Six years after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won election on a pledge to fix the roads, Michigan is struggling to keep up with rising construction costs — and roads are still projected to deteriorate.
Lauren Gibbons
Lauren covers state politics and policy for Bridge Michigan. Prior to joining Bridge's Capitol team, she worked at MLive, where she led coverage of the state Legislature and the redistricting process, and before that covered the state Senate for MIRS News. She has covered the ins and outs of Michigan politics for nearly a decade and has won awards both for her political coverage and her work documenting the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case. Lauren grew up in the Lansing area and graduated from Michigan State University, majoring in journalism and history. She lives in Ferndale, and her party tricks include Irish dancing and telling friends what political districts they live in without looking. Reach her at lgibbons@bridgemi.com or on Twitter @LaurenMGibbons
Posted inMichigan Government
What farmers want from Michigan’s next U.S. senator
Members of Michigan’s agriculture industry outline what they’re watching in Congress as negotiations over the latest farm bill ramp up and U.S Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a longtime champion of farming issues in Congress, prepares to retire.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan’s ‘queen of ag’ is retiring, risking Democratic U.S. Senate seat
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s electoral dominance in Michigan was fueled by her crossover appeal to Republicans in the state’s agricultural industry. Farmers haven’t settled on a successor.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan elections FAQ video: poll accuracy, drop box security and more
Watch Bridge Michigan’s latest installment of Elections FAQ, a new weekly video feature in which reporters answer reader questions.
Posted inMichigan Government
‘Deepfake’ pornography ban passes Michigan House with bipartisan support
In bipartisan vote, Michigan House approves fines and penalties for creating ‘deepfake’ pornography of a person without their consent.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan elections FAQ: How good are Michigan polls?
A Bridge Michigan reader asks about the accuracy of Michigan polls.
Posted inMichigan Government
Bridge elections FAQ: Are Republicans running as fake Democrats?
Two candidates running in Democratic state House primaries this cycle have histories of donating to conservative candidates and causes.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan House OKs new penalties for drivers who hit bicyclists, runners
Michigan lawmakers look to increase penalties for drivers who injure more ‘vulnerable road users’ like bikers and runners. Not everyone is on board with what that punishment should entail.
Posted inMichigan Government
Stabenow not endorsing in primary as Michigan’s U.S. Senate race narrows
Retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow says she isn’t endorsing in the Democratic primary race to replace her, which shrunk Friday with the disqualification of businessman Nasser Beydoun.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan governor run? Duggan, Benson, Gilchrist spur speculation
Gubernatorial chatter is “all over” the Mackinac Policy Conference as high-profile Democrats positioned themselves for potential 2026 runs to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.