In 2011, Highland Park couldn’t pay its electric bill. So DTE took the streetlights off the poles, about 1,400 of them.

When the lights left, residents put some back. On Avalon Street, that was Shamayim Harris. She’d bought a house there for $3,000. It was months after a hit-and-run driver killed her 2-year-old son. 

She kept building. A park in his name. A garden. A house where kids do homework.

The block became Avalon Village. She became a CNN Hero and a USA Today Woman of the Year. But in Highland Park, she’s Mama Shu.

She’s held office here before, but never the one that runs the city. Last week, she asked her neighbors to change that. She finished second, enough to put her on the November ballot, against incumbent Glenda McDonald.

Mama Shu joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to answer a question Highland Park has been living with for a generation: What can neighbors fix, and what needs a government? 

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org.

More stories from The Metro

In this episode

• Key to some of the progressive wins in the most recent Michigan primaries
• What does it mean to be a democratic socialist?
• What chances do some progressive democrats have in the November election?

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

The progressive wing of the Democratic party made some noise in the recent primaries. What has been the key to their success so far? This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow chat with Chris Gilmer-Hill, one of the progressives who won his race.

Gilmer-Hill shares why he feels like he was able to win.

Gilmer-Hill attributes his win against incumbent Democratic state Rep. Helena Scott greatly to the Democratic Socialist of America and the engine they put behind his campaign. Especially being that without them he lost by a large margin two years ago. 

“DSA is the biggest difference. Two years ago I filed because I disagreed with a lot of what our incumbent was doing and I didn’t think it was right for her to run unopposed but I didn’t have DSA or a whole movement of folks behind me. I wasn’t expecting to win. Actually at the time 27% was a lot more than what I was expecting so I saw an opening for the future. But that opening wouldn’t have been something we could’ve use to win without an army of DSA members”

Gilmer-Hill is running for the 8th state House District.

More from WDET:

• The Metro: What Abdul El-Sayed learned from being outspent 11-1
• The Metro: What Republican candidates need to do to win Michigan
• Jerome Vaughn retires from WDET

In this episode

• The results of the Michigan primary elections. What was surprising and what was expected?
• A forecast of the 2026 midterm elections
• What do the results mean for the democratic party. statewide and nationally?

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

The 2026 Michigan primaries not only affected the state but may also have national implications. This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben break down the results and what they may forecast for the midterm elections. They are joined by Associated Press reporter Joey Cappelletti.

The biggest story coming out of the primaries is Abdul El-Sayed defeating U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens for the Democratic nomination for an open U.S. Senate seat. After winning by less than 1 percentage point, El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers in the general election. El-Sayed represents the progressive, Democratic Socialists of America wing of the party. Cappelletti says the results in November could make or break the momentum the DSA has gained with El-Sayed’s victory.

“We’ve seen the progressive wing have victories in deep-blue cities before. But this is really the first time that we saw it on this level in a swing state like Michigan. Michigan does prefer, at least in the past, more moderate, pragmatic candidates. What happened [during the primaries] was big for the movement, but it will not matter if they don’t win in November.”

The midterm elections will be held Nov. 3, 2026.

• More from WDET:

  Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate primary in major victory for Democrats’ progressive wing

  Detroit Evening Report: Primary election results

  Metro: Progressives win up and down ballot

Michigan voters went to the polls Tuesday to select candidates who will meet in the general election in November. 

Congressman John James won the Republican primary for governor.  He had a tough competitor in businessman Perry Johnson.  Johnson ran a steady flight of television commercials, at times portraying James as a “DEI candidate.”  During the course of the Republican primary, James made few appearances in the city of Detroit.  

During his victory speech Tuesday night, James laid out his plans if he’s elected Senator. “We’re going to cut taxes.  We’re going to lower your energy bills.  We’re going to protect Medicaid for those who need it, while stopping fraud and abuse from those who would steal from it.”   

James will face Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in the November general election.  Benson easily beat Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary.  

During a speech to supporters in Detroit Tuesday night, she said she’ll work for Michigan voters if she’s elected governor in November. “Who do you want Michigan’s leaders to work for?  The people or the powerful?  Well, you all know who I work for.  I will work for all of you and every Michigander in this state.  Not the highest bidder.  Not corporate interests.  Not Donald Trump. You.”   

