Michigan Democrats are seizing on new reporting about U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga’s financial ties to his brother, accusing the Republican congressman of using his political career to benefit himself and his family while neglecting the needs of Southwest Michigan residents.
The post Bill Huizenga accused of enriching himself, brother while in Congress appeared first on Detroit Metro Times.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
The post Michigan’s Democratic senate primary is a tight, expensive race appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.
In this episode
With Former Michigan Attorney General, Mike Cox, dropping out of the gubernatorial race, how does that shape the Republican primary? This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben discuss the remaining candidates and they hear from a prominent Republican leader on their thoughts on the race.
Then later on Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall stops by to talk about the race and some recent spending proposals.
Hall has said that he would support any Republican candidate for Michigan governor that President Donald Trump endorsed. With Congressman John James having that endorsement, Hall said James would be a great governor. “‘I’m fully behind John James. And, you know, you see, he’s leading in the polls. I’ve been so affective with the house. Imagine if you gave me a governor how much more effective we can be”.
The 2026 primaries are on August 4th.
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The sound of music and engines is synonymous with summer in metro Detroit. But that noise, specifically the kind generated by modified cars, has been aggravating some people.
Residents near Woodward have been complaining about cars being too loud, which has prompted legislators to push for a crackdown on motorists. So, what’s in their legislation? And, could it hurt car culture in the Motor City?
Natalie Price is a Democratic state representative. Her district includes Berkley, Huntington Woods and Birmingham. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers has found a new reason for Michiganders to open their wallets: He wants them to help protect Elon Musk from congressional accountability.
The post Mike Rogers begs Michiganders for money to ‘protect’ Elon Musk appeared first on Detroit Metro Times.
Jake Lang, a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter and avowed bigot, has gained notoriety for crashing events and meetings with racist and anti-Muslim rants. In Detroit, Lang picked the wrong event to disrupt.
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Over the past four months, northern Michigan has experienced a series of extreme weather events.
In March, an ice storm caused tens of thousands of utility customers to lose power. In April, record-breaking precipitation caused rivers and lakes to flood, ripping apart roads. Now, smoke from Canadian and Minnesota wildfires has been creating air quality alerts.
Before the smoke blew to metro Detroit, it hit northern Michigan first, choking that part of the state with a blanket of smoke.
Climate change is affecting everyone, but effects can very depending on the location. What are things like for residents of northern Michigan? And, how are they preparing for future extreme weather events?
Vivian La is a climate solutions reporter for Interlochen Public Radio and Grist. She spoke about the northern Michiganders trying to adapt to climate change — and those who are trying to maintain the status quo — with The Metro’s Sam Corey.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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The Republican candidate for governor sits on a congressional committee that oversees the FCC, which regulates SpaceX’s Starlink network.
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Tensions are high in Lansing among the Democrats with Governor Whitmer vetoing a series a bills from her own party. This week, on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Services’ Zach Gorchow unpack the 18 months of legal battles that led to this moment.
Then later on, David Meninga, senior vice president for Community Development Programs & Execution at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation stops by. He talks about reviving the transformational brownfield program, a state incentive that ended a few years ago but will soon come back once Governor Whitmer signs bills that passed the Legislature on July 3.
In this episode
In late 2024, as the Democratic trifecta in Lansing was about to end, several high-profile bills passed.
There was legislation prioritized by unions, a key Democratic constituency, to have have local governments, school districts, colleges, universities and other public bodies pay a greater share of their employees’ health insurance premiums. There also was legislation enabling the state’s corrections officers in prisons to gain access to the State Police pension system.
There were bills to allow for a regional property tax to provide funds for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Historical Center, as well as relief from debt garnishment.
Gorchow said after that the bills went no where. “Mysteriously – and this has never been explained – the nine bills containing these policies were never walked over to the governor’s office and formally presented to her for a signing decision. The bills remained somewhere on someone’s desk in the Legislature.”
After 18 months of legal battles, the Michigan Supreme Court decided not to take the case, leaving in place a lower court ruling requiring the House to send the bills to the governor. About five hours later, the House complied with the courts and presented the bills. A couple hours later, the governor’s office sent out a veto letter indicating Whitmer had vetoed all nine bills.
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Many Michiganders feel powerless over their own electrical power. That’s because, despite approved rate hikes, when a storm hits the power can be out for days before utility companies like Consumers Energy and DTE Energy are able to restore it.
But while many are disappointed with the performance of Michigan’s utility companies, some regulators point to progress as outage time has decreased by about 23% since 2019.
How are Michigan’s utility companies held accountable for their actions? And, what kinds of improvements are taking root?
Dan Scripps is the chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates DTE Energy. He says the utility’s performance has been improving.
