Last updated: Monday, Sept. 16 at 2:37 p.m. This post will be continuously updated with political and campaign news through the Nov. 5 general election.

Two days after what the Secret Service deemed a second assassination attempt against Donald Trump, the former president is still scheduled to appear in Flint on Tuesday for a town hall-style event, his campaign confirmed to Bridge Michigan.

While the event won’t be a proper rally, prior town halls have taken on the air of one, with friendly questions and moderators. 

The Dort Financial Center, the venue for Tuesday’s town hall, can seat more than 4,000 attendees. 

Genesee County Sheriff Department Maj. Jason Gould told Bridge that "our goal is to make it a safe event for whatever political candidate comes to town."

The Flint event will be moderated by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas and Trump’s former White House press secretary.

Trump held a rally in Grand Rapids as the first public event after the previous assassination attempt in July. He had first addressed the Republican National Convention to accept the nomination before that event, however.

Trump’s campaign has held events in areas with large populations of autoworkers recently, focusing on messages about electric vehicles and the future of the auto industry in a move to peel off support from Democrats.

— Simon Schuster

Sunday, Sept. 15

Kamala Harris to join Oprah Winfrey in metro Detroit

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris will return to Michigan next week to join Oprah Winfrey at a "Unite for America" livestream, her campaign said.  

The event, hosted by Winfrey in collaboration with a group called Win with Black Women,  is set for Thursday at 8 p.m. They’ll broadcast from an "undisclosed location" in metro Detroit, according to the Michigan Chronicle. 

"Join the two of them and supporters from all across the country for a special night of unity, celebration, and discussion about what’s at stake this November and why voting in this presidential election matters," the Harris campaign said in a Saturday fundraising email. 

It'll be Harris' first trip to Michigan since Labor Day. She was also here in early August, when she held a large rally at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus and the following day met with United Auto Workers in Wayne. 

Harris’ return will cap a busy week of campaigning in Michigan, a key swing state in the presidential race. Republican nominee Donald Trump will be in Flint on Tuesday, the same day his running mate JD Vance campaigns in Sparta. 

Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz campaigned in Grand Rapids and East Lansing last week. — Jonathan Oosting

Thursday, Sept. 13

JD Vance coming to Sparta 

Vice presidential candidate JD Vance will campaign in Sparta on Tuesday, the same day running mate and former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a town hall-style event in Flint, according to their campaign.

Vance will give remarks on Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m. at Apple Valley Events. Though the campaign did not say what Vance will talk about, an advisory for the visit heavily focused on illegal immigration and crime.

The upcoming visits by Vance and Trump will mark seven straight weeks of presidential or vice presidential campaign stops in Michigan, underscoring the state’s battleground status. 

Thursday, Sept. 12

Donald Trump to campaign in Flint next week

Former President Donald Trump is returning to Michigan next week for a town hall-style event in Flint, his campaign announced. 

The event, set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Dort Financial Center, will be moderated by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who also is Trump’s former White House press secretary.

In town hall events, politicians traditionally field questions from attendees in the audience, though in large presidential campaigns, the questions are often pre-screened.

With just two weeks until absentee ballots become available and less than two months until the Nov. 5 election, presidential candidate visits have become frequent in Michigan, where numerous polls have shown Trump in a statistical tie with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. 

Trump has visited four times in the past month, while his vice presidential candidate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has also visited repeatedly. Harris was last here on Labor Day for a stop in Detroit, and running mate Tim Walz is due back in Michigan tonight (Sept. 12) and Friday. 

Both Harris and Trump have jostled for union auto worker votes. Trump has made doomsaying the transition to electric vehicles a mainstay in his Michigan speeches, arguing it will ultimately cost the state jobs. 

Flint, once widely known as “vehicle city,” is home to major automotive plants that employ thousands of workers, though just a small fraction of the number it once employed. Despite its shrinking population, Flint remains one of Michigan’s largest majority-Black cities. 

The city is also part of a crucial and competitive congressional race, with Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican Paul Junge vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee. Voters in the district are feeling burned out by the bitter presidential election.

Trump’s event will be held at the Dort Financial Center, a small arena that hosts the Flint Firebirds, a junior ice hockey team. Trump has held several town hall-style events since announcing his reelection campaign in November 2022, including one held by CNN in May 2023 and another a little more than a week ago in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania held by Fox News.

That Sept. 4 event was moderated by commentator Sean Hannity, a Trump ally, and Trump mostly fielded questions from ardent supporters, including Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick.

Harris has not attended a town hall-style event since becoming the Democratic nominee in July. She has faced criticism for holding few interviews and no press conferences since becoming the nominee.

There also has not been a town hall-style presidential debate since 2016, when Hillary Clinton and Trump fielded questions from uncommitted voters. A 2020 town hall debate between then-candidate Joe Biden and Trump was canceled after Trump contracted COVID-19 and refused to participate remotely.

— Simon Schuster

Thursday, Sept. 12

Engler, Blanchard join bipartisan ‘Democracy Defense’

A bipartisan group of formerly high-ranking Michigan officials said Thursday they’re joining the board of a national organization, known as the Democracy Defense Project, to help protect election integrity across the United States.

Former Republican Gov. John Engler and former Democratic Gov. Jim Blanchard joined ex-U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, a Republican, and ex-Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry, a Democrat, in unveiling the project and their participation via Zoom.