Benson is a Detroit resident. 

El-Sayed beats out Stevens for U.S. Senate race

In the most watched contest of the night, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed defeated Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.  

In a speech to supporters in Detroit Wednesday morning,  El-Sayed took aim at Republican Mike Rogers – who El-Sayed will face in the general election: “And so, Mike, and I know you’re listening, Mike.  We are coming for you.”  

With more than 60-million dollars in outside spending, the race is the most expensive U.S. Senate primary in history. El-Sayed beat Stevens by less than a percentage point. 

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

Congressional primaries

Detroiters watched two Democratic primaries for Congress yesterday.  Representative Rashida Tlaib easily defeated former state representative Shanelle Jackson and Inkster Mayor Byron Nolan in the 12^th Congressional District. 

State Representative Donavan McKinney defeated incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Michigan’s 13^th District primary.  Results show Mckinney won just over half the vote.  

McKinney says its time for a new style of politics, because it’s impossible for representatives to serve two masters. “You can’t serve the working people and the corporations at the same time.  You have to pick one, and so I think the people are calling for petter and I thing they’re calling our legislators and our Congress to do things for them and not on behalf of the few, but on behalf of the many.”   

McKinney also supported ending federal aid to Israel.  He says Congress should focus more on domestic needs.  Thanedar was seeking his third term in the U.S. House. 

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Other results

Incumbent Wayne County Executive Warren Evans easily won his primary race to win the right to run for another term as the Democratic candidate in November. 

Proposal S, which provides additional revenue for the Detroit Public Schools Community District passed overwhelmingly, as did the Wayne County Public Transportation Millage.  That measure will keep communities from being able to opt OUT of the SMART bus system. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

This year’s primaries feature some competitive races that will mark battle lines come November and may even point to national trends.

This week on MichMash, WDET’S Cheyna Roth, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss some of the key things to look out for in Tuesday’s elections. They are joined by Gongwer reporters Nick Smith and Lily Guiney.

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

In this episode

• Things to look out for on Tuesday’s primaries.
• What do the polls say about who will win their party’s nominees.

Here are some key moments the MichMash team is watching for on the Aug. 4 Michigan primary elections:

• Tuesday may be a referendum of where Michigan Democratic voters are leaning towards. The results of races for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate will tell us if progressives or established Democrats are the voice of the Michigan Democratic party.
• What will the national implications be and how much interest will Michigan draw after the results? The fight for U.S. Senate and House is tight, making a purple state like Michigan a key factor in determining who has control of Congress.
• Which party is more motivated? Voter turnout varies based factors like who is on the ballot. Tuesday’s results will tell us more about the upcoming midterm elections.

The primaries are on Aug. 4, 2026

More from WDET:

• MichMash: Democrat victory in special election may show where 2026 midterms are headed
• Inflation and the U.S. economy following the 2022 midterms
• Michigan’s Democratic senate primary is a tight, expensive race

Police say a 5-year-old boy was shot in the arm while riding his bicycle in front of his home in northwest Detroit. Investigators say a teenager fired several shots near Fargo-Oakfield Park when a stray bullet hit the boy.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield says the young victim will recover. She called the shooting senseless gun violence and said children deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods. She says anyone with information about the shooter should call the police or CrimeStoppers. 

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

Additional headlines for Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Federal monitors in Detroit?

The Justice Department plans to send election monitors to Detroit, Lansing and East Lansing for Michigan’s August primaries. Those are mostly Democratic cities. President Trump has falsely claimed that fraud in Detroit cost him the 2020 election.

Phil Mayor is the deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. He says the DOJ can, and has, used election monitors before. But he says Trump’s plan is troubling.  

“Given this administration’s election denialism and many of the other ways the administration has sought to discourage voting or spread false narratives, we’re certainly concerned. We’ll be watching the conduct of DOJ’s monitors carefully to ensure that they comply with the law, that they don’t interact with or harass voters.”

The chairman of the Michigan Republican Party—and a 2020 election denier—suggested this could be a trial run for placing federal agents at the polls in November. 