“Last year… DTE for the first time in at least 25 years… was actually in the top quarter of utilities when you consider performance across the whole year.”
Scripps joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss what is being done to restore and upgrade the state’s aging grid.
DTE is a financial supporter of WDET. Our newsroom observes a clear boundary between funders and editorial content, and we do not serve the agendas of those who support us.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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The United Auto Workers on Monday accused a corporate-backed super PAC supporting U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of misleading Michigan voters by using the union’s logo in campaign ads.
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Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow suspended her campaign for U.S. Senate three days after earning an endorsement from the Detroit Free Press.
Nancy Kaffer, the editorial page editor of the Freep, said they will not be endorsing another candidate in this race.
“We said what we said, and we just have to sit with it,” Kaffer said.
Now that only Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed remain, Kaffer said it seems likely that former McMorrow voters will split between the candidates and that neither of them will “clean up.”
“If you valued prior elected experience as a McMorrow voter, you might gravitate to Stevens,” Kaffer said. “If you prized pushback against the status quo and a more ambitious agenda around health care or a more firm stance against Israel, you might gravitate to El-Sayed.”
Kaffer said that although she has been covering Michigan politics for 26 years, she is unsure about what will happen next.
One thing that muddies the waters, she said, is unreliable polling.
“We’re seeing polls come out from outlets that I’ve never heard of that don’t operate in this state,” Kaffer said.
When she is wary of an unfamiliar poll, Kaffer said she always looks at their methodology. One form of polling Kaffer avoids is those conducted via text, which can be skewed by simply sharing the link to others.
“People are creating narratives based on some really questionable polling, and that’s unfortunate because a big part of campaigning is narrative, and sometimes people are winning because they seem to be winning,” Kaffer said.
Kaffer described Michigan as a “fascinating” and “complex” state and warned against anyone who says they have all the answers.
“This whole thing is really a test case, and anyone who says that they know what’s happening here, they are selling you something,” Kaffer said.
One concern Kaffer said she sees is the growing divide in the Democratic party. She described it as “risky” for the Democratic primary nominees to make strong accusations against one another because they will end up alienating themselves from the other side of their own party.
Although Kaffer is uncertain about the outcome of this race, she has a prediction about its general direction.
“I think it’s going to get even weirder,” Kaffer said.
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After President Donald Trump took the country to war and raised costs, many Republicans are finding it difficult to campaign in this election season.
While the sitting president’s party often performs poorly in midterm elections, the trend seems likely to continue this year.
In general-election polls, Democrat Jocelyn Benson holds the lead. But in politics, anything can happen. Last week, two debates spotlighted the active Republican candidates for governor: Congressman John James, Mike Cox, and Perry Johnson. Who are they, and what do their campaigns reveal about the Republican Party in Michigan?
Andrea Bitely is the founder and principal of Bitely Communications, a Lansing‑based public‑affairs firm. She spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about the stories the Republican candidates are telling, and why they signal significant changes to the party.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders lost power over the weekend of July Fourth, prompting a conversation about the fragility of the electrical grid in the face of climate change.
Regulators have approved rate hikes to facilitate infrastructure updates, but modernization of the scale needed will take years. Despite the fact that consumers won’t reap the benefits immediately, residents are having to pay for the upgrades now.
Democratic lawmakers have proposed solutions: Fair compensation for power outages, guaranteeing improvement of utility services, ensuring customers aren’t contributing to CEO bonuses and more. But these bills are gaining little to no traction, often deprived of a hearing.
Why can’t politics fix this issue? What does it say about those we’ve elected in the state legislature?
Colin Jackson is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He says Republicans are concerned with rolling back clean energy standards, while Democrats prioritize regulation.
“I think when you talk about lowering energy costs and lowering power costs and utility costs, that is something that you do see both sides of the aisle talking about quite a bit,” says Jackson. “It’s just the approach to it in general varies drastically.”
Jackson joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss why gridlock in Lansing has meant a less stable electrical grid.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga’s campaign has paid more than $400,000 to a company owned by his brother, who has simultaneously worked as a full-time real estate agent and helped sell luxury condos owned by Huizenga and his wife.
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While Detroit law says a landlord cannot rent a home until it’s been deemed livable by city inspectors, 86% of Detroit’s landlords are operating illegally as they have failed to secure Certificates of Compliance for their properties.
Last week, the Detroit Tenants Union, with support from several legal groups in the city, filed a lawsuit, alleging the 36th District Court chief judge has “failed to perform a clear and legal duty” because the court’s rulings contradict city law, effectively leaving residents vulnerable rather than upholding the statutes protecting them.
Professor Donovan McCarty is the director of Michigan State University College of Law’s Housing Justice Clinic and counsel for the Detroit Tenants Union. He says the 36th District court is not using the law properly to protect renters.