“The Democracy Defense Project will focus on healing the divide in this country, and in doing so, defend the election process in Michigan,” said Bishop, who currently serves as legal counsel for the state GOP. The new group is not “advocating for one party or one candidate,” he added, but instead is pushing for parties to not “stoke anger and misinformation.”

When asked what that looked like in practice, Cherry said the group hopes to be a “resource” for combating misinformation. Engler added that the group will also assist media outlets to “balance some of the coverage” surrounding election reporting.

The Democracy Defense Project currently operates in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and comprises both former and current elected Republican and Democratic officials. Its efforts, according to the group's website, include fostering greater confidence in election results and increasing voter participation. 

The project will additionally use “earned and paid media as part of a national campaign” to raise awareness surrounding “efforts to subvert elections across the country,” according to a release.

“Elections are too important,” Blanchard said, “and all the people who work on them are the anchors of our democracy, and we need to thank them and protect them.”

— Jordyn Hermani

Tuesday, Sept. 10

Trump, Harris spar about auto jobs

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump briefly sparred about auto workers and manufacturing job losses during their first — and perhaps only — debate before the Nov. 5 election.

Near the end of the debate, Harris touted the endorsement she received from the United Auto Workers union, “who also know that part of building a clean energy economy includes investing in American-made products, American automobiles.”

Harris argued her agenda involves “opening up auto plants, not closing them, like happened under Donald Trump.”

Three automotive plants in Michigan closed during Trump’s presidency, while Stellantis also opened a plant in Detroit in 2020.

Trump countered that what the Biden administration has ”done to business and manufacturing in this country is horrible.”

"We'll put tariffs on those cars so they can't come into our country, because they will kill the United Auto Workers and any auto worker, whether it's in Detroit or South Carolina or any other place,” Trump said, referring to Chinese electric vehicles.

Trump asserted “they lost 10,000 manufacturing jobs this last month.”  

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported employment in the automotive industry as a whole nationwide declined by a little less than 6,000 between July and August, while manufacturing in all sectors declined by 34,000 in the same time.

In August, Stellantis announced it would lay off up to 2,500 union employees from its Warren Truck Assembly as it ends production of the RAM 1500 truck.

Still, manufacturing jobs are up by 739,000 through August since President Joe Biden entered office — in the ballpark but not quite the 800,000 jobs Harris claimed.

As of July, Michigan was home to about 46,700 vehicle manufacturing jobs, up from 41,500 when Biden took office in January 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Vehicle manufacturing job numbers were effectively flat under Trump.

The future of the U.S. auto industry is a cornerstone of Trump’s campaign in Michigan, where he has said the future of the U.S. auto industry hinges on his reelection.

Bridge has previously scrutinized claims about EV mandates, and battery manufacturer Gotion as both campaign vie for the votes of union autoworkers, a crucial voting bloc.

Harris and Trump are in a dead heat in Michigan. Every reputable, public poll that’s been published since mid-August shows the two candidates in a statistical tie, reporting either Harris or Trump no more than 5 percentage points ahead of the other. 

Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters in Michigan starting Sept. 26. — Simon Schuster

Tuesday, Sept. 10

Rogers, Slotkin will debate twice

Michigan U.S. Senate candidates Mike Rogers and Elissa Slotkin have agreed to two debates next month ahead of the November general election. 

Slotkin, a Democrat who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, and Republican Mike Rogers, a former member of Congress, are in a close race to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. 

The pair are first scheduled to face off on a debate stage at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 in Grand Rapids and will be hosted by WOOD TV8, the news organization announced Tuesday. 

Detroit-based WXYZ-TV is scheduled to host the candidates for a second debate on Oct. 14. — Lauren Gibbons

Monday, Sept. 9

RFK Jr. on ballot, court rules

Former 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on the ballot in Michigan in November after the state Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s decision to remove his name.

The high court’s Monday ruling ended a back-and-forth legal battle stemming from Kennedy’s quest to take his own name off the ballot in multiple states.

Kennedy, who the Michigan Natural Law Party nominated as their presidential candidate in April, dropped out of the race last month and endorsed former President Donald Trump, a Republican. 

State officials initially told Kennedy that Michigan election law does not allow candidates to remove their names from the ballot once a party has nominated them and it is after the state primary. 

The Court of Claims agreed, finding minor party candidates cannot withdraw from the ballot once nominated at convention, but a three-judge Court of Appeals panel — all of whom were nominated by Republicans — reversed that decision, arguing the state had “no ability to disregard” his request.

A majority of Michigan Supreme Court justices disagreed, finding in their Monday opinion that Kennedy hadn’t met state requirements to warrant the “extraordinary” request. The court order didn’t specify how each justice voted, though justices nominated by the Democratic Party currently hold a 4-3 majority.

Justice Elizabeth Welch, a Democratic Party nominee, wrote a concurring opinion criticizing the Court of Appeals’ decision. She noted that Kennedy’s request to remove himself from the ballot more than four months after his nomination would complicate both the Secretary of State’s ballot printing process and the Natural Law Party’s ability to field a candidate.

“Given plaintiff’s delay and the effects thereof, it is unclear to me that plaintiff had a “clear, legal right to” relief,” wrote Welch.

Justices Brian Zahra and David Viviano dissented, arguing that removing Kennedy from the ballot would make the most sense to voters now that he’s no longer running. 

