U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is endorsing state Rep. Donavan McKinney’s campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, joining U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib in supporting the Detroit lawmaker ahead of the August primary. Sanders’s endorsement adds to McKinney’s growing support from progressive Democrats, including six state senators, 11 state representatives, and numerous local elected officials.
U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow is going bar-hopping this weekend. The Oakland County Democrat is appearing at breweries in the greater Detroit area “to show up, listen, and share a beer with Michiganders across the state,” her campaign says in a press release. The “McMorrow on Tap Brewery Tour” includes stops at the Ferndale Project at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 20, followed on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Ypsilanti’s 734 Brewing, Flint Brewery at 3 p.m. in Flint, and Warren’s Kuhnhenn Brewing at 5 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and a coalition of progressive groups are organizing a rally and march at Clark Park in Detroit on Saturday as part of a national day of protest against political repression, authoritarianism, and attacks on immigrants and dissenters. Billed as a National Day of Defiance and Mass Mobilization, the Detroit event is one of more than 1,600 demonstrations planned across the country.
After serving in office for more than a decade, Mike Duggan is in his final term as mayor of Detroit. That has led to a crowded mayoral race, with nine people formally entering to have their names appear on the August primary ballot. Two candidates will advance to the November general election.
Whoever becomes Detroit’s next mayor will have a number of issues to tackle and one of them is transit. The city’s bus and streetcar systems are in need of upgrades. Meanwhile, Southeast Michigan as a whole still lacks a truly regional transit system.
With so many candidates in the race and so many topics to cover, Detroiters are eager to know where they stand on transit. A nonprofit called Transportation Riders United hosted a forum last week, giving each candidate a chance to discuss how they would address transit issues if elected.
Today on The Metro, WDET reporter Alex McLenon joins us to talk about the hour-long forum. The discussion included how DDOT has reimagined its service plans. The department spends a significant amount of time and money training and paying drivers, yet many of those drivers leave for higher wages at SMART after completing their certification.
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Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan received a major endorsement that may set him a part from his other gubernatorial candidates. As part of the weekly series MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss how this move influences the rest of the race.
Then, Michigan Sen. and Chair of the Senate K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) joins the show to discuss the K-12 budget and what he’s willing to negotiate.
Duggan receiving an endorsement from a group that normally backs Democrats
Sen. Camilleri’s thoughts on the proposed K-12 budget
Whether budget negotiations will be settled by July 1 deadline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSzX_43trw
The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights — a union representing more than 14,000 members across the state — announced this week it was endorsing Duggan for governor.
Although endorsements don’t equal votes, Gorchow says this powerful group may help draw legacy support away from Democrats.
“It’s one thing for a group to endorse. It’s another to put resources behind a candidate. And the carpenters union has done that for gubernatorial candidates in the past,” Gorchow said. “While the union did endorse Republican Rick Snyder for governor, it traditionally backs Democrats. It endorsed Gretchen Whitmer for governor twice, among others.”
Later in the show state Sen. Camilleri shared what’s in store for K-12 school funding, as well as his thoughts on the governor’s race.
The first-term senator and his Democratic colleagues passed a K-12 budget bill earlier in the spring that’s about $600 million more dollars than what Gov. Whitmer recommended. Since then, Gorchow says, the revenue outlook has cooled a bit.
Still, Camilleri says the state is “on the right road,” pointing out that it still has a balance on its School Aid Fund Balance Sheet.
“Even with the budget that we passed, we are well situated to pass it as-is,” he said. “I’m sure we’re going to have some differences between the governor and whatever the House puts out, because we’re still waiting to see what their proposal is.”
Camilleri says he agrees that Michigan is not yet where it needs to be on certain education metrics compared to other states across the country.
“However,” he said, “we have not seen the full outcome of these investments in at-risk funding, or in mental health and school safety, or some of the other programs that we’ve lifted up, including literacy funding,” noting that Senate Democrats are focused on making “long-term investments” in these “proven tools.”
The deadline for enacting a state budget is July 1.
For many faithful folks in Detroit, Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. is a familiar name and face. As the senior pastor at Triumph Church, he’s known for his powerful sermons and community outreach. The church has over 35,000 members, according to its website.
But now he’s on the political stage running for mayor of Detroit, and this is an arena where he’s not as well known.
