Let us begin!

United States Senator

This race is to fill the seat of retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow. Senator Gary Peter is still in office.

Democratic Primary

Only two people are eyeing the Democratic nomination. Nasser Beydoun is disqualified from the race, leaving actor Hill Harper and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin.

Hill Harper

Hill Harper is mostly known for his time as an actor. Something that is not known about Hill Harper is his extensive resume with the government and his businesses. In terms of his experience with the government, he was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Cancer Panel and served there from 2011 to 2018. He also went on diplomatic and Goodwill Missions on behalf of the United States State Department. He went to Italy and Turkey in 2009, and Israel in 2010. He was also elected to the SAG/AFTRA Union National Board of Directors in 20091.

Harper’s main priorities are as follows:

• Climate justice by transitioning to wind and solar energy are key as well as investing in electric vehicles2.

• Ending the filibuster

• Raising the federal minimum wage, supporting unions as well as small businesses.

• Healthcare such as universal healthcare, protecting women’s reproductive rights, and lowering prescription drug costs3.

Elissa Slotkin

Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is the most recognizable candidate in this primary due to her time in Congress. Not only does she have a career in Congress, but she also worked for the CIA after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and served on both President George W. Bush’s and President Obama’s national security staff.

Her priorities are as follows:

• Protecting our rights and democracy

• Keeping our communities and kids safe

• Making things in America, and defending and expanding Michigan’s middle class.

• She believes in LGTBQ+ rights, women’s reproductive rights, and not taking PAC money

• She respects gun owners but wants to take guns away from criminals and the mentally ill

My Pick

While I respect Congresswoman Slotkin and her tenure in Congress and her service to our country, I believe it is fair for folks to give Hill Harper a fair shot. He has valuable knowledge that can benefit Michigan and the United States. If you choose to vote in the Democrat primary, I would vote for Hill Harper.

Republican Primary

Four Republicans are running for the nomination, with former Congressman Peter Meijer dropping out of the race. The others running are former Congressman Justin Amash, Dr. Sherry O’Donnell, and former Michigan State Senator and Congressman Mike Rogers.

Justin Amash

Former Congressman Justin Amash is most known for leaving the Republican Party and going to the Libertarian Party shortly after President Donald Trump took office. He is now back running on the Republican Party ticket, and has been officially censured by the Kent County Republican Party. Most notably, Amash is known for taking libertarian approaches to policies, especially those that violate the Constitution's fourth amendment.

His policies are as follows4:

• Follow the Constitution

• Protect everyone’s rights

• Uphold the Rule of Law

• Restore representative government

• Read the bills proposed in the Senate

• Stop governing by emergency

• Balance the budget

• Defend economic freedom

• Ending the forever wars

• Oppose the surveillance state

Unfortunately, he does not go much into detail about these priorities.

Dr. Sherry O’Donnell

Dr. O’Donnell is a physician, pastor, mission leader, and involved in She Leads Michigan and She Leads America. Dr. O’Donnell launched Herbie Medical Clinic to provide care to underserved and uninsured communities in 2008. Most notably, she has led medical missions to 35 different countries, including Ukraine5.

Her priorities are as follows:

• Medical freedom

• Economic prosperity by implementing free market policies

• Protecting your wallet through tax relief

• Term limits as she serves as the Michigan U.S. Term Limits chairperson

• Securing the border by building the wall

• Protecting our children from critical race theory and gender ideology

• Preserving constitutional rights

• Protecting the right to life

• Helping veterans by increasing mental health care and expanding veteran choice

• Protecting public safety

Mike Rogers

Former Congressman Mike Rogers is probably one of the most well-known in this primary. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Army followed by becoming a Special Agent in the FBI. He is a former state senator and former congressman6.

His policies are as follows7:

• Fix the economy

• Keep America strong against the “growing threat of Communist China”

• Secure the border

• Restore law and order

My Pick

Personally, I am a fan of Justin Amash. He seems like a great guy and we have mutual acquaintances. However, what I believe would drive many away from him is his flip-flop of going to Republican to Libertarian to Republican. I believe the strongest candidate in this primary is Dr. Sherry O’Donnell. She seems like the most well-rounded candidate and her experience would be valuable to the state and the country. If you choose to vote in the Republican primary, I would vote for Dr. Sherry O’Donnell.

1st Congressional District

This primary election sees two Democrats and two Republicans eyeing the seat, one of them being Republican Congressman Jack Bergman.

Democratic Primary

The two Democrats in this primary are Callie Barr and Dr. Bob Lorinser.

Callie Barr

Callie is a former high school teacher, attorney, and military spouse. She is also an advocate through Blue Star Families and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers due to her husband’s significant injuries during his time in the military.

Her priorities are as follows:

• Protecting the middle class by supporting policies that grow the economy

• Bring jobs back home

• Support agriculture and small businesses and lowering costs

• Defending our democracy and honoring our veterans

• Support community safety and responsible gun ownership by instituting background checks, safe storage, and red flag laws

• Expand and strengthen rural broadband internet

• Supporting public education and access to childcare

• Taking on special interest groups in order to protect Medicare, social security and access to healthcare

• Protect the Great Lakes and natural resources

Dr. Bob Lorinser

Dr. Bob Lorinser is a former diplomat, Public Health Medical Director for Marquette County, former Medicaid Medical Director for the Upper Peninsula, and former family physician for the Navajo Nation.

His policies are as follows8:

• Labor reform by supporting unions, family-sustaining wages, education and more

• Universal healthcare

• Taking a balanced approach to education and also expanding trade schools and community college

• Saving social security by raising the social security payroll tax cap, reducing benefits for the top 20% of earners, gradually raising the retirement age, increasing payroll tax, and more

• Supporting veterans by improving the VA offices to give veterans the help they need, and supporting the expansion of the National Guard

• Protecting the environment and supports the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act

• He also believes in expanding rural broadband, protecting voting rights, organized labor, women’s health rights, improving infrastructure, an advocate for the 2nd Amendment, and supporting immigration

My Pick

While Dr. Lorinser has solid Democratic policies and has worked with the Nevajo Nation, I believe Callie Barr’s policies greatly favor the rural areas and takes a moderate approach that could drive in disenfranchised Republican voters. If you choose to vote in the Democratic primary, I would vote for Callie Barr

Republican Primary

The two Republicans running in this primary are incumbent Congressman Jack Bergman and Josh Saul. JD Wilson was also running but has been disqualified.

Jack Bergman

Congressman Bergman rose to the rank of Lt. General in the United States Marine Corps, is a small business, and a commercial airline pilot. His policies are as follows:

• Broadband infrastructure for rural areas

• Improving veterans’ well-being

• Protecting Michigan’s agriculture

• Protecting the right to life

• Improving our national security

• Improving education

• Improving border security

• Protecting our natural resources

• Fighting the opioid epidemic

Josh Saul

Josh Saul is a Christian, veteran, and accountant who has dealt with many complications since retiring from the military. His policies are as follows:

• Government accountability through overhauls of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches9

• Improving the government’s financial responsibility10

• Securing our border11

• Protecting our children12

• Improving veteran care13

My Pick

While Congressman Bergman has a proven track record with how he has helped his constituents, we need fresh eyes in Congress. If you are voting in the Republican Primary, I would vote for Josh Saul.

2nd Congressional District

There is not a primary in this district. The general election will consist of Democrat Michael Lynch, and incumbent Republican Congressman John Moolenaar.

3rd Congressional District

This primary will consist of two Democrats, one of them being incumbent Congresswoman Hillary Scholten and two Republicans.

Democratic Primary

Hillary Scholten

Congresswoman Hillary Scholten is a Christian, and the first woman to represent Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District. She clerked for the Second Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals and worked for the Department of Justice under President Obama14.

Her policies are as follows15:

• Improving healthcare by expanding the Affordable Care Act

• Protecting reproductive health

• Improving jobs and the economy by investing in renewable energy and lowering prescription drug costs

• Improving the education system

• Protecting social security and Medicare

• Protecting the environment by getting rid of PFAs and fighting climate change

• Improving roads and infrastructure

• Protecting voting rights and democracy

• Common-sense gun safety reform

Salim Al-Shatel

Salim Al-Shatel is a small business owner, entrepreneur, substitute teacher, and real estate broker whose family grew up in a Czechoslovakian and Jordian refugee camp. He was also appointed to Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalyn Bliss’s Planning Commission16.

His policies are as follows17:

• Prioritize American manufacturing

• Ban political corruption

• Imposing taxes on billionaires and Wall Street to balance the market

• Make housing affordable

• Protecting our environment

• Improving our education

• Improving healthcare

• Protecting women's reproductive rights

• Improving infrastructure

• Reducing the national debt and federal spending

• Securing our border

• Having universal childcare

• Protect whistleblowers

• Fighting against the military industrial complex

• Supporting our veterans

• Preventing government overreach

• Legalizing marijuana

• Keeping foreign governments out of our elections

• Supporting ranked choice voting

My Pick

The 3rd Congressional District is my district, so this one is near and dear to my heart. Personally, I think Congresswoman Hillary Scholten has been disappointing and ineffective as a congresswoman and do not see much improvement in our district under her leadership. If you're voting in the Democratic Primary, I'd vote for Salim Al-Shatel.

Republican Primary

Paul Hudson

Paul Hudson is a former Michigan Supreme Court candidate, a former clerk for the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the current Chair of Appeals for Miller Cainfield18.

His policies are as follows19:

• Tackling inflation

• Lowering taxes

• Rein in government spending

• Equipping students with a better education

• Supporting small businesses

• Protecting pre-existing conditions and lowering costs in healthcare

• Securing the border

• Support law enforcement and the Second Amendment

• Support our military

Michael Markey Jr.

Michael Markey Jr is an entrepreneur and owner of Legacy Financial Network20.

His policies are as follows21:

• Holding the government accountable

• Fighting for Michigan and not D.C.