The two Republican nominees argued leaving Kennedy’s name could confuse voters and contribute to distrust in U.S. voting systems. 

“There is no practical reason for denying a request to withdraw before the ballots have been printed for the general election,” the justices wrote. “There is, however, a significant cost to the integrity of the election: the voters will be improperly denied a choice between persons who are actually candidates, and who are willing to serve if elected.”

The head of the Natural Law Party previously said he would not support efforts to remove Kennedy's name because doing so would jeopardize the party's ballot access in future years.  — Lauren Gibbons

Friday, Sept. 6

RFK Jr. wins appeal to get off ballot; State to appeal

The Michigan Department of State must remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former 2024 presidential candidate, from the state’s general election ballot, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

Laws that state election officials cited in denying Kennedy’s removal from the ballot do “not apply” to presidential candidates, the three-judge panel wrote in their unanimous opinion, adding the state had “no ability to disregard” his request.

The move reverses a Court of Claims decision earlier this week which stated minor party candidates cannot withdraw from the ballot once nominated at convention. 

Kennedy, who the Michigan Natural Law Party nominated as their presidential candidate in April, sought his own removal from the ballot after dropping out of the race last month and endorsing former President Donald Trump, a Republican.

In a message sent to Bridge Michigan, Secretary of State spokesperson Angela Benander confirmed the office was appealing Friday's decision to the state Supreme Court.

Kennedy polled at roughly five percent in a recent survey of Michigan voters by Glengariff Inc.

Despite those modest numbers, "this is an incredibly significant ruling," Oakland University political science professor Dave Dulio wrote on social media."Even small shifts from one candidate to another — which this will likely produce — can have major implications for the final outcome."

— Jordyn Hermani

Friday, Sept. 6

Presidential ads flooding metro Detroit

Already getting sick of political ads? 

Bad news: A lot more are coming in the next two months, especially in Detroit, where presidential campaigns and outside groups have already booked more than $53 million in additional airtime between now and Nov. 5. 

That's according to AdImpact, a firm that tracks ad spending nationwide. 

The Detroit media market — which includes suburbs — ranks third in the country for presidential-race ad reservation spending, according to the firm, trailing only Philadelphia and Atlanta in fellow swing states of Pennsylvania and Georgia. 

Nationally, Democrats are so far outspending Republicans. The Kamala Harris campaign and aligned FF PAC have booked a combined $324 million in ads, according to AdImpact. The Donald Trump campaign and MAGA Inc. have booked a combined $125 million in ads. 

The economy is the most common issue in campaign ads run so far by both presidential campaigns. About 88% of all Trump ads have been "negative," according to AdImpact, compared to 44% for Harris. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Thursday, Sept. 5

U-M Regent candidate sues Michigan Democratic Party

An activist and lawyer seeking a spot on the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents filed suit against the state Democratic Party on Thursday, alleging she lost her bid due to “voting discrepancies.”

Huwaida Arraf was one of three candidates seeking two Democratic nominations in the party’s August convention. A Palestinian American and vocal proponent of ending the ongoing war in Gaza, Arraf’s campaign was supported by various students and staff at the university.

She lost the convention race, but in filing suit in Ingham County Circuit Court, suggested larger “civil rights” and “constitutional issues here at play.”

A spokesperson with the Michigan Democratic Party said the organization was “waiting to review the complaint” and would be “following the proper legal process.”

In a Zoom call with reporters, Arraf alleged there were over 170 more votes cast in the board race than credentialed convention voters. She also suggested people were able to continue voting in the race after its 4:39 p.m. deadline.

The Michigan Democratic Party uses a weighted formula for votes by county based on local turnout in the prior even-year election. Arraf said she didn’t have an issue with the formula but argued under a standard tally, she would have outperformed the other regent candidates and been on the 2024 ballot.

Arraf also said she’d tried to communicate with party leadership over the issues, but was left with more questions than answers, saying that underscored a “lack of transparency” in the nomination process.

"We had the option, and still do ... to take this to federal court on a lot of the constitutional issues and problems that we encountered," Arraf said, adding that while she hoped that won’t happen, "if you don't feel like your voice and your participation will count, then there will be no incentive to get involved."

— Jordyn Hermani

Thursday, Sept. 5

RFK Jr. appeals to get off ballot

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is asking the Michigan Court of Appeals to order his name removed from the state's Nov. 5 general election ballot as the presidential nominee of the Natural Law Party. 

A Court of Claims judge on Tuesday quickly rejected Kennedy's initial request, ruling that state law makes clear minor party candidates cannot withdraw once nominated at convention. 

But in a Thursday appeal, his attorneys argue the statute should not apply to presidential candidates like Kennedy, who ended his campaign last month and endorsed Republican Donald Trump. 

Leaving him on the ballot "would threaten election integrity as ballot printing and distribution is imminent," attorney Eric Esshaki wrote in the appeal. 

A three-judge Michigan Court of Appeals panel on Thursday morning granted Kennedy's motion for immediate consideration and signaled they may rule later in the day.

The head of the esoteric Natural Law Party previously said he will not support efforts to remove Kennedy's name because doing so would jeopardize the party's ballot access in future years. 

To maintain a regular slot on the ballot, minor parties must get enough votes to equal 1% of the total votes that the last successful candidate for Michigan Secretary of State got in their own last election.

— Jonathan Oosting

Tuesday, Sept. 4

Joe Biden to visit Ann Arbor on Friday

President Joe Biden will visit Ann Arbor on Friday to speak at a union training center, the White House confirmed Wednesday. 