Kinloch is the only candidate in the mayoral race who has not held an elected position. But he views that as one of his strengths, and believes residents are tired of career politicians leading the city.
He says his campaign’s message is rooted in service, leadership and intentional change, which he hopes will set him apart from other candidates.
Metro producer Cary Junior II spoke with Kinloch at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference about how his experience leading Triumph Church will inform his priorities as mayor.
The conference is aimed to bring together business leaders, policymakers and community stakeholders to discuss key issues affecting Michigan’s economy, politics, and future.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
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Detroit mayoral candidates debated housing, public safety, education and more during a forum Thursday, May 29, at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference.
Five candidates participated in the debate, hosted by The Detroit Regional Chamber, including Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, Detroit Councilman Fred Durhal III, Detroit pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., and former Detroit Police Chief James Craig. Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley and BridgeDetroit founder and journalist Stephen Henderson will serve as moderators.
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Countless media organizations and journalists attend the Mackinac Policy Conference to gain a better understanding of what business, nonprofit and political leaders are doing to try to improve the state.
Annalise Frank, a reporter covering Detroit for Axios, is among them. She joined The Metro to talk about the Detroit mayoral debate planned for Thursday night and what else she is covering at this year’s conference.
She says she is hoping to get a sense of what business and philanthropic and political leaders want to see from Detroit’s next leader.
“Mayor Mike Duggan is not running for reelection, so it’s kind of a new time for Detroit next year,” she said. “So what are the policy priorities; how do we grow population in Detroit; how do we improve neighborhood corridors — there’s just so much to talk about and limited funding to do it.”
WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The next mayor of Detroit is not just tasked with managing the city, they also manage relationships with business and policy leaders from across the state.
Detroit’s mayor regularly attends the Mackinac Policy Conference to help build those relationships. But this election season, the candidates vying for that seat are here making their case for why they should be elected the next leader of Michigan’s largest city.
Saunteel Jenkins is one of those candidates. The former Detroit City Council president most recently served as the CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund – otherwise known as THAW. She joined The Metro to talk about how her past experience has prepared her for the role, and what her priorities would be as the city’s next mayor.
“I had to build coalitions with legislators in Lansing and in D.C., and work on both sides of the aisle to bring resources home for our families,” she said. “There are a lot of things that I did as the CEO over the last decade that correlates with the job of the mayor.”
WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s campaign for governor is showing signs of drawing bipartisan support, but he still trails leading Republican and Democratic candidates statewide, a new poll shows. According to a survey released Tuesday by the Detroit Regional Chamber, Duggan, who is running as an independent, is winning a substantial share of votes in metro Detroit and appealing to both Democrats and Republicans.
Michigan’s Secretary of State office issues driver’s licenses, REAL ID cards, and a variety of permits. It also administers Michigan’s elections.
It’s a big job, and Barb Byrum says she’s best qualified to do it.
The Ingham County Clerk is seeking the Democratic Party nomination in 2026. She hopes to succeed Secretary Jocelyn Benson, who’s running for governor.
Who is Barb Byrum?
Barb Byrum, Ingham County Clerk Photo courtesy of the Ingham County Clerk’s Office – clerk.ingham.org
Byrum had served six years as a state lawmaker before Ingham County voters elected her clerk in 2012. Since then, she has overseen 40 elections. More recently, she has pushed back against misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media.
Byrum says she has changed some minds.
“I know our elections are some of the safest and most secure in the nation,” she says. “I think I have helped people see that.”
Nevertheless, conspiracy theories persist. A popular one claims that noncitizens voting is rampant. In April, Benson’s office said it found 15 likely noncitizens had illegally voted in 2024. That represents less than 0.001% of all votes and did not affect the outcome of the presidential election.
While it may be rare, Byrum acknowledges it does happen. She says it shouldn’t.
“Noncitizens voting is unacceptable — full stop,” she says. “I’m working with stakeholders to balance security with fair access so every eligible voter can cast their ballot.”
Byrum says there’s a right way to handle it. She argues that President Donald Trump’s executive order on elections is not it.
“That proposal will not make our elections any more safe or secure,” she says. “What it will do is increase barriers, preventing voters to exercise their right.”
Byrum says Trump’s order would require everyone to re-register to vote. It does not specifically say that. But it does require the federal government to work with state and local election officials to verify everyone’s eligibility to vote.
