another mission I think Selfridge could win, and that would definitely put us at the very cutting edge of advanced aerospace research. 

McNamara: We’re talking about this like it’s the future and eventuality. We’re also at war currently with Iran. What are the impacts on that for the average Michigander? 

Peters: Significant from an economic standpoint. We’re seeing it at the gas pump right now, but that inflation is all through because of energy prices that we’re paying higher prices at the stores and groceries because the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and it’s pretty outrageous that that was not secured at the beginning of this war, it tells me it was rushed, that we needed to secure. Everybody has known that, this is not a secret. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic place.

I served in the Navy. I was in that area. I remember standing on the shores of the United Arab Emirates. You could look across, you could just see a line of tankers going through a very tight area, choke point. The Navy knew how critical it was. They had plans to deal with it, and this is the question I asked. You know, they have plans. You have very detailed plans about how you deal with strategic places like that, but you need to prepare to actually execute that plan before you go to war. That didn’t happen, and in fact, I’ve raised this issue to folks in hearings. 

I’m on the Armed Services Committee. I said, I know you probably had plans. I learned how to do those plans in War College, and yet you had things like mine sweepers, which are essential. Your mine sweepers were in Japan when the war started. If you were prepared, the mine sweepers would have been near the straits, ready to go into action immediately. It takes weeks for them to get over there. That didn’t happen. I’m sure the president was advised by his military advisors that we’re not quite ready to do what you want us to do, and he pulled the trigger, literally pulled the trigger beforehand, and now we’re in a mess. 

McNamara: How do we get out of it? 

Peters: If you look at it from a military perspective, it’s difficult. It’s hard to clear mines unless you have a secure environment. You’re putting navy ships in a very constrained area. It’s a high-risk operation. So, militarily, it’s a lot easier to do that at the outset, the beginning, than trying to come back into it right now. And during this ceasefire, which is really a stalemate, the Iranians have been able to position more of their drone aircraft in the area, they’re going to be leases are public sources, they have more missile capabilities as well, so military, it’s tough, so it’s going to be negotiation, but President Trump put himself with his war of choice in a very difficult situation, and who’s actually paying for it? The American people are. People here in Michigan. We’re paying high prices. Just the war itself has been estimated, just from a military standpoint, so far well over $30 billion, and I think that’s underestimating it. That’s all the taxpayers are paying.

But then look at the impact of the entire global economy, and just our economy here in Michigan. What people are paying, you’ve got a third of the fertilizer goes through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s why food prices are going up dramatically. Farmers are scrambling to try to get fertilizer, and it’s a whole lot more expensive. The ripples through the economy are something that we’re going to be paying for for a long time, and so far, it’s a stalemate.

The nuclear material is still there, even though the president told the country he destroyed everything. Clearly, that wasn’t the case, and that material is still there. And now we have an economic crisis because of the Strait of Hormuz. So that’s where we are. The President created this mess. It’s not going to be easy to get out of it. 

The ripples through the economy are something that we’re going to be paying for for a long time.

McNamara: I mentioned you’ve been in public service for 35 plus years. You’re not yet 70, you’re not running for reelection, are you allowed to do that? 

Peters: Yes, I think so, and it’s a good thing. When I leave here in seven months, it’ll be 18 years in Congress, both in the House and Senate. I believe in what our founders said, that Congress was a place where you would go and serve, and then you go back to your private life, not spend your life in Congress. So, I don’t believe in spending my life in Congress, so I’ll go back to private life. I’m not going to retire, going to still stay very active and be part of public policy, but I don’t need to be in the Senate. I think it’s time to pass the torch to the next generation. 

McNamara: So, this time next year, when it’s time for a motorcycle tour, are you going to have the entourage or is it just going to be you and the road? 

Peters: I am going to have one more entourage this summer, so in August we’re riding. My Harley’s getting ready to go, and we’re going to go to places all around the state, the places that I worked on. But I think… when you ride together, those are long-term friendships. So, I’m sure I’ll still have friends that I can ride with. 

McNamara: What’s your white whale? What’s something that you didn’t get done that you really wanted to during your time in Congress? 

Peters: Well, this has evolved over that time that I’m there, but I think this is the biggest thing that we’ve got to figure out, and that’s how we deal with AI, with what’s happening with artificial intelligence that I’ve been engaged in. 

I’ve engaged in cybersecurity for a long time. I chaired, and now am the ranking member, Homeland Security. So, cybersecurity is a big threat that I’ve been working on for all these years. That threat has just gotten a whole lot bigger with AI. I’m sure many of your listeners know about Mythos, the AI system that Anthropic put out, that could basically attack systems all across the country, make them vulnerable to cyber attack. It is absolutely frightening the power that this technology has. And Mythos is the first, but it’s not the last. And we’re going to see others coming out that we’ve got to stay ahead of, and the whole AI system, we’ve got to be thinking about how do we put guardrails, understand the power of AI to do incredibly wonderful things, but also know that there’s a downside to it, dual use, both from a military perspective and just cultural and economic, it’s going to be incredibly disruptive. How do we work that?

So, I’ve been working through that over the last few years, we got a lot more years to go to try to figure it out, but the problem is time is not on our side, because it’s moving so rapidly that if we don’t have a full court press on this, it’s going to get ahead of us, and it’ll be tough to put any kind of genie back in the bottle. 