Biden is expected to deliver remarks about 3:15 p.m. at the Jackson Road facility of the UA Local 190, which represents plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians and gas distribution workers.

The visit is a White House event — not a campaign stop — for Biden, a Democrat who in July ended his re-election bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The president is expected to discuss his ongoing economic agenda, including investments made through major federal laws like the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act.

On the campaign front, Gwen Walz, the wife of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, is scheduled to join the Michigan Education Association for an event in Grand Rapids on Wednesday evening, Sept. 4. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Tuesday, Sept. 3

Judge rejects RFK Jr.’s ballot removal suit

A Michigan judge on Tuesday quickly rejected Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s request to force the removal of his name from the state’s Nov. 5 ballot.

“Elections are not just games, and the Secretary of State is not obligated to honor the whims of candidates for public office,” Judge Christopher Yates wrote in his ruling, noting state officials “acted well within the bounds of the law” when denying Kennedy’s initial request to be removed. 

Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race on Aug. 23 and endorsed Republican Donald Trump. But Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office previously said it could not remove him from the ballot because the Natural Law Party had nominated him for the post in April.

Yates’ decision came just hours after the Kennedy campaign initially filed suit. 

Attorney Eric Esshaki had argued that keeping Kennedy’s name on the Nov. 5 ballot would “serve only to mislead voters” and could “upend election and ballot integrity.” 

Kennedy had sought a “speedy hearing” on the matter, “because the printing of the ballots is imminent” with absentee ballots set to go out later this month, the attorney noted. 

Esshaki had also claimed Kennedy sent “adequate notice to the state of Michigan” on Aug. 30 to keep his name off the ballot. Not honoring the request, he added, would inaccurately reflect who is running for president in the state. 

State officials previously told Kennedy Michigan election law does not allow candidates to remove their names from the ballot once a party has nominated them and it is after the state primary. 

The head of the esoteric Natural Law Party previously said he will not support efforts to remove Kennedy's name because doing so would jeopardize the party's ballot access in future years. 

To maintain a regular slot on the ballot, minor parties must get enough votes to equal 1% of the total votes that the last successful candidate for Michigan Secretary of State got in their own last election.

Benson got 2,467,859 votes in 2022, meaning the Natural Law Party would need 24,679 votes for Kennedy to maintain its spot on the Michigan ballot. 

— Jordyn Hermani

Friday, Aug. 30
Harris campaign courts social media stars in Detroit

In an era where online attention is currency, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is recruiting online creators to spread the campaign’s message on their social media platforms. 

The Harris-Walz campaign held a Thursday mixer for social media influencers at Cred Cafe in Detroit. Attendees said posts on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube are the primary news source for a younger generation that stays politically engaged through online conversations. The campaign is tapping the expertise of young voters who are fluent in intertwining political advocacy and culture.

“There’s a lot of noise right now, a lot of chaos, but we in this room have the opportunity to break through and bridge that gap between what’s cool and consciousness,” said U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Florida. Frost, 27, is the youngest member of Congress and the first elected from Generation Z. 

It’s a symbiotic relationship. For campaigns, influencers are a direct conduit to large audiences of young voters. For content creators, associating with Harris can give them exclusive access, legitimizing and amplifying their profiles. Frost said the campaign puts authenticity at the forefront, they’re not prescribing how people should post.

“Please use your platform in the way you see fit,” Frost said. “It’s going to look different for everybody. There’s creators here who want to use humor and comedy to activate people. There’s creators who give people straight-up information. Something different will activate different people. Everybody learns differently.” 

Read more of this story by Malachi Barrett at Bridge Detroit

Thursday. Aug 29

Watch Donald Trump speech in Potterville

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump spoke about the economy and inflation — and several other topics — Thursday afternoon in Potterville. Watch his full Michigan speech here:

It was Trump's third campaign event in Michigan in nine days, following a Monday speech at a National Guard conference in Detroit and remarks on crime and safety last week in Howell. 

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is slated to campaign in Detroit on Monday for Labor Day. 

Her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, campaigned for Harris earlier Thursday in Grand Rapids, where he touted recent reports identifying Michigan as "number one" for planned projects funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act, which Harris cast the tie-breaking vote for as vice president. 

Harris "is the only candidate on the ballot who is creating a future that works for everyday Americans" and "one where middle class families get ahead," Emhoff said, noting some of her recent proposals, including a plan to crack down on what she has called grocery price gouging.

Trump and other critics have likened that plan to "communist price controls," but Emhoff pushed back on that characterization.

"She's pro-capitalism, pro-business, pro-growth and pro-innovation," he said of Harris. "She wants everyone to succeed in this economy."

— Jonathan Oosting

Wednesday, August 28

More absentee than in-person votes in Michigan primary

Absentee ballots continue to be a popular option for Michigan voters, according to August primary election results certified this week. 

Roughly 2 million Michigan voters cast ballots in the primary, and about 1.2 million (60%) of those were absentee, Michigan Bureau of Elections Director Jonathan Brater said at a meeting of the Board of State Canvassers. 

Among in-person votes, about 70,000 happened ahead of Election Day under new rules requiring local clerks to offer at least nine days of early voting. 

"In terms of what that means for November, it's hard to say," Brater said. 