“If landlords can keep going in to collect rent that’s not lawfully collected, then they have no incentive to actually come into compliance, and that 14% number will not grow to where we need it to be,” says McCarty.
He joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss why he believes the court is falling short, and how it needs to be held accountable.
The 36th District Court did not respond to The Metro’s request for comment.
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Leaders from multiple faith communities in metro Detroit are calling on state legislators to pass a Michigan Voting Rights Act after the justice department announced plans to send election monitors to three Michigan cities.
Clergy gathered at Central United Methodist in Detroit and at locations in Grand Rapids and Lansing to show opposition to Trump administration policies speakers say are designed to threaten communities across the country.
Hazel Gomez of Dream of Detroit says faith leaders will and must defend voting rights. “We will organize, we will train, and we’re going to de-escalate. And in the primaries in August and in the general election in November, our goal as clergy of all faith traditions is to stand at the polls, to accompany, and to watch over our beloved communities.”
Wendell Anthony of Fellowship Chapel in Detroit – and president of the Detroit NAACP is also calling on lawyers to join the front lines, saying “We’re not afraid to sue somebody.”
A bill that would guarantee children access to legal representation in delinquency cases is headed to Governor Whitmer’s desk. The legislation would require the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission to create a system similar to the one used by adults facing criminal charges who may not be able to afford an attorney.
If passed, the indigent defense commission would be required to have at least one attorney experienced in juvenile justice to help set the standards. The bill cleared the legislature last week with bipartisan support.
-Reporting by MPRN’s Rick Pluta
The National Wheelchair Games are coming to Detroit this week. It is the largest annual wheelchair sports event for veterans in the world. Athletes compete in more than 20 events including basketball, swimming, track and field and boccia.
The 45th National Wheelchair Games will be hosted by several venues and based at Hunting Place. The Opening Ceremony is July 9 with competition running through the 14.
The 8th Annual Detroit Kite Festival is Sunday on the Belle Isle Cricket Field across from the James Scott Memorial Fountain. Festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and run until 6 p.m. Plans include food, music and kites, of course. Kites are available for purchase. Learn more at detroitkitefestival.org.
Sites across the country will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence with a simultaneous reading of the document Wednesday. Greenfield Village is one of those sites and invites the community to join the event for free.
Visitors will also hear live music, see historic vignettes and learn about Centennial games on the Village Green. The event begins at 5 p.m. The reading – synchronized with other readings across the state begins at 6 p.m.
No tickets, reservations or parking passes are required.
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Come November, thousands of political seats are up for grabs.
One of the most compelling races in Michigan is the Senate. That’s in part because of what it says about the Democratic Party, especially after Mallory McMorrow dropped out.
Most polls have Abdul El-Sayed leading in the race, but there is still uncertainty as to whether he can defeat Haley Stevens, a sitting congresswoman who gained notoriety for her moderation, and for bailing out the auto industry.
Dennis Darnoi is the founder of Densar Consulting, based in Farmington. He says many voters want candidates that have an anti-institutional and populist bent.
“Progressive candidates are running against these establishment candidates and they’re being more successful because the Democratic base is really looking for two things: They’re looking for people who are going to fight and they’re looking for people who are anti-system.”
Darnoi spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about the Senate race and how it reflects changes to politics in Michigan and beyond.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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Michiganders are broadly against data centers, especially when they’re proposed near their residence.
Their concerns about electricity and water use are compounded by a general feeling that large tech companies control too much of their lives. Residents have gotten particularly loud about those problems at town hall meetings, including at one Saline Township meeting.
Despite local apprehension, Saline is now slated to host one of the largest data centers in the country.
At this point, 52 localities in Michigan have passed data center moratoriums.
But are concerns about hyper-scale data centers overblown? And, are there more benefits that townships aren’t fully appreciating?
Eric Paul Dennis is the infrastructure research associate for the Citizens Research Council. A new report he did on data centers says their benefits often actually outweigh the costs.
“You cannot discount the idea that data centers can increase electricity rates, but it’s actually not that common and quite minimal,” says Dennis. “Regulatory agencies have now kind of gotten ahead of this and I don’t think it’s going to be as much of a concern for the future.”
The Metro‘s Sam Corey spoke with Dennis about why he thinks data center projects sometimes offer more benefits than drawbacks.
After the two spoke, electricity rates increased in Henrico County, Virginia — which is home to 37 data centers. Dominion Energy says it increased the rates due to inflation, rising fuel costs, the cost of grid equipment, and the need to make more grid investments.
The Metro contacted Dennis about the rate increase. He said that while data centers “have caused headaches for grid managers” in Virginia, the problems are not necessarily “critical or unavoidable.” He says, in fact, “We appear to be managing the risks and even benefiting from the addition of data centers on the grid.”
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