The customer comes first
Benson and her predecessors have taken steps to reduce long waits at branch offices. They include scheduling appointments online and renewing license plates at automated kiosks in stores.
Byrum says she wants to build on that and find more ways to improve service.
“I look forward to doing a top-down review of the processes to save taxpayer dollars, increase efficiency, and meet customer needs,” she says.
Byrum is the second Democrat to enter the race. Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie was the first. No Republican has declared as of this post. Both parties will choose their nominees at their 2026 conventions.
Michigan voters are deeply divided along party lines over the state of the economy, with fears of a recession and inflation rising among Democrats and independents, while Republican voters express growing optimism, according to a new statewide poll released by the Detroit Regional Chamber. The survey, conducted by The Glengariff Group between April 24 and 28, shows that while a plurality of voters continues to believe Michigan is on the right track, those views have eroded since January, and that trend is driven primarily by shifting sentiment among Democrats and independents.
Eli Savit is trying to reshape how justice works in Michigan — starting with what happens inside a prosecutor’s office.
As Washtenaw County’s top prosecutor, he ended cash bail for most cases, declined to charge some low-level drug offenses, and launched a transparency effort to track racial disparities in prosecution.
Supporters of progressive prosecutors like Savit say they’re helping to fix a broken system, while critics say they’re putting public safety at risk.
Now, we’ll see what kind of appetite Michigan has for this approach as Savit announced last week that he’s running to be Michigan’s next Attorney General. Other candidates so far include former federal prosecutor Mark Totten, seeking the Democratic nomination, and Republican attorney Kevin Kijewski. Dana Nessel, Michigan’s current attorney general, is term-limited and can’t run for reelection.
Savit joined The Metro on Wednesday to talk about what kind of justice he believes Michigan needs next.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
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The Republican chair of the Michigan House Oversight Committee said Tuesday that he wants Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to personally explain why an expensive new system to collect elected officials’ financial disclosure statements doesn’t work.
The back and forth was tense at times as representatives of the secretary of state and the technology company that created the system defended their process and promised improvements by the next filing deadline in July.
Tina Anderson, Benson’s chief of staff, apologized for the crashes and glitches that stopped elected officials from making timely filings and thwarted people from searching filings.
“We know that many system users, including members of these committees, have had less-than-satisfactory interactions with this system,” she said. “On behalf of Secretary Benson, I am here to apologize for these difficult experiences. We take this very seriously.”
She acknowledged the transition to a new system has been rough going, but said it would have been impossible to keep two parallel systems operating simultaneously.
At the end of the session, House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Twp.) said he still was not satisfied with the answers.
“What’s been demonstrated in testimony here today is that there was risk, they were aware of risk,” he said. “I tried to get an answer out of who made these decisions and the answer was team, team, team, team, team. But, at the end of the day, the buck stops at the secretary of state.”
DeBoyer said he plans to send a letter asking Benson to personally appear before the committee next month. A Benson spokesperson said they will be on the lookout for the communication.
“We’ll review the letter when we receive it and make a decision then,” said Secretary of State Communications Officer Angela Benander in a text message.
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Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by using the lobby of a state office building for a press conference to announce she is running for governor.
This is obviously an embarrassing misstep for the Benson campaign since the Secretary of State is responsible for administering and enforcing campaign finance rules.
The Benson campaign vigorously argued a campaign finance complaint filed by Republican activists was without merit. A provision of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act prohibits elected officials from using public resources for electioneering.
Benson, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, said she moved a media availability from outside the office building to the lobby after filing her paperwork because it was freezing cold. Benson’s campaign also argued she was not acting in her official capacity and was on her personal time as a candidate.
The Benson campaign called the lobby “a public space where First Amendment activity can occur as long as it doesn’t interfere with the operation of the building.”
But the letter signed by Assistant Attorney General Joshua Booth said that is not the case.
“Secretary Benson invited members of the press inside the (Richard A.) Austin Building and then conducted a press conference, professionally dressed, during the day, in the lobby of the building that houses her office,” Booth wrote. “She gave no indication that would lead a reasonable person viewing the press conference to believe that she was there on her ‘personal time.’ Instead, the circumstances would lead a reasonable person to believe that Secretary Benson was acting as Secretary of State with the authority of the Department of State … to invite members of the press inside her office building and use the lobby for the press conference.”