"I do think that we're likely to have significantly more in-person early voting, as well as absentee voting, with both major parties and others doing a lot of get-out-the-vote efforts surrounding the presidential election and the other races."

Early in-person voting numbers for the August primary were actually down from the roughly 73,000 early votes in Michigan’s February presidential primary, which had an overall turnout of about 1.8 million voters. 

Turnout — and absentee voting — were also down compared to the August 2020 primary, which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. About 2.5 million Michigan voters cast ballots in that election, including 1.6 million absentee.

— Jonathan Oosting

Tuesday, Aug. 27

Kamala Harris plans Detroit Labor Day stop

Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Detroit on Monday for a Labor Day event, her presidential campaign confirmed.

Details of the event were not released, but unions — whose members are a key voting bloc — hold an annual parade through Detroit on Labor Day morning, a tradition that goes back to 1915. 

Democratic politicians have been a fixture at the event.

President Joe Biden spoke at the Detroit parade in 2014, when he was serving as vice president. Then-President Barack Obama spoke in 2011. And former President Bill Clinton walked in the parade in 2016 as his wife, Hillary Clinton, ran for president.

Harris’ planned visit is the latest in a flurry of Michigan stops by the Democratic presidential nominee and her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, who are neck-and-neck in the state, according to the latest polling averages.

Trump was in Detroit on Monday, and he’ll be back in Michigan on Thursday for a campaign event in Potterville. Harris last visited Michigan in early August, when she held a large rally at Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus and then spoke to United Auto Workers union members in Wayne. 

According to the White House, after her visit to Detroit, Harris will continue Labor Day by joining Biden for an event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, another crucial battleground state in the upcoming presidential election.

— Simon Schuster

Tuesday, Aug. 27

Kamala Harris’ husband to campaign in Grand Rapids

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' husband is scheduled to visit west Michigan this week as part of his wife's presidential campaign. 

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is due in Grand Rapids on Thursday, according to the campaign, which did not immediately release additional details about the event.

Emhoff’s planned visit would come the same day as former President Donald Trump, again the Republican nominee, plans to campaign in Potterville, a small city in mid-Michigan's Eaton County. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Monday, Aug. 26

Cornel West back on Michigan ballot

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West is heading back on the Michigan ballot after a state judge on Saturday overturned his removal. 

The Michigan Bureau of Elections had disqualified West after determining his candidate affidavit of identity was not properly notarized. 

But those affidavits aren't required for presidential candidates, so an error cannot be used to exclude West and his running mate Melina Abdullah, Court of Claims Judge James Robert Redford ruled Saturday. 

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Bureau of Elections Director Jonathan Brater "misapplied the law in finding otherwise," Redford wrote in his 20-page opinion.

In oral arguments on Friday, Redford acknowledged his prospective decision would likely be appealed to higher court but said he would rule quickly given the limited time before the Nov. 5 general election. 

For now, the state must qualify West for the ballot, Redford ruled, on the condition that the Board of State Canvassers approves West's nominating petitions. The bipartisan board did so Monday. 

Bureau of Elections staff recommended canvassers certify West's nominating petitions, estimated he submitted 16,089 valid voter signatures — more than the 12,000 required to make the ballot. Multiple groups had challenged West's signatures, however. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Saturday, Aug. 24

Trump, Vance returning for separate campaign events

Former president Donald Trump will make two visits in Michigan next week, and his vice presidential nominee, JD Vance will make stop as well. 

According to their campaign, both Trump and Vance are scheduled to deliver remarks on the “economy, inflation and manufacturing” two days apart. 

Vance is slated to speak in Big Rapids Tuesday, while Trump will deliver remarks in Potterville on Thursday.

Big Rapids is near Green township, the site of a proposed $2.4 billion Gotion electric vehicle battery plant that has drawn the ire of conservatives who have warned of connections between the company and the Chinese government. 

Trump is also visiting Detroit on Monday to speak to a National Guard Association conference.

In Trump’s last rally in Grand Rapids July 20, he had said he supports Chinese auto manufacturing provided it takes place on U.S. soil. 

"If they want to come in and sell us cars they can, but they have to build plants here and they have to hire our workers and that's fine. Nobody can say anything,” Trump said at that rally.

Last week, though, Trump issued a statement saying he opposes the Gotion project, specifically. 

He also delivered remarks on crime in Howell last Tuesday flanked by Republican sheriffs. 

—Simon Schuster

Thursday, Aug. 22

Trump returning to Detroit for National Guard conference

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will return to Michigan on Monday to address a National Guard Association conference in Detroit, his campaign announced. 

The conference is set to take place at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit. 

A time for Trump's speech has not yet been announced.

It will be the former president’s second visit to Michigan in as many weeks. He spoke about crime and safety — and several other topics — Tuesday in Howell. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Thursday, Aug. 22

Watch Nessel praise Harris, Buttigieg speak at DNC

Speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Wednesday praised Vice President Kamala Harris for refusing to uphold California’s gay marriage ban as the state’s attorney general.

“We know when she takes an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, she's actually read it,” Nessel said.

Michigan had a similar ban on same-sex marriage, and Nessel got married after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned such bans.

“I’ve got a message for the Republicans and the justices of the United States Supreme Court," Nessel said. "You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand, and I’m retaining a lot of water, so good luck with that.”