Faith leaders in the state are calling on legislators to pass a Michigan Voting Rights Act to fight against discrimination and protect access at the polls. 

-Reporting by Rick Pluta and Sascha Raiyn

Faith leader training

A new training is available for people who’d like to be Poll Chaplains or Peacekeepers at polling locations. 

Poll Chaplains are faith leaders who wear clerical attire at election sites and peacekeepers are religious community leaders. The training teaches both how to maintain peace and de-escalate potential conflict at polling locations to encourage voter participation.  

Faiths United to Save Democracy is a nonpartisan, multifaith and multiracial voter protection campaign.  

The training will be held on Zoom on Monday July 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. Additional training will be offered on September 28 and October 15. People will receive official credentials upon completion of training.  

People can register at turnoutsunday.com. 

Fresh food truck

Wayne County has launched a food truck to increase access to affordable, healthy food options for residents. The Well Wayne Fresh Truck Mobile Market is a “farmers market on wheels.”  

It’s an effort to feed people who are facing food insecurity. That’s 1 in 5 people in the county. 

The food truck is also a way to reduce barriers to accessing food due to limited transportation and food prices. The food truck is sponsored by a multi-million-dollar investment to address social determinants of health through community work. The mobile food truck accepts SNAP, EBT, Double Up Food Bucks, cash, and credit or debit cards. It will operate across several cities including in Highland Park, Hamtramck and Inkster. Routes will be updated quarterly and based on community feedback.    

Grow Talent program starts

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield kicks off the city’s summer jobs program for young people today. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent provides paid positions for about 8,000 teens and young adults. This year the city is adding two weeks of training for each participant in which they’ll learn about professionalism, conflict resolution and other skills.  

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The race for the Democratic nomination in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race has been one of the most fascinating in the country. It drew national attention when controversial political commentator Hasan Piker rallied with Abdul El-Sayed on college campuses.

Piker has millions of followers on social media, largely made up of people under the age of 30.

The move was immediately met with condemnation from El-Sayed’s opponents – Congresswoman Haley Stevens, and State Senator Mallory McMorrow.

Since then, El-Sayed has steadily risen in the polls.

In a conversation this week, WDET’s Russ McNamara asked Piker what he seeks in an ideal candidate.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Hasan Piker: A candidate self-identifying as a socialist would be great, but in the absence of that, I care about where their primary focus is. Are they going to center the needs of the working class in their agenda, or are they malleable to corporate interests? And those are the things that I pay attention to.

I think some of the telltale markers of a candidate’s responsiveness to the masses is oftentimes their attitude on the issue of Israel, which is a 90-10 issue on the side of the voters within the Democratic Party, but a 10-90 issue seemingly when it comes to Congress.

Another one is Medicare for all. The private healthcare provider industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and they spend a great deal of money to ensure that Medicare for all is not implemented, and I think that’s another great litmus test to see if a candidate will actually put the needs and the interests of the working class first over their interest in farming campaign contributions from these moneyed interests.

Ed. Note – Piker recorded this interview while in New York City to support the Democratic Socialist candidates in their primary election. All won.

Russ McNamara, WDET: Then it sounds like Abdul El-Sayed checks a lot of those boxes.

Piker: Yes, absolutely.

McNamara: Was it all part of that that got you to come out onto the campaign trail for him earlier this year?

Piker: Yeah, Abdul El-Sayed doesn’t call himself a socialist, but I still like him quite a bit because I think he’s a fighter, and that’s what Americans need right now. Americans need fighters in the Senate, they need fighters in the House of Representatives, fighters that will put their interests first, fighters that won’t even shy away from sometimes telling the rest of the Democratic Party—not just the Republicans—that the path that they’re heading down is wrong.

Abdul obviously demonstrated that interest, and he has been a fighter for Medicare for all for a very long time, I mean, he wrote a book about it. His gubernatorial run was around the implementation of Medicare for all, so he has established a lot of trust in these communities, and I trust them as well.

McNamara: Kind of along those lines, when you came to Michigan in the spring, there was tremendous outcry in some circles. Congresswoman Haley Stevens said you were ‘divisive.’ Mallory McMorrow compared you to the white supremacist Nick Fuentes. What is your response to things like that? Because you seem to hear it a lot.