But Booth also said there is no mechanism to fine or otherwise punish the Benson campaign for the infraction because of a loophole in the law. He said the law excludes the Secretary of State while naming other offices covered by the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.
“Consequently, the Attorney General is left with no choice but to simply identify the violation, remind the Secretary of State of her obligations under the MCFA, and warn her against violating them in the future,” he said. He added the Legislature may want to consider closing the loophole that allows for “unequal treatment.”
Benson’s campaign spokesperson called the determination “a new interpretation” of the act which is administered and largely enforced by the Secretary of State.
“We understand the Attorney General is issuing a new interpretation of the law, and we appreciate the added clarity,” said Alyssa Bradley in a text message.
Republicans quickly made hay over the misstep.
“Jocelyn Benson betrayed the trust of taxpayers of Michigan on the day she kicked off her campaign,” said Republican Governors Association Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton in an email blast, saying “she violated the very campaign finance laws she is supposed to oversee.”
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Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the state’s Campaign Finance Act by using a public building to launch her campaign for governor, but will not face any penalties because of a “loophole” in the law, Attorney General Dana Nessel concluded in a letter released Monday. Both Benson and Nessel are Democrats.
This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben discuss bills introduced both in the Michigan House and Senate aimed at curbing distractions in the classroom by limiting cell phone use in class.
Also, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox stops by to talk about his motivation behind running for governor.
Competing bills in the state Legislature to restrict cell phone use in schools
Former Michigan AG Mike Cox joining the gubernatorial race
Cox’s recent comments on X about Congressman John James
Lawmakers in Lansing are debating policies to help curb cell phone use by students during school time.
Both the state House and Senate are moving competing legislation to limit cell phone use in the classroom. The Senate bill passed 28-9 last week. In the House, a more restrictive bill advanced out of committee Wednesday that would prohibit cell phone use in schools based on grade level and other factors.
“Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has called for the Legislature to act on this issue,” Roth said. “What the final versions of these bills look like and what she actually ends up signing — if anything — remains to be seen.”
The former Attorney General — who served from 2003-2011 — previously ran for governor in 2010 but lost in the Republican primary. He says he was motivated to run again because “there’s a real hunger for leadership and change.”
“The Michigan that I grew up in, that my parents came to, has fallen behind so many other states,” Cox said. “Now my granddaughters in Hernando, Mississippi go to schools that perform better than the schools in my neighborhood in Livonia, Michigan. That’s a civil wrong, that’s immoral, and that’s absolutely wrong to our children and to the residents of our state.”
He also spoke to his growth in experience since he last ran for governor.
“Since then…I started my own business. I went from $400,000 in my first year in business to $30 million now in about 12 years,” he said. “It was fun and a lot of anxiety at first because I have never been in the private sector before. I think it really rounded me out as a candidate.”
Detroit residents will get a chance to hear directly from mayoral candidates this week at a community forum aimed at addressing some of the city’s most pressing issues. The “Run the City: Detroit Mayoral Forum” will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club at 16500 Tireman Ave. Hosted by a coalition of community and advocacy groups, the event is designed to create space for open dialogue between candidates and residents.
Former state Sen. Adam Hollier announced last month that he is again running for Congress to unseat U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit).
Hollier filed to run against Thanedar in 2024, but was removed from the ballot after the Wayne County Clerk’s Office said he failed to get enough valid petition signatures.
The Detroit Democrat joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss the biggest issues he believes metro Detroiters in the state’s 13th Congressional District are facing, along with what inspired him to run again.
“I live in the 13th District, I have been born and raised in the 13th District, I’m raising my children in the 13th District,” Hollier said. “It is one of the poorest districts in the country, and what you should expect from your members of Congress — your elected representatives at any level — is that they are moving the ball forward. That they are making your life actually better. That they are delivering things that have a real impact, and that’s not what we’re seeing from Congressman Thanedar.”
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, May 13, 2025:
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U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is endorsing state Rep. Donavan McKinney’s campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, joining U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib in supporting the Detroit lawmaker ahead of the August primary. Sanders’s endorsement adds to McKinney’s growing support from progressive Democrats, including six state senators, 11 state representatives, and numerous local elected officials.