McNamara: You said you’re not going to endorse essentially in the primary for your replacement in the Democratic Senate side, so I’m not going to impress you on it, but I’m going to ask you, what are the qualities that are needed, and let people read the tea leaves from there. 

Peters: I don’t know if you read the tea leaves, I think you should just be asking this question of all the candidates. Something that I’ve prided myself on is that I work across the aisle and find common ground, and you know the last three congresses I’ve passed more bills signed into law than any US senator. In fact, I even passed more laws signed into law when Donald Trump, in his second part of his first term. The Center for Effective Lawmaking, that really evaluates us on getting stuff done, which has said I’m the most effective senator. Trump actually signed more of my bills into law than any Republican senator. They said that’s never happened in the 50 years that they’ve been following this, and I think that’s the way you need to govern, especially a purple state like Michigan.

Michigan, we have the broad spectrum of politics and it can swing back and forth, and I’m blessed as a US senator to represent all of Michigan, not just the blue parts of it, the red parts too. And so, you’ve got to figure out ways to work and just solve the problems that we face as a country. And what I’ve seen over the years is that people can’t get out of campaign mode. Campaign mode is about hyper partisanship. I ran the Democratic Senate campaign committee for two cycles. I know what that’s about, and it’s bare fisted, and you got to fight. But once you get elected, you have to govern now, and you have to figure out how do we solve problems that the American people want to see solved. They want to see their democracy actually working to help them each and every day, and if we don’t do that, then we start losing something very special. When I’m in campaigns, I’m campaign Gary, then I turn off the campaign Gary, and now I’m governing Gary. 

I’m not in a campaign right now, so I can totally focus on trying to deal with these big issues like AI and Great Lakes protection and all the other things I care about, but that’s what we’re going to need, someone who’s willing to turn off the partisanship and turn on the problem solving in a common sense way. 

With the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference underway, politicians, policymakers and journalists are gathering on Mackinac Island this week to discuss major issues facing Michigan and metro Detroit. 

WDET’s Russ McNamara heard about how Michigan’s leadership is handling big issues like gridlock in the state congress, data centers and international conflict. Read some of the key takeaways from today’s interviews and press conferences. 

Gary Peters on the war in Iran 

The ongoing war with Iran has led to a substantial rise in the cost of living. Oil prices rose sharply after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz 

Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters says higher diesel prices are only one part of the problem. 

“You’ve got a third of the fertilizer that goes through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s why food prices are going up dramatically,” Peters said. “Farmers are scrambling to try to get fertilizer, and it’s a whole lot more expensive.” 

Peters says the U.S. will be dealing with economic fall out for a long time, and that the attack on Iran was poorly thought out and hastily executed.  

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill today that provides $150 million in state money to support upgrades to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Southeast Michigan. 

According to Peters, the money will help support a new mission for the base and unlock federal funding for further improvements.  

“The really important, exciting thing about it is that because of this seed money… we’re going to bring in nearly $800 million from the federal government,” says Peters. “So we’re going to have the best Air National Guard base in the country.” 

The base is set to get a new fighter jet and air tanker mission. The defense industry adds more than $30 billion to the state economy each year, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 

Ranjeev Puri wants to see programs continue under next state budget

The budget process in the Michigan House is on a much better track than last year. 

House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri says the political will is there to get the budget done on time this year.  

“Last year, noticeably, the speaker dragged the budget out well past the constitutional deadline into September, October,” Puri says. “This year, I think there is a motivation to try to get it done on time.” 

Republican Matt Hall held up a lot of the process during his first year as speaker of the House, hoping to send a political message and drive cuts. The deadline to present budget bills to the governor is July 1. 

Representative Puri says Hall is motivated to get a budget done this year so legislators can hit the campaign trail. 

Democrats have a two-seat advantage in the Michigan Senate and Republicans have a six-seat advantage in the House, so a drawn out budget fight is unlikely. 

Democrats are ready to fight to keep things like the RX Kids program for infants and new moms, states Puri. “If we’ve gotten to a place in our political discourse that’s saying that newborns are waste, fraud and abuse, we’re just not going to agree.” 

Puri says another program Democrats see as a sticking point is universal free school meals. 

He praises the state for setting a standard by guaranteeing breakfast and lunch to public school students. “I think that’s something we should take a lot of pride in, just being able to make sure that kids are learning on a full belly.” 

Hall has been critical of the free meal program, and tried to have it cut last year. He targeted mostly social programs for cuts while championing a rollback of the state’s property tax and education tax as a broader drawdown of state spending. 

DTE Energy plans energy storage for data centers 

DTE Energy is using battery energy storage to help provide power for planned data centers – including one in Saline Township.  

LG Energy Solution Vertech will provide energy storage with batteries manufactured in Holland, Michigan. DTE Energy CEO Joi Harris says they’re hoping to get the project completed by the end of next year.  

“It’s not a matter of if these projects will come to fruition – it’s when,” says Harris. “And when the first data center project we’re supporting comes online, expected by the end of 2027, our intention is to pause rate increase for at least two years.” 

Harris said the battery storage facilities will be located near the data center. 

“It’s not going to be on the Saline footprint. It will be built outside the Saline area. And this is clean generation,” Harris said. “What this does is allow us to take excess electrons off the grid and dispatch them as needed.” 

Residents in Saline Township and nearby areas have largely been against the data center despite potential economic benefits. The project was approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission and has moved forward with construction after Saline settled in a lawsuit.

DTE Energy says the battery energy storage represents a $1.6 billion investment.