Also Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg — who lives in Traverse City with his husband — called for an end of the “politics of darkness” that he says are embodied by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

“The makeup of my kitchen table, the existence of my family is just one example of something that was literally impossible as recently as 25 years ago when an anxious teenager growing up in Indiana wondered if he would ever find belonging in this world,” he said.

Two more Michigan Democrats, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin who is running for U.S. Senate, are expected to address the convention on Thursday before Harris’ speech. It is the final day of the convention.

Wednesday, Aug. 21

Democrats 'know how to win,' Whitmer says

Michigan Democrats "know how to win," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday night as the state's delegates cast ceremonial votes for presidential nominee Kamala Harris at the party's national convention in Chicago. 

Whitmer, who will reportedly speak on stage Thursday at the convention, was joined in the roll call vote by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes.

The trio attempted, with some difficulty and laughs, to announce the delegate vote in unison after Michigan was introduced to the sound of Eminem's "Lose Yourself."

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters took the stage earlier Tuesday, the latest in a series of Michigan convention speakers expected to culminate with Thursday speeches by Whitmer and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is running to replace Stabenow in the U.S. Senate. 

Peters touted his own union roots and referenced Teamsters President Sean O'Brien's recent speech at the Republican National Convention, where GOP delegates nominated Donald Trump and JD Vance for president and vice president. 

"If they win, working people like my friends from the Teamsters will pay the price," Peters said, warning of conservative proposals he said would "gut overtime pay," health care and give tax breaks to the rich. 

"We cannot let that happen, and we will not let that happen."

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama headlined the convention on Tuesday night. Watch their speeches below. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Tuesday, Aug. 20

Watch Donald Trump campaign event in Howell

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was back in Michigan on Tuesday to deliver remarks on "crime and safety" today at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office in Howell.

Watch the former president's full speech here:

Tuesday, Aug. 19

Watch McMorrow, Fain at DNC; Whitmer on ‘The Daily Show’

Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow railed against Project 2025, while United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain railed against Donald Trump and Stellantis NV in Monday speeches at the Democratic National Convention.

McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, held up an oversized book version of Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that she called “a plan to turn Donald Trump into a dictator.”

Trump has disavowed and publicly criticized the plan, but several of his former administration officials were involved in the drafting. 

Fain, the union leader who has publicly sparred with Trump for months, used his speech to rail against the former president and urge support for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

At one point he quoted "the great American poet, Nelly," a rapper, saying “it’s getting hot in here” as he removed his blazer to reveal a "Trump is a scab" T-shirt. 

Fain also criticized "corporate greed" and blasted Stellantis over plans for its Belvidere plant in Illinois.

President Joe Biden grew emotional in his Monday night convention speech, where he was joined by his family as he reflected on his career and tenure. 

“I made a lot of mistakes in my career," said Biden, who ended his re-election campaign in July and endorsed Harris.  "But I gave my best to you for 50 years. Like many of you, I give my heart and soul to our nation.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is also at the Democratic convention this week, stepped onto a different stage Monday night as a guest on Comedy Central's “The Daily Show.” 

Among other things, Whitmer discussed her feuds with Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic and the foiled plot to kidnap and kill her.  "They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," she said. 

The governor also joked about playing in the Gus Macker basketball tournament in high school and losing a tooth before a game while eating a Tootsie Roll. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Monday, Aug. 19

Mallory McMorrow, Shawn Fain among DNC speakers

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, will be the first elected official from Michigan to address the 2024 Democratic National Convention as it opens in Chicago Monday.

McMorrow will take part in a larger slate of convention programming focusing on Project 2025, a “wish list” of ultraconservative initiatives that aims to fundamentally reshape the federal government, according to a list of scheduled speakers released earlier in the day by the DNC.

The Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has disavowed Project 2025 as part of the “radical right” and claimed ignorance over it, but recent reports have threatened to undermine Trump’s claims.

Vice President Kamala Harris has already officially won the Democratic presidential nomination in an online vote tallied Aug. 5, but the four-day convention is set to serve as a theatrical transition from former presumptive nominee President Joe Biden, who less than a month ago decided to bow out of his reelection effort and endorsed Harris.

Biden is listed as the evening’s closing speaker.

McMorrow, who was first elected to the state Senate in 2018, gained national political spotlight for a 2021 speech, delivered from the chamber floor, responding to a Republican senator who falsely accused her of wanting to “groom and sexualize” children in a fundraising email.

McMorrow’s exhortation in that speech, “we will not let hate win,” has become something of a slogan for the legislator, naming both a political action committee and a forthcoming book “Hate Won’t Win.”

Monday night programming is expected to begin at 5:15 p.m. McMorrow is scheduled to speak during the convention’s 8 p.m. hour, a staffer for McMorrow told Bridge.

United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain is also named as a speaker. Fain’s union has endorsed Harris and will be speaking after McMorrow in the evening’s lineup.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a national co-chair of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, wrote on X Sunday, “I couldn’t be more excited to kick off the (convention) this week,” but it wasn’t immediately clear if or when she would be addressing the full convention. Whitmer was a speaker on the first night of the 2020 convention.

The DNC has not yet announced a full list of the week’s speakers. Whitmer was not included on Monday’s schedule.

— Simon Schuster

Saturday, Aug. 17

Donald Trump returning for Howell campaign event

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will return to Michigan on Tuesday for a campaign even in Howell, his campaign announced. 

The former president will deliver remarks on "crime and safety," his campaign said. The event is scheduled at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office at 3 p.m.

