The three Senate candidates competing in Michigan for the Democratic nomination are making different pitches about how to address rising costs. Their success or failure will help determine the party’s fortunes in the November midterms, when control of Congress is at stake.
2026 Michigan election
Mike Duggan ‘studying’ Trump school choice program for Michigan
In his bid for Michigan governor, independent Mike Duggan is not ruling out a new federal ‘Education Freedom Tax Credit’ program that unions argue amounts to a ‘voucher scheme.’
In bid for governor, John James proposes ‘bill of rights’ for Michigan parents
In a new ‘bill of rights’ for Michigan parents, GOP gubernatorial candidate John James proposes opting into a private school choice program and limiting transgender athletes.
Bridge Listens Lunch Break: What issues matter most to Michiganders
Join members of Bridge Michigan’s politics team as they talk about the issues readers want the candidates focused on during this 2026 election cycle.
Michigan governor hopefuls clash on free student meals, ICE at schools
Democrat Jocelyn Benson said she’d use ‘every tool’ to keep ICE out of Michigan schools. That debate is a ‘sideshow’ that won’t fix education woes, argued Republican Mike Cox.
Grow Michigan’s economy? Many pledges, few plans at gubernatorial forum
Top candidates for governor offered a handful of ideas to jumpstart Michigan’s economy. Among them: Expand a ‘transformation brownfield’ tax capture program for developers, and ‘take a blowtorch to bureaucracy.’
Whitmer on Trump election take over talk: ‘Won’t happen on my watch’
Pointing to Detroit, President Donald Trump suggested the federal government ‘get involved’ in elections run by states. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says that won’t happen in Michigan in her watch.
Group touts signatures to put citizenship, voter ID question on Michigan ballot
A group pushing to tighten Michigan voter ID rules and require proof of citizenship to register says it has collected enough signatures to make the Michigan ballot. State officials will still need to validate petitions.
Benson, James, Duggan grow money momentum in Michigan governor race
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James are raising big money in their run for Michigan governor. But independent Mike Duggan’s campaign raised the most from donors last year.
Where Michigan gubernatorial candidates stand on data centers
Bridge Michigan asked gubernatorial candidates for their stance on the hot-button issue of data centers, amid concerns surrounding Benson’s familial and professional connections to a data center developer. Here’s what they said.