• Reinvesting in America’s future

• Opening trade channels

• Cutting taxes

• Advocating for educational freedom

• Fighting for veterans

• Defending our constitution

My Pick

While Michael Markey Jr. would make a good representative, I believe Paul Hudson is the strongest candidate in this primary. If you're voting in the Republican party, I'd vote for Paul Hudson.

4th Congressional District

This district will not have a Democratic primary, leaving Jessica Swartz unopposed after Joseph Alfonso withdrew. There are two candidates in the Republican primary - Bill Huizenga and Brendan Muir.

Bill Huizenga

Incumbent Congressman Bill Huizenga is a small business owner, the brother of Michigan State Senator Mark Huizenga, and a member of the House Financial Services Committee22.

His policies if reelected are as follows23:

• Improving the economy by promoting an atmosphere for job creation, economic growth, and higher wages

• Enacting a Balanced Budget Amendment

• Protecting the Right to Life

• Fighting for hard-working farmers

• Holding the VA accountable and enacting drastic reforms

• Protecting the Great Lakes

• Restoring educational choice to the parents

• Defending the Constitution

• Combatting poverty

• Enacting real healthcare reform

• Make America energy independent

• Securing the border

Brendan Muir

Brendan is the Chair of the Ottawa County Republican Party, and a project management consultant24. His policies are as follows25:

• Rebuilding economic prosperity by lowering debt, securing energy independence and diversity, and reducing taxes

• Defending citizens and American sovereignty by securing the border, protecting and defending constitutional rights, having an “America First" strategy, and stopping the funding of foreign wars

• Restoring honest and lawful elections by requiring voter ID, having same day voting with paper ballots, removing no-excuse mail-in ballots, eliminating drop boxes, removing private money from elections, and allowing citizen-led audits

• Returning to Education Excellence by valuing critical skills, restoring parental rights, supporting school choice, and promoting constitutional education

• Standing for West Michigan by supporting our veterans, promoting the sanity of life, protecting ownership of local farms, protect the Great Lakes, and unleashing innovation in local businesses and universities

My Pick

While Bill Huizenga has contributed quite a bit to Congress and I have no doubt he would continue to do so, I believe it is time for some fresh eyes and Bill can consider running against Gary Peters in the near future. If you're voting in the Republican Primary, I'd pick Brendan Muir.

5th Congressional District

There is no primary for this district. The general election will see Democrat Libbi Urban go up against incumbent Republican Congressman Tim Walberg.

6th Congressional District

There is no primary for this district. The general election will see Republican Heather Smiley go up against incumbent Democrat Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.

7th Congressional District

There is no primary for this district. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is running for U.S. Senate, making this an open seat. The general election will see former Michigan senators go head-to-head: Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett.

8th Congressional District

With Congressman Dan Kildee’s pending retirement, this leaves a highly contested open seat. Three Democrats and three Republicans will face off in their respective primaries.

Democratic Primary

This primary consists of Matt Collier, Kristen McDonald Rivet, and State Board of Education member Pamela Pugh.

Matt Collier

Matt Collier is the former mayor of Flint26. The only notable policies he has are fighting for veterans. He is endorsed by the Michigan Democratic Party.

Kristen McDonald Rivet

Kristen is a current Michigan State Senator, a Catholic, and former Executive Director of Michigan Head Start33. Her policies are as follows27:

• Protecting abortion

• Keeping guns out of dangerous hands

• Investing in Michigan’s work force

Pamela Pugh

Dr. Pamela Pugh is a current member of the Michigan Board of Education, and the former Chief Health Advisor during the Flint Water Crisis28. Her policies are as follows29:

• Economic dignity for all

• Investing in public education

• Acting on climate change

• Building vibrant communities

• Reproductive rights

• Quality healthcare for all

My Pick

While Kristen McDonald Rivet seems like a strong candidate based on her background, I do believe Dr. Pamela Pugh has strong policies for the Democrats. If I were voting in this primary, I would vote for Dr. Pamela Pugh

Republican Primary

This primary will consist of Mary Draves, Anthony J. Hudson, and Paul Junge.

Mary Draves

Mary Draves works at the executive level at Dow Chemical30. Her issues are as follows31:

• Fixing the economy, inflation, and taxes

• Reinvesting in American farmers

• Protecting the 2nd Amendment

• Constructing the border wall and focusing on the Remain in Mexico policy

• Containing China’s expansion and protecting American interests

Anthony J. Hudson

Anthony J. Hudson is a blue-collar worker and a small business owner32. His policies are as follows33:

• No infringements on the 2nd Amendment

• Closing the borders

• Fighting to stop the $127 million investment in electric school buses

• Supporting small businesses

• Enforcing immigration laws

• Supporting tax-exempt overtime and bonuses

• Stopping the EV battery plant production

• Removing red flag gun laws

• Repairing Michigan’s roads, highways, and bridges

• Fighting for parental rights

• Bringing home our military and increasing their pay and benefits

• Supporting the veterans and homeless

Paul Junge

Paul Junge is a former criminal prosecutor, news anchor at Michigan’s Fox 47, and worked in the Trump administration at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services34. His issues are as follows35:

• Fighting for fewer government regulations and lower taxes

• Defending American lives and making sure the military has the training and equipment they need, as well as supporting Israel

• Securing the border, building the wall, and stopping the influx of drugs

• Supporting Michigan farmers, ensuring America has affordable energy, and lowering the tax burden

• Keep Social Security and Medicare, and fight for fiscal responsibility in Washington D.C.

• Protecting the 2nd Amendment, and the Right to Life

• Protect the Great Lakes, explore an “all of the above” energy approach, and encourage innovation in the private sector

• Improving the efficiency of healthcare through health savings accounts, combating lawsuit abuse, and allowing individuals and small businesses to create better rates. Additionally, he supports lowering out-of-pocket costs by increasing the availability of generics, speeding up the FDA approval process, and providing greater price transparency

• Defending parental choice and preparing students

My Pick

Paul Junge is someone that MAGA, moderate, and conservative Republicans can get behind. I believe he can appeal to all Republicans while holding the Democrats accountable. If I were voting in this primary, I would vote for Paul Junge.

9th Congressional District

This district will have no primary. The general election will see Democrat Clinton St Mosley go against incumbent Republican Congresswoman Lisa McClain.

10th Congressional District

This race will solely have a Democratic primary, with four Democrats fighting to go against incumbent Republican Congressman John James.

Democratic Primary

This primary will consist of Emily Busch, Carl J. Marlinga, Tiffany Tilley, and Diane Young.

Emily Busch

Emily Busch has worked in the business sector for 30 years and is the mom of Andrew Busch, who is a survivor of the 2021 Oxford High School shooting36. Her policies are as follows:

• Advocating for gun safety legislation while stating “thoughts and prayers aren’t enough”

• Protecting abortion, and LGBTQ rights, along with “personal freedoms”

• Standing up for organized labor and putting financial stability in reach for everyone

• Creating healthier and safer communities by expanding access to healthcare, and lowering costs for working families

Carl J. Marlinga

Carl is a former Macomb County Prosecutor, Assistant US Attorney, and 16th Circuit and Probate Court judge37. His policies are as follows38:

• Strengthening clean energy while creating jobs and fueling economic growth

• Protecting reproductive rights

• Creating good-paying jobs while holding down inflation

• Protecting the Great Lakes

• Ensuring the Criminal Justice system works for everyone

Tiffany Tilley

Tiffany Tilley is a Co-Vice President of Michigan’s Board of Education, a former political director, and a former Director of Community and Economic Development39. Her policies (with extensive details on her website) are as follows40:

• Protecting women’s rights

• Fighting for quality and affordable education by getting equitable funding, closing the achievement gap, supporting foster youth, supporting early literacy, supporting CTE, and student loan reform

• Fighting for a strong economy

• Healthcare reform

• Protecting our border while still supporting immigrants

• Supporting veterans

• Protecting the environment

• Emphasizing diplomatic foreign affairs

• Preventing gun violence

• Supporting infrastructure and community development

• Fighting for criminal justice reform

Diane Young

Diane Young is a financial planning firm owner, and has held various volunteer leadership positions41. Her policies are as follows42:

• Social security

• Reproductive freedom

• Foreign affairs

• Unions

• Protecting the environment

• Common sense gun safety

• Health care

• Veterans

• LGBTQ+ issues

• Immigration

My Pick

Tiffany Tilley, on paper, seems like a great candidate to go up against John James. If I were voting in this primary, I would vote for Tiffany Tilley.

11th Congressional District

There will be a primary election between two Democrats and two Republicans who are vying for incumbent Democrat Congresswoman Haley Stevens’ seat.

Democratic Primary

This primary will consist of Ahmed Ghanim and incumbent Democrat Congresswoman Haley Stevens.

Ahmed Ghanim

Ahmed Ghanim has a background in healthcare management and participates a lot in the social justice movement. Additionally, he served in the U.S. State Department under the Obama administration specifically in foreign policy43. His policies are as follows44:

• Accessible and affordable healthcare for all

• Prioritizing investments in education and affordable housing

• Investing in the local economy and tackling rising inflation

• Ending the endless wars

• Reforming immigration

• Protecting reproductive rights

• Protecting the environment

Haley Stevens

Congresswoman Haley Stevens originally worked in a research lab and served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force appointed by President Obama. She currently serves on the House Committee on Education & Labor, as well as the House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology45. Her policies are as follows46:

• Improving healthcare by lowering premiums and growing the healthcare workforce

• Ushering in a new economy by ending the gender pay gap and supporting family leave, while also cracking down on China and taking tax breaks away from companies that ship jobs overseas

• Improving the education system in Michigan

• Protecting Social Security and Medicare from turning into a voucher program

• Protecting the environment

• Securing the borders and implementing an employment-based green card system

• Protecting the LGBTQ+ community by voting for the Equality Act in Congress and the Global Respect Act, which denys Visas to those who have committed acts of violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community abroad

• Having common sense gun laws

• Protecting our veterans

• Being a voice for women

• Implementing stronger addiction and drug policies

• Having strong foreign affairs

My Pick

While protecting the LGBTQ+ community is a good thing, it is disheartening that Haley Stevens will only deny Visas to those that commit crimes against only one specific community across the world instead of denying Visas that commit crimes against a variety of folks. For this reason, if I were voting in this primary, I'd vote for Ahmed Ghanim.