"The people of Michigan and the rest of the country can’t take another four years of weak, soft-on-crime leadership," his campaign said in a statement referencing Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the Democratic presidential nominee. 

It'll be the second public safety campaign event in Michigan this month by the Trump campaign. Running mate JD Vance also focused on crime in a Shelby Township speech in early August. 

Violent crime spiked in Michigan and across the country early in the COVID-19 pandemic but has decreased since. 

Detroit, the state's largest city, ended 2023 with the fewest reported homicides in 57 years. Across Michigan, violent crime dropped 7.3% in 2022, the most recent year for which statewide data is available.

Harris also campaigned earlier this month in Michigan, where running mate Tim Walz claimed "violent crime was up during Donald Trump's presidency — and that's not even counting the crimes that he committed."

National violent crime rates fell Trump's first three years in office but climbed in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, making Walz's clam "half true," according to Politifact. 

Howell, where Trump will campaign, is is the seat of Livingston County, which Trump won by more than 22 percentage points in his 2020 election loss. 

— Jonathan Oosting

Friday, Aug. 16

State investigating alleged voter fraud in Macomb County

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says she’s referred four possible cases of voter fraud in Macomb County to Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office for further investigation and potential criminal charges. 

Benson thanked Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini in a statement for making her office aware of the potential voter fraud, noting the act is “rare, and that when it happens, we catch it and prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”

Earlier this week, Forlini told the Detroit News four individuals possibly double voted — or cast an absentee ballot while also voting in person on Election Day — during Michigan’s Aug. 6 primary election.

While Forlini said the double voting wasn’t indicative of “widespread fraud,” it is still a felony-level crime. A clerk in St. Clair Shores first made him aware of the alleged double voting, with Forlini then forwarding on the concerns to both Benson and Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido.

Though possible for voter fraud to occur, it still remains extremely rare both in Michigan and across the country. A review by the Washington Post found just 31 credible instances of voter fraud out of the more than 1 billion ballots cast between 2000 to 2014.

— Jordyn Hermani

Thursday, Aug. 15 

Vance defends Trump strike comments

Speaking in west Michigan on Wednesday, Donald Trump’s running mate defended the Republican presidential nominee’s recent comments about firing striking workers that prompted a federal complaint from the United Auto Workers. 

"Trump was not talking about firing Michigan auto workers," JD Vance said at a campaign event in Byron Center. "He was talking about firing the employees of Twitter who used their power to censor American citizens."

Trump's controversial comments came Monday during a discussion with Elon Musk, who in 2022 bought Twitter and renamed it X. Musk is also CEO of Tesla, a Texas-based automaker that does not use union labor. 

"I won't mention the name of the company, but they go on strike and you say, 'That's OK, you're all gone. You're all gone. So, every one of you is gone,’” Trump told Musk.

It’s illegal to fire workers because of a strike or threat of a strike.

The Detroit-based UAW responded Monday by filing labor charges against Trump and Musk with the National Labor Relations Board. Michigan Democrats also criticized Trump for the comments, including U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. 

"Bottom line, Donald Trump and JD Vance will never miss an opportunity to screw workers," Stabenow said Wednesday ahead of Vance's visit to west Michigan.

But speaking with reporters after his speech in Byron Center, Vance said Trump was talking about Twitter, which under previous ownership had permanently suspended Trump's account following riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, citing "risk of further incitement of violence."

"If you censor Americans from exercising their First Amendment rights, you absolutely should be fired," Vance said.  

— Jonathan Oosting

Wednesday, Aug. 14

Democrats raising big bucks for state Supreme Court

Michigan Supreme Court races are heating up in advance of state party conventions this month — and the presumptive Democratic nominees for both the full and partial terms up for grabs this year have a fundraising edge. 

Incumbent Justice Kyra Harris Bolden, an appointee of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, will be on the ballot this fall to determine whether she’ll remain on the bench to finish out the remainder of former Chief Justice Bridget McCormack’s term.

Voters will also decide who will replace incumbent Justice David Viviano, who is not seeking reelection this fall. 

State Supreme Court seats are technically nonpartisan, but nominees for the general election ballot are selected at state party conventions. 

New campaign finance filings for the seven candidates seeking nominations from their respective parties show Bolden is well ahead of the rest of the field, raising just over $1.1 million this year and reporting more than $920,000 in the bank. 

Kimberly Ann Thomas, the only candidate seeking the Democratic nomination for the full-term vacancy, followed close behind, raising nearly $827,000. Of that, the campaign has a little over $764,000 still available to spend.

Major donations for both Democrats came from political action committees tied to labor unions and elected officials, including the Michigan Legacy PAC founded by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the Building Bridges PAC tied to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the SEIU of Michigan PAC and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist’s Stand Tall PAC.

On the Republican side, multiple candidates are seeking nominations for both the full and partial terms on the ballot. 

With 10 days to go before the state GOP convention, state Rep. Andrew Fink led the Republican field in fundraising. He pulled in slightly more than $83,000 (including large donations from business leader J.C. Huizenga, former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and her husband, Daniel Hibma) and reported roughly $18,000 in cash on hand. 

His competitor for the full term nomination, Court of Appeals Judge Mark Boonstra, raised roughly $35,000 — including $20,000 of his own money as well as big donations from former GOP chair Ron Weiser and former Attorney General Mike Cox. He had $7,000 left in the bank. 

Among the three Republicans seeking the chance to challenge Bolden for the partial term, Branch County Circuit Court Judge Patrick William O’Grady has the financial advantage ahead of the convention, putting in $7,000 of his own funds and raising a total of $22,000 with about $5,000 left to spend. 

Attorney Alexandria Taylor has largely self-funded her campaign and reported having roughly $7,500 to spend going into the convention. And attorney Matthew DePerno, a Trump loyalist currently battling felony charges for his role in an alleged voting machine tampering scheme, has raised $136.44 from three donors since announcing his campaign and has roughly $50 left to spend. 

— Lauren Gibbons

Tuesday, Aug. 13

Kilpatrick speaking to GOP

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will be a "featured speaker" at an Oakland County Republican Party fundraiser this month, the local party chair announced Tuesday. 

Kilpatrick is a longtime Democrat who earlier this year endorsed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who as president in 2021 commuted Kilpatrick's 28-year prison sentence after he’d served roughly six years.

In 2013, Kilpatrick was convicted of 24 felonies stemming from his time as mayor of Detroit, including mail fraud, wire fraud and racketeering. 

He's now set to speak at the Oakland County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Aug. 21 in Novi, according to Chair Vance Patrick.

“He has a great story of redemption and ministry,” Patrick wrote on social media, where he announced Kilpatrick as a speaker and responded to criticism. 

Ben Carson, a Detroit native who served under Trump as U.S. Director of Housing and Urban Development, is slated to headline the event. 

Tickets start at $125, or $200 for a meet-and-greet with Carson.

— Jonathan Oosting

Tuesday, Aug. 13

UAW files complaint against Donald Trump, Elon Musk over X chat

The United Auto Workers said Tuesday it has filed federal labor charges with the National Labor Relations Board against former president Donald Trump and Elon Musk, owner of the social media company X.

In a Monday night interview with Musk on the social media platform, Trump seemed to praise the act of firing employees who threaten to strike, which is illegal under federal law.

"I won't mention the name of the company, but they go on strike and you say, 'That's OK, you're all gone. You're all gone. So, every one of you is gone,’” Trump said during the conversation with Musk.

Musk is also CEO of Tesla, a Texas-based electric vehicle company that does not use union labor. 

UAW president Shawn Fain, in a statement announcing the charges, called the comments “disgusting, illegal and totally predictable.”

“When we say Donald Trump is a scab, this is what we mean,” said Fain, who has publicly feuded with Trump on multiple occasions. 

Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes told Axios the filing is "a shameless political stunt intended to erode President Trump's overwhelming support among America's workers.”

The union has endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris for president. 

– Lauren Gibbons

Monday, Aug. 12

Trump campaign falsely claims ‘fake’ Harris crowd

Former President Donald Trump is falsely claiming photos taken last week at Vice President Kamala Harris’ metro Detroit rally were created using artificial intelligence in an effort to boost the appearance of crowd size.

His claim came after the Harris campaign said the airport hangar rally had been her most well attended event yet, with an estimated 15,000 supporters on hand.

Bridge Michigan attended the Wednesday rally and, while unable to verify the 15,000 amount specifically, did observe thousands of people who gathered at the hangar in order to hear Harris and other Democrats speak. 

A freelance photographer working for Bridge also took similar photos to the image Trump claimed is fake. The photos show comparable crowd sizes to the image that spurred conspiracy theories echoed by Trump. 

At least a dozen people in the crowd required medical attention due to the hot temperatures within the hangar.

A DJ starts doing roll call at the Harris/Walz Detroit rally, asking each generation to “sound off” if they’re in attendance.

Gen X was the first group to be called, but I wasn’t fast enough to catch it 😅 pic.twitter.com/qmNVenBkcv

— Jordyn Hermani (🔈: "HermanE”) (@JordynHermani) August 7, 2024

In a statement posted Sunday to Truth Social, Trump’s own social media website, Trump falsely claimed there was “nobody there” at an airport hangar in Romulus when Harris gave remarks on Wednesday. 

Instead, Trump alleged the Harris campaign had used artificial intelligence to show “a massive ‘crowd’ of so-called followers. “She should be disqualified because the creation of a fake image is ELECTION INTERFERENCE.” Trump wrote. “Anyone who does that will cheat at ANYTHING!”

The Harris campaign refuted Trump’s claims, writing Sunday on social media that the image is "an actual photo of a 15,000-person crowd for Harris-Walz in Michigan.”

Other Democrats scoffed at the claims. “Trump is simply a unhinged, ridiculous liar,” state Sen. Jeff Irwin of Ann Arbor wrote on social media. 

— Jordyn Hermani

Saturday, Aug. 10

JD Vance returning for campaign event in Byron Center

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance will return to Michigan next week for a campaign event in suburban Grand Rapids. 

Vance is scheduled to speak 2 p.m. Wednesday in Byron Center at Cordes Inc., a trucking and dump trailer company, according to the campaign. 

It'll be Vance's third trip to Michigan since joining the Republican ticket with presidential nominee Donald Trump — and his second visit in as many weeks.  
 
Vance spoke last week in Macomb County, where he criticized Democratic policies on public safety and immigration while describing Trump's plans for mass deportations. 

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz campaigned in Michigan last week, rallying with supporters at a Detroit airport hanger and meeting with United Auto Workers union members in Wayne. 

— Jonathan Oosting

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