Piker: Unfortunately, this is the way that politics is conducted in this country. In most circumstances, people rely on the rest of the electorate not really knowing anything about me, and in the past this might have actually worked, because mainstream media and local institutions were capable of successfully gatekeeping outsider candidates and also outsider media figures.

Nowadays it’s a little bit different, especially because there’s so much diversity of choice in where people can get their news from, so people can come to me directly and figure out what I’m actually about, so that was one of the reasons why that smear campaign failed spectacularly, because people could just tune into my broadcast, or people were maybe somewhat familiar with what I represented, and they understood that these smears were simply being thrown in my direction, not because of any serious anti-Semitism that I’ve ever displayed.

I have not; I’ve actually combated anti-Semitism my entire professional media career and will continue to do so. I find it repugnant. It’s an odious form of bigotry, just like every other form of bigotry, including Islamophobia.

But the other reason why this smear campaign did not work is because a lot of people intrinsically now understand in the aftermath of three years of genocide, and a lot of establishment Democrats, and certainly the entirety of the Republicans, criticizing those who speak out against this genocide with these heinous accusations, a lot of people understand that this is not a person that is actually bigoted in any way, shape or form. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite. This is an anti-genocide advocate, and that’s part of the reason why he’s being called an anti-Semite.

Now, that dangerous conflation actually foments more anti-Semitism, which is, ironically, something that I’ve discussed quite a bit as well, for many, many years prior to October 7, and continue to do so now. But that’s why it didn’t work. It demonstrably failed, right? It fell flat on its face.

People started looking at Abdul’s campaign, people started hearing what he was saying, and they liked it… He was in third place before this smear campaign started, and now he’s comfortably in first place.

Abdul El-Sayed is a wonderful candidate. He has solid fundamentals. He’s probably one of the best candidates in the Democratic primary cycle this midterm season. Rhodes scholar, doctor, worked for Detroit Public Health, spent his entire professional life trying to heal people, and on top of that, he is against the genocide that Israel has committed, and that’s consistent with his values, consistent with my values as well, and yet he was not receiving a lot of media attention, that race in and of itself was not receiving a lot of media attention… and I guess Haley Stevens and Mallory McMorrow stepped on a landmine there and accidentally nationalized and publicized this (Michigan Senate) primary, and people actually started tuning in.

People started looking at Abdul’s campaign, people started hearing what he was saying, and they liked it. And lo and behold, he was in third place before this smear campaign started, and now he’s comfortably in first place.

McNamara: It seems like many within the Democratic Party still haven’t fully accepted the role Israel’s genocide in Gaza played in the 2024 election. I recently talked with pollster Adam Carlson about a recent Zenith research survey he did, and it had showed that Haley Stevens would lose a significant portion of people who identify as progressives in the general election, should she make it through the primary, less so for El-Sayed and McMorrow. Do you think this country’s views have shifted enough, and now unconditional support for Israel is seen as a political liability?

Piker: Absolutely, and that’s precisely the reason why AIPAC and AIPAC subsidiaries never actually reveal that the candidates that they’re fundraising for are pro-Israel. None of those ads, whether they be attack ads against their opponents or the ads in favor of their hand-selected candidates, ever mention this candidate’s point of view on Israel. If Israel was such a popular position, then they would proudly declare it. AIPAC wouldn’t need to use this opaque funding structure and find shell corporations to funnel money into by way of their donor network under the guise of United Democracy Fund, or Elect Women Fund, that was the one they used in Illinois in the Chicago primaries.

They do that because I think everyone understands that pro-Israel politics is demonstrably unpopular, and it’s only going to get less popular from this point on. I often throughout the genocide would say: going forward, today is the most popular Israel will be. Tomorrow, Israel will be less popular than it was today, and yesterday Israel was more popular than it is today. And that has been resilient.

There are constant demands for censorship against prominent critics of Israel.

That (pro Israel) attitude has shifted, and it will continue to shift as more and more people not only come to terms with Israel playing a destabilizing role in the region, but also the unbelievable amount of arrogance in display by those who are defenders of Israel and defenders of Israeli foreign policy.