Republican Primary

This primary will consist of Charles Frangie and Nick Somberg attempting to win the Republican primary in this district.

Charles Frangie

Attorney Charles Frangie is a Lebanese immigrant who has been practicing law in Oakland County for over 30 years47. His policies are as follows48:

• Improve foreign policy

• Spend more money on Americans compared to migrants

• Improving the judicial system

• Improving the economy to have families meet their financial needs

Nick Somberg

Nick Somberg is the founder of Somberg Law PLLC, which is specializes in criminal defense and personal injury. He is also an entrepreneur49. His policies are as follows50:

• Tackling inflation and reducing wasteful spending

• Securing our borders and reforming immigration

• Prioritizing American interests in foreign policy

• Defending American jobs, businesses, and manufacturing

• Striving for energy independence

• Restoring America’s manufacturing base

• Pro-life with exceptions in cases where the life of the mother is at risk, and in instances of rape and incest, within the first trimester

• Defending free speech via a federal lawsuit

• Protect the Second Amendment and abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

• Reforming criminal justice

• Reforming Congress

• Supporting Israel

• Reforming student loans

• Tackling artificial intelligence

• Improving communication with constituents

• Having a balanced approach to climate change

• Limiting government power

• Taking the government out of marriage, which would help with the LGBTQ+ community

• Ending the War on Drugs

My Pick

Nick Somberg is easily one of the most impressive Congressional candidates I have researched on this list. If I were voting in this primary, I would 100% vote for Nick Somberg.

12th Congressional District

There will only be a Republican primary as the only Democrat running is incumbent Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. Two Republicans are running in the Republican primary race.

Republican Primary

James D. Hooper and Linda Sawyer are running in the Republican primary race.

James D. Hooper

James D. Hooper serves as the Wayne County Republican Chairman, has worked in the Eastern Market, and in the building trades51. His policies are as follows52:

• Pro-Life

• Protecting the 2nd Amendment

• Supporting Parental Rights in education and eliminate the Federal Department of Education

• Improving healthcare by providing more holistic approaches and preventative medicate

• Pro-business

• Focusing on accountability and fiscal responsibility in taxation policy and keeping more hard-earned dollars

• Valuing national sovereignty and national security

Linda Sawyer

Linda Sawyer is a former paramedic and nurse53. Her policies are as follows54:

• Create affordable health care by introducing Direct Patient Care

• Introducing Walt’s Bill that will decriminalize medical marijuana at the federal level

• Bring back federal funding for inpatient facilities and beds for mental health

• Help those with disabilities

• Securing the border

• Black box warnings on the COVID m-RNA vaccines

Some more of her “policies” are framed as supporting President Trump’s platform with no clear distinction with how she would help implement these policies.

My Pick

Linda Sawyer, at the most, would be a good State Representative candidate. She seems to have a fair grasp on what the state can do and would most likely be more suited for being a State Representative. If I were voting in this primary, I would vote for James D. Hooper.

13th Congressional District

This district will only see a Democratic Primary, with two Democrats trying to unseat incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar.

Democratic Primary

This primary will feature Shakira Lynn Hawkins, Mary Waters, and incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar.

Shakira Lynn Hawkins

Shakira Lynn Hawkins is a public defender and an attorney. Her policies are as follows55:

• Universal healthcare

• Mental health funding

• Reproductive freedom

• Lowering prescription drug costs

• Environmental justice

• Climate action

• Education reform

• Protect social security

• Disability rights

• Supporting families

• Immigration reform

• Supporting small businesses

• Investing in communities

• Protect endangered wildlife

• End gun violence

• Higher wages

• Affordable housing

• Strengthening unions

Mary Waters

Mary Waters is a breast cancer survivor and a former State Representative56. She has no policies in her official campaign website.

Shri Thanedar

Congressman Shri Thanedar is a former gubernatorial candidate, research scholar, and entrepreneur57. His policies are as follows58:

• Pro-choice

• Improving gun safety

• Improving voting rights by supporting John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

• Protecting workers’ rights and supporting Michigan’s small businesses

• Healthcare for All

• Reforming criminal justice

• Improving mental health

• Having quality education

• Environmental justice

• Reforming the government

• Combatting police brutality by demilitarizing the police

• Having a strong Israel

• Protecting LGBTQX+ rights

My Pick

Basesd on what my former colleagues in the progressive circle have said about Congressman Shri Thanedar, if I were voting in this primary, I would vote for Shakira Lynn Hawkins

That’s A Wrap

There we have it, the complete congressional primary voting guide! Now, with this in your backpocket, get out and vote!

Once seated, we all waited with anticipation while watching a video about the ongoing border crisis. Then, the introduction of Bobby Kennedy Jr rang out, and he takes to the stage like a true Kennedy. The crowd, consisting of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, erupted with deafening “Bobby! Bobby!” chants.

What came next was a breath of fresh air - a call for unity amidst current events, an open discussion about what's happening and what's poisoning our country. Discussion on what's crippling the middle class, why Gen Z is losing faith in the American Dream, and how the previous generations have failed Gen Z and beyond. The most surprising of this speech? He only called out President Biden and Trump once. The rest was focused on his policies.

But why should folks even consider voting for Robert F Kennedy Jr?

A Proven Track Record

In addition to being one of the last of a political dynasty, Robert F Kennedy Jr. has been an environmental attorney scoring multiple wins against big corporations poisoning the world around us, as well as holding others accountable for their lack of transparency.

Not only that, but he has traveled the world when he was a kid with his father, most notably Poland during their communist era. This type of experience is vital to the become president.

A Throwback to an Era

A majority of Americans are looking for a return to basics and to cut through the extremism. A Kennedy presidency would continue and improve on the work started by some of our greatest presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy. In a lot of ways, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. embodies the aforementioned presidents - a no nonsense attitude like Teddy, bipartisanship and well versed in foreign policy like Eisenhower, and the charisma and leadership like JFK.

We've Never Had A Full-Term Kennedy Presidency

Read that again and think about it. JFK was assassinated, and Robert F. Kennedy Sr. was assassinated during his presidential run right before he won the Democratic nomination. RFK Sr. was a true humanitarian that broke through the partisan wall and would have corrected many of the wrongs of the Johnson administration.

We owe it to ourselves, and to the Kennedys, to finally see this through.

It's Time To Fight Back

For too long the duopoly of the Democrats and Republicans have dominated our political system, especially now with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) trying to sue their way into disqualifying RFK Jr from running as an independent candidate.

However, after his rally in Grand Rapids, it is clear that voters are tired of President Biden and Trump and are ready for something new. They are ready to declare their independence and vote for Kennedy.

The question remains - are you ready to declare your independence this November?

Let's be clear - there's nothing inherently wrong with the gift giving and receiving, eating a bunch of food and spending time with family. However, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ (or neglect Jesus of Nazareth’s mere existence on Earth), then what are you celebrating? Why do so many people that don't believe in Jesus Christ choose to celebrate Christmas?

For an example, let's look at the secular liberal left - they absolutely despise capitalism! Yet with a little Christmas bastardization brought on by the Hallmark channel, and their capitalistic wine tasting Advent calendar, they're ready to fork over hundreds of dollars for this one particular holiday.

While painful to write this out, there's a logical conclusion as to why Christmas is losing so much of what made it special in the first place - it is being dominated by the secular left, turning it into a godless holiday. It is another attempt to take all meaning out of Jesus and God.

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Growing up in a non-Christian household, the story of Jesus being born was still told and down the street there would be a house with a big sign saying, “Happy Birthday Jesus!" Even in A Charlie Brown Christmas, Linus quotes directly from scripture found in the Gospel of Luke about the birth of Jesus. In today's day and age, people are quick to forget about why Christmas is a meaningful holiday and the origins are never discussed in pop culture. It has turned into nothing more than a federal holiday, and a blimp that some people acknowledge why it means so much to Christians.

Christmas is more than just a federal, capitalistic holiday. It's the day that Emmanuel (God with Us) was born and walked a perfect life, making disciples and bringing us closer to God, the Father. The story about Jesus the Nazareth is one of the greatest stories in history, and His birth is one of the most amazing stories known.

As Christians, it is our responsibility to tell people about the Good News of Jesus, as well as the story of Jesus' birth on Christmas, putting CHRIST back in Christmas. Let’s honor one of the many callings that Jesus gives us.

With the Michigan presidential primaries on February 27th, it's time to get serious about who we vote for. While President Joe Biden does have two Democrat primary opponents, Marianne Williamson and Congressman Dean Phillips, it is safe to say that the machine is behind Biden and he will be the presumptive Democratic nominee. If you really don't like Biden and can't fathom voting in a Republican primary, consider voting for either of those two candidates.

However, there is one candidate that Democrats despise more than Joe Biden - his predecessor, Donald Trump. There is evidence to support that most Americans do not want a rematch between Biden and Trump in 20241.

If you're a moderate Democrat who, like me, feel disenfranchised with the state of the party and also don't want Donald Trump to be the 47th president of these United States, we need to vote in the Republican Presidential Primary. In this article, let's see what Republican candidates qualified and there pros and cons.

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Who Qualified

The following qualified for the Michigan Republican Presidential Primary -

• Donald Trump

• Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis

• Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy

• Former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador, Nikki Haley

• Former New Jersey Governor and MSNBC contributor, Chris Christie

• Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum

• Former Arkansas Governor, Asa Hutchinson

Like any presidential candidate, there are pros and cons to each.

Ron DeSantis

If Andrew Cuomo was “America's Favorite Governor" according to Democrats during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, then Ron DeSantis was exactly that for the Republicans. Let's face it, DeSantis was one of the few Republican governors to open up their state the soonest when a lot of states were locked down. Every American went down to Florida to get away from state restrictions, even Michigan's own Governor Whitmer when she visited her father.

Many will say the cons of Ron DeSantis are the "Don't Say Gay2” bill, and the fact that he has lost a lot of steam after his botched announcement for president with Elon Musk and David Sachs3. DeSantis’ star is still bright, and is a callback to someone like President Ronald Reagan, but 2024 may not be his year.

Vivek Ramaswamy

A successful biomedical businessman and the face of the "anti-woke” movement, Vivek Ramaswamy is becoming a rising star in the Republican Party despite not holding a prior office or voting for the last 20 years4.

Ramaswamy brings “MAGA 2.05" policy ideas and is like Donald Trump without the baggage. He's an outsider that brings a unique perspective to the political arena, which some may say is a pro. The cons with a Ramaswamy administration can be linked to his lack of experience in addition to his radical domestic and foreign policy ideas6.

Nikki Haley

The media and the establishment love her, but if you're honest with yourself, what's not to love about Nikki Haley? Is she hawkish on foreign policy? Absolutely - not only is she on the board of Boeing and made millions in the defense industry7, but her experience in the United Nations gives her a unique perspective in foreign policy. Does she piss off the all boy's club? Of course, the GOP has not seen a strong woman candidate before, it's bound to ruffle some feathers.

All of these are pros and cons in their own right. Ask yourself this, who would you rather have as the first women president - Nikki Haley or Vice President Kamala Harris?

Chris Christie

Christie has stones to want to run for president twice, especially when he is polling so low and is only doing it to sink Trump’s battleship. His policy ideas could be perceived as good if he wasn't on a kamikaze mission. The downside to many folks is that he's an MSNBC contributor, which rubs a lot of folks the wrong way.

Doug Burgum

The North Dakota governor is the dark horse of this primary. He seems like a nice guy and his policies8 are sure to make any moderate okay with voting for him. The only downside is he is largely unknown, and not taken seriously.

Asa Hutchinson

Truthfully, it is a surprise that Senator Tim Scott dropped out of the race before Asa Hutchinson. There's not even a pro or a con here, just one question - why?

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Democracy Is Uncomfortable

A lot of you reading who are Democrats are more than likely uncomfortable with the notion of voting in a Republican primary, solely when it comes down to abortion. Here is something that should be reassuring to some - all of the candidates listed, with the exception of DeSantis and Trump, support leaving abortion to the states9 as it was not explicitly listed in the Constitution when Roe v Wade was overturned. Another thing, a majority of Americans support a ban on abortion at 15 weeks10.

Democracy is uncomfortable, and if you don't want Donald Trump to be the Republican nominee, it's time to put your money where your mouth is and voting in the Republican primary instead of voting for Joe Biden.

Public Education Funding Is Far From Perfect

Let’s give credit where credit is due - Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a $24.3 billion education budget in July of 2023. This bill includes providing free school lunches, an increase in per-pupil spending, universal Pre-K, and a significant investment in mental health.1 This is a win for Democrats and advocates for public education but is met with concerns from those who own private businesses and families who find private childcare more convenient.2 You can find the full breakdown of the 2023-24 Fiscal Year Appropriations here.

One thing that is not evident on its surface is how the funding is figured out per-pupil, and where it exactly goes. Let’s assume that the per-pupil spending is an umbrella, meaning that those who are in extremely advantaged public schools get the same amount as those in schools that are severely disadvantaged and have the lowest funding. So how exactly is this all determined? A probable conclusion that can be drawn from this is the heightened importance of Student Count Day.

Student Count Day - An Extremely Poor Measurement of Funding

Remember back in grade school when teachers would put an insane amount of pressure on students to come in on a certain day? Turns out, there was a reason that actually has consequences. Student Count Day determines the amount of funding a school gets based on the number of students in attendance on that day. Conducted twice a year, public schools tally the number of students in attendance and combine the spring Student Count Day of the prior school year with the fall count in the current school year.3 Let’s break this down -

The new per-pupil spending is now $9,608. Using Grand Blanc High School as an example, they have 2,518 students enrolled.4 If all of those students showed up on Student Count Day, the school would receive $24.1 million. If only a quarter of the students showed up, the school would still receive approximately $6 million.

Using Union High School in Kent County as another example, in the 2022-23 school year they only had 922 students in total (using MI School Data). If all of those students showed up on Student Count Day, the school would receive $8.9 million. If a quarter of students showed up, the school would only receive $2.2 million.

The number of students on Student Count Day and the number of total students enrolled should not dictate the level of funding a school should get. One solution to this would be for all of the schools to submit a budget report to the state, so the state can allocate funds effectively.

The schools with the most funding are seeing a high success rate with students, whereas schools with the least funding are failing and closing.

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Charter Schools - The Boogeymen or Unsung Heroes?

Charter schools are not the boogeymen that Democrats make them out to be. Then again, there is an unspoken rule that you have to oppose charter schools if you run as a Democrat. Due to this, there is a fundamental misconception of charter schools. Truth be told, charter schools are similar to traditional public schools as they are free and public to all. There are a few notable differences:5

• They receive no state funding for facilities and also cannot leverage local bond and millage funding for their buildings

• Most charter schools serve students in communities that have socioeconomic challenges

• They operate under contract with a charter school authorizer such as a local traditional school district, intermediate school district, community college, or a public university

• They are independently operated and design their classrooms to meet the students’ needs, as opposed to public schools that follow the controversial Common Core Standards

It is true that charter schools struggled to perform at their inception; however, the tides have changed dramatically. According to Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), charter schools are vastly outperforming traditional public schools in areas such as Math and English, while also closing the achievement gap for minority groups and those in poverty.6

The Critique of Charter Schools

The critique of charter schools is that they privatize public education, have transparency issues, and fiscal mismanagement. Additionally, Republican politicians do tend to support charter schools.

Let’s not forget, public schools also have transparency issues and some school boards have problems with fiscal mismanagement. Yes, both charter schools and public schools have had their issues; however, it seems that charter schools are more well-equipped compared to their traditional public school counterparts. When you’re not constrained by public education funding or Common Core Standards, it does seem easier to help with student success.

The Support for Charter Schools

According to a 2022 study conducted by Marketing Research Group, 64% of Michiganders support charter schools, and only 22% hold an unfavorable opinion on charter schools.7 In that same study, there is wide-ranging support for charter schools. 54.3% of Democrats, 78.3% of Republicans, and 62.8% of Independents support charter schools.

Elected officials are meant to serve the majority, so why not start now?

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Vouchers - Choice vs. Separation of Church and State

Vouchers are arguably the most controversial aspect of the education system. Many critics of voucher programs, such as the DeVos-backed Let MI Kids Learn campaign, say that taxes should not go towards funding private schools as it violates the separation of church and state. At the same time, vouchers allow schools to compete with each other to provide a better education and also give the freedom for parents to offer their students access to a better education.

Can you imagine if we gave kids in poverty a fighting chance to receive a better education by allowing donations from Michigan taxpayers (through an opt-in process) to contribute to these struggling students?

For The Love of Michigan: Let’s Fight for the Kids

No matter what side of the aisle you are on, we all want to see kids succeed in life. Our current education system, with the exception of excellent teachers trying to work in a system that doesn't help or compensate them accordingly, is flawed and it is a detriment to students. It is overdue for lawmakers and voters to seriously look at the amount of funding education gets, how it gets it, and what we can do better.

This isn’t necessarily an endorsement of charter schools and vouchers; however, the writing is on the chalkboard - they are getting more popular and seemingly prepare our students better compared to the traditional public education system by teaching to their individual needs.

Let’s rise above the trenches of the political quagmire and fight for our damn kids.

There was some drama heading into this debate, with a good chunk of candidates not qualifying such as Republican commentator and former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder, former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson, among others. Most notably, former President Donald Trump chose to be interviewed by Tucker Carlson on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Without Trump dominating the debate, who was able to shine? Who was a loser and who was just plain mediocre? Let's take a look.

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The Losers

Donald Trump

Yes, former President Donald Trump is still the frontrunner in the Republican primary. While his presence was felt somewhat, by attending the debate, he could have solidified himself as the only candidate capable of taking on President Joe Biden. Trump is a ruthless politician who makes his presence known on the debate stage. Instead, many Republican voters had to sit through an unhinged and strange interview with Tucker Carlson on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Does this negatively impact Trump? More than likely not. However, taking the same undemocratic approach as President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee is at the very least disappointing, and horrendous and authoritarian at worse.

Ron DeSantis

Let’s face it, DeSantis was the chosen heir to a post-Trump Republican Party. A strong and effective governor of Florida who led the way on how the Republican Party will look like, what social stances they should take, and even going further to the right of Donald Trump in some instances.

However, his presence on the debate stage was weak. He is still stuck in the COVID-era policies that made him “America’s Governor” after the disgraced exit of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D). What should have been a lay-up for DeSantis ended up being too many fumbles on multiple occasions in this debate. From giving carefully scripted answers crafted by political consultants to a physical presence that was akin to Richard Nixon in his televised debate against John F. Kennedy, he is not an inspiring Trump alternative for the Republican Party.

The Mediocre

Chris Christie

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s campaign is a kamikaze mission to take out Donald Trump’s campaign. If Trump isn’t on the stage, what’s the point?

To his credit, Chris Christie is a tactical and effective politician who thrives in the world of debates, most famously sinking Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s battleship in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. In this debate, he went on the attack against entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Chris Christie loves the spotlight like any other politician running for office. However, with an approval rating of 8% in his last term as governor and an active MSNBC contributor, no one should take this campaign seriously.

Doug Burgam

Doug Burgam seems like your typical conservative governor from North Dakota, he just appears to be generally uncomfortable with the spotlight and unsure of his presence. In a debate where you have larger-than-life candidates like Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, it is hard to stand out in what is becoming an overcrowded field.

Asa Hutchinson

The former governor of Arkansas and head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, similar to Dough Burgam, was just kind of there. Asa Hutchinson is a callback to the George W. Bush era of politics, something that is a bit off-putting.

It is honestly unclear as to why Asa is even running.

Tim Scott

Debating is not the current senator from South Carolina’s strong suit. He is an effective speaker and storyteller when given the time to do so. He has an inspiring background story, he just was not on the attack in the debate and let everyone else duke it out.

That said, he is down to earth and folks love him. Is it enough to get him the nomination or even the vice presidency? Most likely not.

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The Winners

Mike Pence

Who had former Vice President Mike Pence being on the attack on their bingo card? He did his best to get into each topic, even if it looked desperate at times. Pence’s delivery was strong, aggressive, and wasn’t afraid to back down. It was very much Ronald Reagan-esque whenever he debated against Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale in their respective presidential debates.

Mike Pence gave everyone a glimpse into what old-school era conservatism could look like in a post-Trump world. It is simply not enough, too many folks want Trump style conservatism.

Nikki Haley

A lot of commentators wrote off Nikki Haley as someone that would not do well in this debate. However, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador proved the critics wrong by holding her own, having many notable back and forth moments with Mike Pence and Vivek Ramaswamy.

While she is a pro-life candidate, Haley was being an advocate for women by talking about increasing accessibility to contraception and more, very similar to how South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace says, “we need to stop being assholes to women."

After the debate, Google Trends shows an increase in web searches for Nikki Haley, and gave a glimpse into what a strong, conservative woman president could look like.

Vivek Ramaswamy

If you listen to any interview Vivek Ramaswamy has given since he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president, it's clear he is charismatic and has all of his points down. Even though he might find himself to the right of Nikki Haley, and even to the right of Donald Trump in some instances, it is clear that he is the current heir in a post-Trump world.

Despite him being Trump 2.0 in a lot of ways, he is the type of leader the Republican Party needs, and is truly the next generation of politicians.

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Who Is Facing Recalls

For their votes on House Bill 4145,1 the House counterpart to the Senate’s Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, Rep. Betsy Coffia of Traverse City (D, MI-103) and Rep. Sharon MacDonell (D, MI-56) of Troy are facing a recall. The Senate counterpart, which Gov. Whitmer signed in May 2023, allows family members and others to ask a court to take away someone’s guns to prevent suicide and other possible violent acts.

For their votes on House Bill 4474,2 Rep. Jaime Churches of Wyandotte (D, MI-7), Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D, MI-48) of Ann Arbor, and Rep. Reggie Miller (D, MI-31) of Van Buren Township are facing a recall. This bill states that a person is guilty of a hate crime if they intimidate someone based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, age, ethnicity, or association or affiliation with an individual or group. A first-time offender can be punished for up to 2 years in prison, fined $2,000, or receive both punishments.

In a confusing surprise, Rep. Cam Cavitt (R, MI-106) of Cheboygan is being recalled because he voted yes on the roll call vote that elected Rep. Joe Tate (D, MI-10) of Detroit to become the House Majority Speaker this year.3

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Why Is It Important

For more than 30 years, Michigan Republicans have controlled both the House and Senate, occasionally having a trifecta with a Republican governor. In the 2022 midterm election, Democrats successfully won a majority in the House and Senate, along with Gov. Whitmer winning her re-election against Republican newcomer Tudor Dixon. As it stands, the House is controlled by a 56-54 Democratic majority. If just one of the five Democrats is recalled and replaced by a Republican, the power in the House would be split between both parties. However, if Rep. Cavitt is recalled and replaced by a Democrat, the House Democrats would have a safety net.4

The History of Recalls in Michigan

Since 1978, Michigan has seen over 700 recall petitions filed, with some including Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, former governors Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder, and current Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib when she was a state representative.5 There are already 17 recalls happening this year in Michigan.

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In an interview with The Detroit News, Harper touched on Democrats in Michigan feeling disenfranchised, stating that1:

In the U.S. Senate, there are only three Black men that serve the Senate: Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), and current 2024 Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott (R-South Carolina).2 There are no Black women serving in the Senate. In Congress, there is only one Black person representing Michigan, Rep. John James (MI-10, R).

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The Issues

Harper is running on the following issues3:

• Climate justice

• Jobs and economic dignity

• Ending the filibuster

• Universal healthcare

For a detailed platform, you can view his website located in the footnotes of this blog.

The 2024 primary for Michigan is set for August 13th, with the 2024 presidential primary set for February 27th.4

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To the average person, Ickes is an unknown Republican running for office. To politicos in Michigan, he is known as the lead plaintiff in Ickes v. Whitmer, a case that could have seen the 2020 election results in Michigan be overturned to hand former president and current 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump the win. This case saw other plaintiffs such as the Macomb County Republican Party, and 2022 U.S. Taxpayers gubernatorial candidate Donna Brandenburg among others. The plaintiffs claimed that the state of Michigan was destroying evidence in the 2020 presidential election1 to give the win to current President Joe Biden.

This comes at an interesting time as the Scholten campaign has claimed that former 2022 Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon was vying for the seat, with Dixon attacking Scholten in recent months.

At the time of writing this, Ickes’ campaign website is not launched and there is not much to say on his platform. A follow-up blog will be sent out once he does.

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Political Discourse Tore Our Fabric

The United States of America has always, in some way, been in a divisive state since its inception 247 years ago. It is fairly easy to look at things in history books and realize where things went terribly wrong and how we corrected the direction of this country. In the recent past, things also went terribly wrong and we have yet to correct the course. In 2020, this country went through hell. From the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, to the COVID-19 pandemic that upeneded the lives of millions of Americans and sewed the last bit of political discourse into the very fabric of our nation. At the federal level, Democrats and Republicans were slinging mud in a disastrous 2020 presidential election, and the infamous January 6th riots threatened to upend our democracy due to a false, but effective, rhetoric.

Fast forward to 2023, as we are gearing up for another presidential election, we are seeing both Democrats and Republicans alike taking part in undemocratic processes. The Democratic National Committee is not going to be doing presidential primary debates1, effectively silencing Marianne Williamson and Robert Kennedy Jr. Additionally, President Joe Biden isn’t going to appear on the Iowa or New Hampshire primary ballots if they vote before South Carolina.2 On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump might not even show up to the first Republican presidential primary debate3 with a high approval rating amongst multiple indictements and criminal charges.

The Founding Fathers never intended for a two-party system to dominate our ways of life. How do we correct this course? How do we no longer become a torn democratic republic?

Be The Change

We live in a country where we are enabled to create the change we want to see. No matter who you are, your background, how you choose to identify, we are able to do three things that can be effective.

Get Involved

If you are passionate about an issue, no matter what side you are on, there are a multitude of organizations that you can be involved in to spread the word about an issue that you care about.

Run For Office

Change starts at the local and state level. Sometimes, we can enact the change we want to see right in our own backyard. By running for office, we can get our ideas out there and if elected, set plans in motion to make the change.

Vote

If you identify as someone that “doesn’t do politics,” you can’t and shouldn’t be that person anymore. No matter if you are a Democrat, Republican, independent, Libertarian, Socialist, Reformist, No Label, etc. you need to do your duty and vote. Research the candidates, see who best aligns with you, and vote for that person. Do not let politicians and politicos alike gaslight you into thinking otherwise.

Honor Our Nation’s Call

The United States of America experiment is not over, it is still growing and we need to adjust accordingly. We all need to come together and find common ground instead of alienating each other. We are better than those that hold power. Let’s honor this nation by fighting for what the Founding Fathers gave us and envisioned us to fight for: one nation, under God, indivisiable, with liberty and justice for all.

About No Labels

No Labels has been around for the last decade and is mostly known for its role in helping create the Problem Solvers Caucus, consisting of both Democrats and Republicans.2 Similar to the Forward Party (headed by former 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang and former governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura), No Labels wants to break the mold of polarization of politics and offer real options to voters that are disenfranchised by the current state of politics.

Viability Of A Third-Party Candidate

The United States was known for having multiple parties since its inception. As time went on; however, the likelihood of a viable third-party candidate was decreasing as Democrats and Republicans consolidated their power. Since the 1900s, there have only been two presidential candidates to get significant recognition - Theodore Roosevelt and Ross Perot.

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States from 1901-1909, was a progressive Republican and was the youngest president in history. In 1912, he ran on a Progressive Ticket and ushered in the Bull Moose Party. This created a presidential race between Roosevelt, Republican incumbent President William Howard Taft, socialist Eugene Debbs, and Democratic nominee and winner of the 1912 election, Woodrow Wilson.3

Ross Perot is arguably the most notable third-party candidate. While he ran in the 1996 presidential election, he rose to fame in the 1992 presidential election against Democratic nominee and winner Bill Clinton, and Republican incumbent President George H.W. Bush.4 People largely view this election as the time that Democrats and Republicans decided not to allow third-party candidates to receive electoral traction.

As It Stands: The 2024 Presidential Election

As the 2024 presidential election is looking to have a rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, both candidates are facing allegations. President Trump has recently been indicted due to his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and is facing a charge under the Espionage Act.5 Meanwhile, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee viewed an FD-1023 form from the FBI that alleges that President Biden and his family have taken part in bribery and corruption during Biden’s time as vice president in the Obama administration.6

Both Trump and Biden will be facing opposition in their respective primaries. In the Democratic presidential primary, we are seeing former 2020 presidential candidate and author Marianne Williamson along with environmental activist and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Democratic primary will have no debates.7

The Republican primary has seen a plethora of challengers including former vice president Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, current governor of Florida Ron DeSantis, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott among others. The Republican primary debate is scheduled for August 23, 2023.8

The turbulent partisanship of the last decade has taken its toll on voters, where only 41% of voters identify as politically independent whereas 28% of people identify as Democrat or Republican respectively.9 It will be interesting to see if any third-party gains traction in 2024.

Earlier this year, Senator Debbie Stabenow announced she would not be seeking reelection in 2024 for her United States Senate race1. Later, we would see United States Representative Elissa Slotkin (D-MI 7th District) announce her candidacy for the seat on the Democratic side, and Vice Chair of the New York Stock Exchange John Tuttle announce on the Republican side. If Tuttle decides to run, he will be in a Republican primary and will go up against Michigan State Board of Education member and registered nurse Nikki Snyder, as well as businessman Michael Hoover2.

Since then, three Democrats from varying backgrounds have announced and filed to be candidates for the Senate seat. So, who are these folks? Let’s find out!

Leslie Love

Leslie Love is a former state representative of Michigan, representing District 10. She served starting in 2015 and left office in 2021. She was the Director of Theatre Operations and Adjunct Professor at Marygrove College. She currently works at the Michigan Department of Transportation and is a Commissioner at the Michigan Natural Resources Commission.

Committees

Rep. Love served on seven committees while she was a representative. During the 2015 legislative session, Love served on the Commerce and Trade Committee, the Financial Services Committee, and the Workforce & Talent Development Committee. During the 2017 legislative session, Love served on the Regulatory Reform Committee, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and was the Vice Chair of the Workforce and Talent Development Committee. From 2019 to 2020, Love served on the House Appropriations Committee3.

Zack Burns

Zack Burns is new to the political scene but was destined to be an advocate for others. His grandfather served as the UAW Local 659’s president, which is where he got his advocacy roots. You may have seen Burns at a local protest for worker’s rights, fighting to protect a local ecosystem, and helping increase understanding of racial anxiety and implicit bias in policing, among others. He is a graduate of Princeton University, earned his Ph.D. at the University of Oxford, and his JD at the University of California4.

Focused Issues

If elected to the United States Senate, Burns will focus on the following issues5:

• A robust working-class economy

• Advancing the American Dream

• Liberty and justice for all

• Protecting Michigan’s outdoor heritage

• Safer communities

• Defending Americans

Nasser Beydoun

Nasser Beydoun is new to politics but is no stranger to being an active advocate in his community. Currently, he leads the Arab American Civil Rights League and has served on multiple boards including the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, New Detroit Coalition, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, and more6.

Platform

Due to his role as a civil rights advocate, Beydoun’s platform is as follows7:

• A civil rights advocate for all

• A union-made entrepreneur with small business roots

• A community builder working for the greater good

The primary for the United States Senate seat is scheduled for August 6th, 20248.

1

For The Love of Michigan

Debbie Stabenow: Five Democrats and Five Republicans To Take Her Place

On January 5th, 2023, Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced that she was not running for reelection in 2024, making Michigan a must-see in the upcoming presidential election. For Democrats, a Michigan Democratic Strategist said “It’s a traffic jam, and I don’t think anyone clears the deck…

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3 years ago · Stephen Szymanski

2

For The Love of Michigan

Vice Chair of New York Stock Exchange Considering Michigan Senate Run

John Tuttle, the Vice Chairman and Chief Commerical Officer of the New York Stock Exchange, is considering a run for Senator Debbie Stabenow’s seat according to Politico. He would be the third Republican to announce he is running for the open Senate seat, assuming he would announce…

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3 years ago · Stephen Szymanski

Tuttle is a Southeast Michigan native, an alumnus of Eastern Michigan University, and has worked for the U.S. Government in the Department of State and the White House.2 He also has the interest of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

There are two other Republican candidates that have announced their candidacies - Michigan State Board of Education member and registered nurse Nikki Snyder and businessman Michael Hoover. If elected, Snyder’s major focus would be on education3:

If elected, in a classic conservative move, Hoover would tackle the cost of living by making cuts.

Former Congressman Peter Meijer, who has not ruled out a candidacy in 2024 in general4, may throw his hat in the ring on the Republican side.

On the Democratic side, The Good Doctor and CSI: NY actor Hill Harper is considering a run5, which would force a primary against Elissa Slotkin. Harper has a law degree and a master’s in public administration from Harvard University.

Democrats

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

While he has shown no interest in Michigan politics thus far, it would not be surprising if we saw Secretary Buttigieg throw his name in the ring. The new Michigander sits on President Joe Biden’s cabinet as the secretary of transportation. As the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana; a former presidential candidate; and a current member of the federal government, Buttigieg has enough background to run in a primary to become a senator. He was seen across the state during the 2022 midterms, attempting to rally the base to deliver a pro-choice majority in the state.

Being as Buttigieg just moved to Traverse City last summer3, it is hard to tell if Michiganders would vote for him in the Democratic primary. On pure name recognition, it is likely. Stranger things have happened in politics.

U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin

U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin has an impressive track record throughout her career. She served in the Central Intelligence Agency during both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama’s administrations, and served three tours in Iraq as a CIA analyst.

In the 2018 midterms, Slotkin became the first Democrat to represent Michigan’s (now former) 8th district since 2001, when Sen. Stabenow gave up the seat to run for the United States Senate. Additionally, she along with six other House Democrats authored an opinion piece in The Washington Post calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. In the political biography Unchecked: The Untold Story Behind Congress’s Botched Impeachments of Donald Trump by Rachel Bade and Karoun Demirjian highlighted Slotkin on occasion, showing how well she can maneuver politically.

In a passing of the torch moment, Slotkin could become the next senator of Michigan.

State Senator Mallory McMorrow

State Senator Mallory McMorrow is unapologetic, confident, and has made waves nationally due to her speech on the Michigan Senate floor in response to accusations by Republican State Senator Lana Thesis claiming that McMorrow wanted to “groom and sexualize kindergartners.”4 McMorrow defended herself by saying the following:

With an ever-increasing national profile and someone who is a state senator, McMorrow may indeed be ready to take the national stage as a U.S. senator.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

A physician, epidemiologist, the youngest health official in a major U.S. city5, unapologetically progressive, and a former gubernatorial candidate in Michigan, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has a non-traditional track record that could prove to be useful as a senator. When he ran for governor, Dr. El-Sayed's race was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which makes him have allies at the ready to continuously push for Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Another Michigander with an increasing national profile, it might be Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s time to step into the national spotlight. She has had a lengthy career in politics from serving in the State House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006, the State Senate from 2006 to 2015, Ingham County prosecutor from July 21st, 2016 to December 31st of the same year, and now as governor of Michigan.

In addition to her time as governor, Governor Whitmer was considered to be President Joe Biden’s running mate, but now-Vice President Kamala Harris became his running mate. If Whitmer wants to make a run for president someday, becoming senator might be that next step.

Republicans

U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga

Rep. Huizenga is no stranger to politics, and has been involved since 1996, when he became an aide to U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra. Huizenga served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009, and has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011. With the co-ownership of Huizenga Gravel Company and his career in politics, it could set him up well as a senator.

State Representative Matt Hall

State Representative Matt Hall is no stranger to politics, getting his start as a legislative intern at the Michigan House of Representatives in 2005. He then became an External Affairs Representative for the Michigan Department of State, and a Field Director for Terri Lynn Land’s campaign for Michigan Secretary of State. Hall served as the vice-chair for the Michigan Republican Party from 2007 to 2009, and served as the West Michigan Liaison for Michigan’s Office of the Attorney General.

As a state representative, he is the chairman of the Joint Select Committee, which oversaw Governor Whitmer’s executive powers during the beginning and height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with his previous committee work, Matt Hall could be a viable Republican contender.

Former U.S. Representative Peter Meijer

Former Rep. Peter Meijer suffered a loss in the Republican primary during the 2022 midterm election, losing to former Trump official John Gibbs. Meijer learned quickly what happens when you go against President Trump, and it ultimately led to his downfall when he voted to impeach President Trump. Unfortunately for Meijer, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee bought TV ads to raise John Gibbs’ profile, believing that Meijer would be the tougher opponent to beat in the general election.6 This led to Congresswoman-elect Hillary Scholten winning the 2022 midterm election, defeating John Gibbs.

In addition to his political career, and the name recognition due to the chain of Meijer supermarkets, Meijer served in the Army from 2008 to 2016. If he’s looking for a political comeback, running for senator is the way to go.

Garrett Soldano

Garrett Soldano created quite the following when he ran for the Republican nomination for governor in the 2022 midterm elections, only to be taken down by Tudor Dixon. Soldano would be a dark horse candidate, and many have moved on from the anti-lockdown movement. If he wants to capitalize on the movement he created, running for senator would do just that.

Tudor Dixon

Out of all of the Republicans, Tudor Dixon is the most likely to run for the Republican nomination to become the next United States Senator. While Dixon got 43.9% of the vote, Governor Whitmer got 54.5% of the vote7, making Whitmer win reelection. Dixon had a strong message that resonated with a good portion of Michiganders in the final gubernatorial debate and had a decent shot of winning the race for a while.

With Dixon currently weighing out how she can help Republicans in 2024, she may just get her shot by running for U.S. Senate.

• A pistol grip or thumbhole stock

• A feature that is capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand

• A folding or telescoping stock

• A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned, but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel.

If the bill passes and is written into law, beginning January 1st, 2024, you will not be able to manufacture, possess, purchase, or sell an assault weapon in the state. However, if you purchase a semiautomatic rifle before this date, you will be exempt from the rule as long as you register the rifle and renew the registration every five years. Anyone who violates this law is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for no more than five years.

This bill is the latest effort that we have seen across the country by Democrats to ban “assault weapons” in order to decrease the number of mass shootings; however, this state house bill highlights one thing that is painfully evident: there is a lack of gun education and it is impacting how lawmakers write laws.

Trigger Finger: Fast Facts About Semiautomatic Rifles and Ammo

There is a common misconception that semiautomatic rifles like the AR-15 (ArmaLite, not assault rifle) are assault weapons and are “weapons of war.” Assault weapons are fully automatic, such as machine guns or weapons used by the military.2 Due to the National Firearms Act of 1934, automatic weapons have been banned for nearly nine decades.3

What some lawmakers might want to consider is banning certain types of ammunition. While news outlets rarely cover what types of ammunition are used by mass shooters, it can be safe to assume that a lot of these shooters use 5.56x45mm NATO rounds in their semiautomatic rifles. These are military grade4 and can deliver high damage and have a great bullet velocity allowing for further penetration. Other semiautomatic rifles, such as LBD Supply’s Just Right Carbine, can only take 10mm rounds and hold 17 rounds in a magazine. These rounds have significantly less bullet velocity and damage compared to their 5.56x45mm NATO counterpart.

Now, this is not to say that 10mm rounds cannot cause damage. In reality, any ammunition can cause a certain level of damage. There is a hyper fixation on mass shooters using AR-15s that we very rarely look beyond the weapon. We need to focus on their mental health, background checks, where they bought the weapon, and more. Additionally, hunters do use AR-15s with lower ammo capacity to hunt wildlife. Passing this bill would effectively ban the use of AR-15s for hunting.

Not only does this bill prove there is a lack of gun education, but Michigan legislators would have to amend the state constitution. Article I, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution states that, “Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense of himself and the state.” House Bill No. 6544 does not have sufficient language to amend the state constitution; therefore, violating the state constitution.

Are Legislators Wrong For This?

Legislators wanting to limit gun violence is not inherently wrong. The way they go about it is, and these one-size-fits-all solutions are not the way and lack the research to be effective. If you look at the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, where Anderson Lee Aldrich killed five people and injured at least 18, Colorado is a state where there are red flag laws (also known as extreme risk protection order or ERPO5) in place. Aldrich is believed to be the same person who was arrested on felony menacing and first-degree kidnapping charges in June of 2021.6 In addition to questioning the effectiveness of red flag laws, the county that contains Colorado Springs, El Paso County is a “Second Amendment preservation county.” This, in a sense, makes the red flag law that went into effect in 2020 null and void. Even if Aldrich is the same person who was arrested in June of 2021, nobody reported him to the proper authorities, where the red flag law would have prevented him from committing such a horrendous act.

Mass shootings are horrifying and tragic, but these shooters prey on the defenseless. While states like Michigan make meaningless investments in other areas, we are leaving schools and the average person vulnerable to these domestic terrorists that will still have access to these weapons via the black market and the deep/dark web.

Is there a perfect solution? No, that is the unfortunate part. The only way we can keep our loved ones safe against domestic terrorists is by having the only thing that will deter these shooters - arming ourselves.

We have all heard someone that is Gen-Z say one of these things before. As someone that is a part of Gen-Z, I am surrounded by it twenty-four-seven. A generation that, on paper, has more than any past generation could imagine. The same generation that isn’t better off than their parents, is constantly consuming information, dealing with an influx of mental illnesses, and believing that everyone owes them something.

Do we have a right to complain? Sure. But what do we do about it? Nothing.

When an issue arises, we are quick to go to our social media accounts and tweet and post how despicable it is. We argue with people on the opposite side of the political spectrum and try to “own” them for points. “I posted about it, I did my part, and now everyone knows I’m a good person!”

Do we have a right to be social media activists? Sure. But what do we do outside of that? Nothing.

Any time we are met with a minor inconvenience when it comes to politics, we are quick to blame the adults, “They know better, don’t they? So I’m going to wait for them to do it, and when I don’t get my way, I am going to take to Twitter and complain about it!”

Are you starting to see the picture being painted?

Grant it, Gen-Z liberals have every right to complain. What the DNC did to Bernie Sanders in both 2016 and 2020 is abhorrent and blatant corruption. But what do we do? We still vote Democrat because the Republicans aren’t any better. The duopoly system manipulated us and now we are all under Stockholm Syndrome. We have been beaten down to the point where politicians have us where they want us - at the point of either not voting or still voting for our jersey.

When we get beaten down, our sense of activism is gone. We are made to feel that nothing we do matters. We don’t see the forest through the trees. What happens when this occurs? Roe v. Wade is overturned. All of a sudden, women’s reproductive rights are on the ballot because we didn’t show up. Instead of protesting or getting involved with a campaign or volunteering, we took to social media in hopes the Supreme Court would somehow hear our cries.

What fools we were.

This is why showing up is so important. With Prop 3 on the ballot in Michigan, this needs to be the turning point and activation for Gen-Z voters to actually get involved in politics. Gen-Z liberals - you need to get out and vote on Election Day. This is our last chance to make a difference truly.

If we don’t show up, we just doomed the next generation. If we don’t show up, we just proved all of the politicians right. If we don’t show up, complaints will fall on deaf ears. Get involved with any candidate or organization, it is never too late.

For the love of Michigan, get out and vote this coming Tuesday.

Let that sink in for a second. 61,832 Michiganders. While Michigan’s population sits at 10,050,811,2 no one should be homeless. The sad thing is there isn’t one cause of homelessness - there’s poverty, veteran displacement, and more. During ArtPrize 2022 in Grand Rapids, I saw many homeless people displaced from their normal spots, some taking up sleeping bags right next to vendor tents or hanging out by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

I’ve heard of multiple solutions from my friends that identify as Democratic Socialists, and one solution that always sticks out to me is letting homeless people stay in abandoned homes. On paper, this isn’t a terrible idea and would make sense if shelters are full. If cities were to allow this, there are two things that should be considered:

1. During the winter months, these homes would need to be heated and would need to be somewhat liveable.

2. In order to make sure the homeless individuals are okay, community social workers would need to visit these homes to make sure they have everything they need to get by.

Let’s face the facts - until people raise enough hell about this, cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids won’t make the investment. Seemingly, there is no hope to take care of the homeless crisis in Michigan.

That was until the introduction of the Tiny Homes for Homeless Veterans Act of 2021 in Congress earlier this year.

Representatives Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) introduced the bipartisan legislation that would combat veteran homelessness in the United States by creating a pilot program under the Department of Veteran’s Affairs’ (VA) existing Grant and Per Diem program. Anyone that receives the grant would receive funds to build individualized and sustainable tiny homes in villages. Additionally, it would include supportive services.3

For the 639 veterans that are homeless in Michigan,4 this would be a great benefit to those that gave their lives to us. But why not take this legislation a step further?

Let’s create tiny homes for ALL homeless Michiganders.

Is it a daunting task? Absolutely. Is it going to be expensive? More than likely. Is it possible? You bet. I envision a few ways the policy could work in terms of funding and logistics:

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can set up a grant program for the state to apply for. This grant program would give funds based on the number of homeless people in Michigan.

  • Additionally, the state can use the federal COVID-19 relief dollars to invest in a program like this. Because of the COVID-19 relief dollars, when you add up each of the appropriated funds in each State COVID bill, Michigan appropriated 196.9 billion dollars in total.5 Some funds could have been used as an investment towards a project like this.

• Once funding has been appropriated, HUD can work with the state to launch a voucher program that homeless people can apply for. I would imagine that local leaders, community social workers, and staff from HUD would set up central stations in key areas, that way it is accessible for homeless individuals to apply.

  • Through verifiable proof, family members could apply on behalf of their family member that is homeless.

• If a veteran signs up for a voucher program - the state, HUD, and the VA can work together to ensure they receive a grant from the Grant and Per Diem program.

• Once the tiny home villages are set up, similar to the act introduced in Congress, the states can provide a network of support with community social workers.

Like any policy solution, this cannot be the only solution to solving homelessness in Michigan. Every problem that exists in the state needs a multi-pronged approach. I am a firm believer that this is a good first step to addressing the homeless crisis in the Mitten State.

As President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said -

For the love of Michigan, we need to try something for our homeless Michiganders.

The second and final Michigan gubernatorial debate between Democratic Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican candidate Tudor Dixon proved to be a stronger showing between both candidates, with specific policy questions being asked by all three moderators. Over the course of the debate, I took notes on each candidate’s answer and summed it up to the best of my ability.

One can of hard cider and four pages of notes later - I got the points down.

This blog is going to serve as a cheat sheet for you, potential voters, who don’t want to sit through an hour of debate and listen to potential mud-slinging after a long day at work. However, I strongly recommend you do your own research and vote according to what you believe.

So, who won in the final debate with less than two weeks until Election Day? Let’s find out!

Abortion

Ever since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion is on the minds of every voter. Prop 3 would help reinstate women’s reproductive rights and nullify Michigan’s 1931 law banning abortion. Below is what each candidate had to say.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

The moderators had asked Gov. Whitmer to clear up the confusion surrounding Prop 3. She did not do this and proceeded to call out Tudor Dixon’s abortion stances, while also pointing out that women should have the right to choose. She also said that she would accept the will of the people if Prop 3 fails, along with her lawsuit against the 1931 law.

When Dixon said she would accept the will of the people, Whitmer called her out by saying that she still denies the results of the 2020 election.

Tudor Dixon

Tudor Dixon went on the offensive as well - calling Whitmer extreme, calling Whitmer out on banning partial abortions, going as far as to say, “We are no different from China and North Korea.” Dixon says that she will accept the will of the people on abortion, prompting Whitmer’s rebuttal by saying that Dixon is a 2020 election denier.

Dixon fired back on this saying that Lt. Governor Gavin Gilchrist was an election denier because he denied the results of the 2017 election. In response, Whitmer went back to abortion rights.

Inflation

Inflation has impacted all Michiganders from rising gas prices, food costs, and more. While governors have no control over inflation that is happening globally, they certainly have the power to lessen the burden.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Gov. Whitmer mentioned how there is global inflation, and that a governor cannot fix global inflation. What they can do, and what she has done, is put more money in the pockets of Michiganders. They have done this by:

• Providing free or low-cost daycare

• The state has even picked up the cost for daycare

Additionally, she wants to eliminate the retirement tax and is concerned with shifting costs that a Dixon administration would cause.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon went back on the offensive once again highlighting Whitmer’s track record by saying the following:

• Whitmer has vetoed a bill that would give a child tax credit

• Whitmer has vetoed two opportunities that would have reduced the income tax

• Whitmer has vetoed opportunities to get rid of the retirement tax

In a Dixon administration, she said that they will have a child tax credit, decrease income tax, and eliminate the retirement tax. She shifted the blame for shifting costs onto Whitmer due to her years in the state legislature.

Energy

The debate about alternative energy resources and shutting down Line 5 took the stage, with neither candidate really offering up policy other than policy surrounding Line 5.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer said that there has been no change to Line 5 in terms of shutting it down. Energy costs have gone up, which is why we need alternative energy sources. She also claimed that Michigan is the #1 state for energy jobs.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon mentioned the ongoing Line 5 lawsuit and how Whitmer wants to shut down Line 5, which would raise our energy costs. She also said that Line 5 provides 65% of oil in the Upper Peninsula. Dixon proposed that in order to help with rising costs, the gas tax holiday should have been passed, which Whitmer did veto. Furthermore, she mentioned that we need to be careful not to kneecap the economy.

Dixon went back to talking about Line 5 and said that President Joe Biden claimed that you can’t shut down Line 5 and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced a treaty telling Whitmer not to shut down Line 5.

Give All Retirees a Tax Break

A concerned voter who is living off of his pension brought up the retirement income tax but is concerned about other Michiganders that are solely living off of their pension and wants a tax break for all retirees.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer was quick to blame Republicans and former Gov. Rick Snyder who passed the retiree tax when Whitmer was in the legislature and she wants to give retirees a tax break.

Tudor Dixon

Once again on the offensive, Dixon mentioned that the tax exemption did go to the governor’s desk, but she vetoed it. However, the bill only would have impacted public pensions. She says that recession is right at our doorstep and that we should eliminate the income tax so that more people will come and increase the state’s revenue.

Education

Education is such a crucial talking point for all Michiganders. We should be ahead of every state, but we are crippled by the current education system.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer states that education levels the playing field and that we have underinvested in education. Recently, the state passed a historic level of education funding per pupil.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon states that we are a bottom 10 state, and a recent report about Michigan test scores for 4th-8th graders was horrible in reading and math. She says that parents need to be involved in education, and children need to be back on track due to COVID-19 shutdowns.

Dixon also introduced a policy, a Comprehensive 25-Hour Tutoring Program, to ensure that students get the help they need.

Hardening Schools

The Oxford school shooting still weighs heavy on a lot of our hearts, and something must be done to protect our students.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that what happened in Oxford is horrible and that guns are the #1 killer of children. She is an advocate for secure storage, Red Flag laws, and background checks.

She also calls out Dixon by saying that Dixon supports more guns and no gun-free zones.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says that school shootings are devastating and that she is concerned about her daughters that attend school She is an advocate for armed security, one point of entry, and how to identify someone with mental health issues and look for the signs that they intend to self-harm or harm others.

Dixon calls out Whitmer by saying that Whitmer has been a career politician for 20 years and hasn't done anything to prevent school shootings.

Banned Books

A variety of books, some even including LGBTQIA+ topics, are being banned nationwide.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that parent-teachcer conferences are key for voicing concerns about banned books, and everything concerning banned books should happen at the local level of government.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says that there is inappropriate content in school libraries, which parents are concerned about. Some of these books contain pornographic images, and even talk about how to have sex.

She also stresses how students need to get back to reading and writing to help improve the test scores and other skills lost as a result of online learning.

Roads

“Fixing the damn roads” was the slogan that got Gov. Gretchen Whitmer elected in the first place. With a continulously crumbling infrastructure, our poor roads are leading to higher insurance claims and auto repairs. A moderator asked if we were building better roads.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that the roads are a huge issue for our economy, and that “fixing the damn roads” is important. Under her administration, they have rebuilt 13,000 miles of roads and have been using the right materials.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says she will work to make sure there is a proper plan to fix the roads, and that Whitmer’s plan was to raise the gas tax. She also says when given funds, Whitmer vetoed it, including autism funding.

Internet Infrastructure

Access to broadband is an increasing problem, especially in rural areas.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that they created the Office of Rural Development in order to help with broadband internet access in rural areas.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says that a Dixon administration will partner with broadband providers in order to get broadband access to rural areas. She proposes that they can run broadband access through the Line 5 tunnel, giving even more broadband access to the Upper Peninsula.

No-Fault Auto Insurance

No-fault auto insurance has caused a great headache for many driving Michiganders, with both candidates not really offering up a solution.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that Michigan has had the highest insurances rates in the country, and that her administration has given the people the choice of what they want in insurance, giving them lower rates.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon agrees that insurance rates were way too high, and that legislation has unattended consequences.

Opioid Crisis & Fentanyl

The opioid crisis has plagued the country for years, and with the recent increase in fentanyl overdoses, this is a huge problem that is impacting Michigan.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that her mom died from brain cancer, and she helped expand Medicaid with former governor Rick Snyder. She says that there is no question that we have an opioid crisis, and that pharmaceutical companies “buffaloed” the citizens with opioids.

Furthermore, Whitmer says that we need more access to proper healthcare.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says that there has been a massive increase in overdoes, and that the open border policy the United States enacts has led to drug trafficking.

Dixon mentioned her Safe State Plan which would give billion dollars in policing, and that policing could help prevent overdoses by taking drugs off the street. She also says that it would help take care of case workers.

COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation

The CDC recently voted to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine to children before they attend schools. COVID-19 has been a highly political talking point on both sides.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that she does not support requiring the vaccine for children, that hospitals were full during COVID, and she made quick decisions to save lives. She also said that Dixon spread conspiracies about the vaccine.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says that a vaccine is a parent’s decision, and that there will never be a mandate for the vaccine in a Dixon administration. She also fired back at Whitmer saying that she is vaccinated and that Whitmer’s policies killed seniors.

Positivity From Candidates

The moderators asked each of the candidates to say something positive about each other.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer says that moms’ voices are important, and being a mom while running for office is a difficult task.

Tudor Dixon

Dixon says that she respects that Whitmer encourages her daughters, and how she has fought for women. We need to take care of women and make sure they are protected.

Who won?

While both women had a strong showing in the final debate, in my opinion, Tudor Dixon mopped the floor with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Each time Dixon gave Whitmer a chance to defend her record, Whitmer went straight back to policy. It is a smart political tactic, but when we are at a pivotal point in politics where people are tired and upset, it would have been good to see Whitmer defend herself a little bit.

Not only that, but when it came down to the positivity section, Dixon directed her answer at Whitmer. Whitmer was indirect, though you could pick up that she was referring to Dixon. It was a sad display, because even Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were direct in their positivity messages in their debate, despite the intense animosity.

The Michigan Gubernatorial Republican Primary was plagued with controversy after another - from former Detroit Police Chief James Craig being one of the candidates disqualified from the ballot due to submitting fake signatures,1 to Allendale Planning Commissioner Ryan Kelley being arrested by the FBI due to his participation in the January 6th capitol riots.2 What started as 13 Republicans aiming for the GOP nomination to take on incumbent Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer narrowed down to five: Ryan Kelley, Ralph Rebandt, Kevin Rinke, Garrett Soldano, and Tudor Dixon. With the backing of DeVos family money, Tudor Dixon swept the Republican primary and accepted the nomination to go up against Governor Whitmer on November 8th.

Tudor Dixon is a breast cancer survivor, mother, former sales executive of her family’s steel industry business, and a former news anchor on America’s Voice News. Not only does she have the backing of the DeVos family, but she is also endorsed by former president Donald Trump along with the Right to Life of Michigan, the Police Officers Association of Michigan, and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. Her latest TV advertisement showcases how critical she is of Gov. Whitmer’s “failed” COVID-19 policies, crippling infrastructure, lost jobs, and the defund the police movement. On the other side of that coin - she is a 2020 election denier, and adamantly pro-life and pro-gun. So, does Tudor Dixon have a shot at winning the governor’s race?

The short, and obvious answer, is yes.

Dixon won the Republican nomination, so clearly she has a shot. However, there is more to it than what people realize. Let’s take the first debate between Dixon and Whitmer, as an example.

Whitmer gave solid answers and rebuttals to most of Dixon’s attacks; however, she remained calm and kind of gave “meh” energy when she would attack her opponent’s stances - something Democrats wish she was more aggressive on. Dixon, while spending most of the time attacking Whitmer’s policies, used the opportunity to get her platform out there as it was the first time many Michiganders were hearing her speak. She stuck with her talking points and delivered them quite well, seemingly more prepared and comfortable for it being her first time on the debate stage. Any time Whitmer attacked Dixon on her stances on abortion, Critical Race Theory, and education, Dixon pivoted and fired back on Whitmer’s record on the economy and infrastructure.

Michigan has a strong blue-collar worker environment thanks to the automotive industry. If there is anything that makes us proud as Michiganders, it is that businesses could thrive here. Our crippling infrastructure has plagued the state for decades, making it impossible for citizens to live a great life. With Dixon hitting Whitmer hard on these two points, and with her background in the steel industry, it is clear that many blue-collar workers would resonate with this.

Another variable that allows Tudor Dixon to have a shot at winning is her running mate, Rep. Shane Hernandez. With a reputation and a voting record labeling him one of the Michigan Legislature’s most conservative members, he earned a 100% from the National Rifle Association and an A+ from the American Conservative Union.3 In addition to this, he fought Whitmer’s lockdown orders and sponsored the bill to sue Whitmer.

Despite her stances on abortion, guns, the 2020 election, as well as being a dark horse in the primary, Tudor Dixon has become a strong contender that no one saw coming.

While polls fluctuate it is important to note:

• As of October 19th, RealClearPolitics’ polls show Dixon at a +0.5 lead but still project Whitmer to hold the seat. 4

• FiveThirtyEight show an Emerson College poll from October 12th-14th with Whitmer having a +5 lead, compared to an EPIC-MRA poll from October 6th-12th showing Whitmer having a +11 lead. 5

Gretchen Whitmer and Tudor Dixon are set to take the debate stage again on October 25th at 7 p.m. on FOX 17, so we will see if it is vastly different from their first encounter.

Anything can happen between now and Election Day that can either help or diminish the candidates’ positions. While it is likely Gretchen Whitmer will be reelected, Tudor Dixon is an underdog story that could turn up a huge upset and set the stage for a new wave of women in the Republican Party that secure prominent roles.

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