Donald Trump appears to have done what Jeff predicted on this podcast months ago: locked up the nomination for his third attempt to win the national popular vote. But in the process, some new, large chinks in his Mar-A-Lago armor are showing up as some Haley supporters join the never-Trump movement. Trump has already started his annual “the election is stolen” mantra, apparently in anticipation of losing again.

Meanwhile, President Biden gets two big boosts to his reelection chances: First: the new numbers about the recession that never was. In fact, the U.S. economy is soaring. Economic growth in 2023 was bigger than in any year of the Trump presidency. Just as important politically: Biden gets a rousing endorsement from the United Auto Workers which could prove critical in Michigan, Wisconsin and maybe even Ohio.

We may have a border crisis, but Trump has ordered his supplicants in Congress to sink a bipartisan border bill – because he’s more interested in having a campaign issue than a solution.

In Michigan:

Governor Whitmer unveils her priorities for 2024 focused on the basics: economic growth, education and the cost of living.

Governor Whitmer is flanked by Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist as she delivers her State of the State Address.

The Republican National Committee has started to move into the internal chaos that is the state’s GOP.

The Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is working furiously to meet a deadline that’s just days away for coming up with a new, constitutional map for Southeast Michigan legislative districts.

Our neighbors in Ohio have launched a war on transgender people, with that state’s Republican Legislature overriding Governor Dewine’s veto of an anti-LQBTQ+ bill.

We're joined by Detroit News politics editor Chad Livengood to talk about the politics of Whitmer’s State of the State speech and the prospects of getting her program through the Legislature. Chad was a political reporter in The News' Lansing Bureau from 2012 through 2016 before becoming a reporter and columnist at Crain's Detroit Business. He rejoined The News' politics team in May 2022.

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You really need this for your mourning coffee!