I think that is oftentimes a less discussed aspect of the reason as to why Americans are frustrated with Israel, and it’s because there are constant demands for censorship against prominent critics of Israel. Some of those censorship attempts are actually successful, de-platforming initiatives that take place. I myself was banned from traveling to the United Kingdom only last month, and it was directly a consequence of my criticisms of Israel.

This kind of censorious attitude, especially when it’s the overwhelming majority’s position, is going to be unbelievably frustrating, and it’s only going to breed more enmity and hostility against the State of Israel. And outside of that there is this level of entitlement to unlimited funds coming from the United States of America, funds and weapons that Israel deploys on Palestinian civilians, on Lebanese civilians, as they’re doing currently, as they’re in the process of trying to disrupt the memorandum of understanding in a longstanding ceasefire negotiation that we might actually finally implement with Iran.

These kinds of destabilizing initiatives paired up with hubris, unbelievable entitlement and arrogance come across as very frustrating to the average American who is maybe uninitiated with the actions of Israel.

McNamara: Influencers are often brought up as a way for people to connect with younger voters. As you know, Democrats tried to do this to very mixed success at the DNC two years ago, but to you, what is the best way to gain the attention and the vote of the mythical younger voter?

Piker: I think it’s policies, ironically enough. In the post 2024 autopsy that was being conducted in public, a lot of Democrats went to mainstream media and decided the reason why Donald Trump won was because of Joe Rogan—and Joe Rogan was obviously the catch-all term for the podcast circuit, the manosphere.

Now, is the podcast circuit of the manosphere influential, especially in terms of converting young men to voters? Certainly, but ironically enough, they chose me as the left version of Joe Rogan because of my audience, because of the success I’ve seen in the independent sphere as the largest left content creator in these spaces that are inundated with far right and right-wing messaging.

The most significant issue is that the Democratic Party is not defined by a policy prescription for the problems that the working class faces in this country.

I told them over and over again, this is not an issue that you can podcast your way out of, that I myself am not the Joe Rogan of the left, and that Joe Rogan could potentially be the Joe Rogan of the left, and was the Joe Rogan of the left at some point when he endorsed Bernie Sanders. And that ultimately the problems that the Democratic Party are facing do not revolve around their lack of funding in messaging initiatives. That’s one element of the issue, but it’s not the most significant one.

The most significant issue is that the Democratic Party is not defined by a policy prescription for the problems that the working class faces in this country, and when they’re not defining themselves on those terms with left populous economic solutions: Medicare for all, an initiative in the direction of publicly funded housing, federal jobs guarantee, free college, these bold and somewhat radical agenda items that I think a lot of Americans are on board with.

Instead of doing that, the Democratic Party is constantly finding itself in a defensive posture against Republican culture war agenda items, and by not having a vision in the affirmative, they are allowing the Republican party to define the Democratic party, and that’s the reason why they keep losing. So it comes back to policies at the end of the day, because that’s the fundamental principle of theoretical democracy. We are going to vote an elected representative to represent our interests.

“What will you offer me?” This is the question that I think a lot of people understandably ask their elected representatives in the Democratic party, and their  answers have so far been insufficient. I hope that this sequence of electoral defeats will light a fire under the Democratic Party, so that they don’t shy away from a more bold agenda, a more bold vision for change, especially because there’s tremendous appetite in the base of support for said bold agenda of change that centers the needs of the working class first and does not get bogged down with unnecessary culture war distractions.

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

Progressives won big at the recent Democratic nominating convention. Eli Savit for attorney general, and Amir Mackled for University of Michigan Board of Regents. 

There were cheers for progressive Senate candidate Abdul El Sayed, and there were boos for more moderate speakers like Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who is also running for Senate.

Progressives organized well, and now there’s a lot of energy at their backs. But some are concerned that they will struggle to win general elections. 

Adrian J. Hemond is one of those people. He’s a longtime Democrat and the CEO of Grassroots Midwest, a bipartisan grassroots advocacy firm. 

Producer Sam Corey spoke with him about the promises of progressive organizing, and the challenges that could await them come November

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro