Elections
One year out: how a free and fair 2024 presidential election could be under threat
The last time America elected a president, it led to a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol and a failed coup that gravely damaged the political system and marred the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in U.S. history. A year from now, the nation’s voters will decide another presidential contest — likely […]
Michigan Board of State Canvassers approve recall petition against Rep. Kelly Breen
A petition to recall state Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi) was declared sufficient during a Monday meeting of the Board of State Canvassers. Breen, along with several other Democratic legislators, became the subject of recall attempts over the summer, based on her “yes” vote for extreme risk protection, or “red-flag” measures in March. The now-law that […]
GOP former Rep. Peter Meijer announces 2024 U.S. Senate bid
Republican former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, heir to the Meijer grocery chain fortune, has announced his 2024 U.S. Senate bid, joining a crowded field seeking to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing). Meijer, an Iraq war veteran, was ousted by Republican challenger John Gibbs in the 2022 Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat […]
Spending mess in Congress could arch over into pivotal 2024 election year
WASHINGTON — Congress will need to pass a second stopgap funding measure before Thanksgiving if lawmakers want to avoid a government shutdown, though pushing off final decisions on full-year spending bills until next year would put lawmakers smack dab in the middle of what’s expected to be a contentious 2024 primary season. During election years, […]
Hamtramck candidate doubles down on comments about Holocaust, child marriage and homosexuality
Updated, 12:23 p.m., 11/6/23 A Hamtramck City Council candidate on Thursday defended his disturbing social media comments about the Holocaust, child marriage and homosexuality. Nasr Hussain, who is among six people running for Hamtramck City Council, suggested on Facebook on Monday that the Holocaust was “advance punishment” for Israel’s “savagery” against Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war. “A […]
Michigan House advances protections for poll workers, restrictions on AI in political ads
With the 2024 election looming on the horizon, the Michigan House of Representatives took votes Wednesday on bills addressing threats against election workers and creating restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence in political advertisements. According to a survey from the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy group aimed at upholding democratic […]
Democratic-led Michigan House passes pared-down abortion rights package
The Democratic-led Michigan House on Wednesday passed several abortion rights bills known as the Reproductive Health Act (RHA), leaving behind several elements desired by reproductive health care stakeholders, such as eliminating the 24-hour waiting period for an abortion and allowing Medicaid to be used to cover abortions. That’s because Democrats, who hold a slim 56-54 […]
State and local election workers quitting amid abuse, officials tell U.S. Senate panel
State and local election officials face threats and intimidation, driving experienced workers out of the profession, a panel of election officials told a U.S. Senate committee Wednesday. Conspiracy theories have fueled a more hostile environment for election workers, which has led many to quit, creating more challenges for the inexperienced new leaders, the top election […]
Raise the Wage Michigan files lawsuit over blocked ballot proposal
Raise the Wage Michigan, a coalition advocating for increasing the state’s minimum wage, has filed a lawsuit with the Michigan Supreme Court following the Michigan Board of State Canvassers’ decision last month against certifying a ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage to $15 and phase out the tipped wage. During a special meeting on […]
Governors show solidarity with Israel, earning plaudits and criticism
Eleven days after Hamas terrorists poured into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing at least 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 230, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul arrived in Israel with a photo of a Long Island native in hand to give to the president of the besieged country. Hochul, the Democratic governor of […]
Politicians love to cite crime data. It’s often wrong.
When Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his presidential campaign in May, he proudly told the nation that Florida’s crime rate in 2021 had reached a 50-year low. But really, DeSantis couldn’t say for sure. That’s because fewer than 1 in 10 law enforcement agencies in his state had reported their crime statistics to the […]
Former Vice President Mike Pence ends 2024 presidential bid
Former Vice President Mike Pence dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Saturday. “It’s become clear to me, this is not my time,” Pence said at the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pence launched his presidential bid in June at an Iowa event where he was criticizing his former running mate former […]