MichMash Politics

It's been a whirlwind of a year for politics in the mitten state. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow review some of the most surprising, most under-the-radar and biggest political stories of 2024. They also take a look ahead at 2024 to see what the year has in store.

Today's episode of MichMash will be delayed until 4 p.m. on Dec. 20, to give you the most up-to-date reporting on what's going on at the state capitol. Tune in this afternoon to check out the brand new MichMash for the week — just in time for the holidays!

The final days of the current iteration of the Michigan Legislature are upon us as the Republican majority in the House begins in January. Education and the environment are two of the many topics circulating these legislative sessions. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sit down with Jane McCurry from Clean Fuels Michigan to discuss biofuels, carbon capture and electric vehicles. Then, they switch gears and chat with Chalkbeat's Hannah Dellinger about charter schools. Finally, Zach reports live from the Michigan State Capitol where ALL of these topics come together in this exciting, jam-packed episode.

The Michigan Legislature has been stagnant on expanding the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to cover the governor's office, and there isn't a clear explanation as to why. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sit down with Lisa McGraw, public affairs manager for the Michigan Press Association, to examine the status of the bills.

On this Thanksgiving episode of MichMash, we take a look at how the Michigan Legislature falls short in their oversight of government. Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sits down with Jim Townsend, the director of the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, to find out why. 

A bill introduced last year to encourage the use of "clean fuels" has environmental and animal activists concerned about its potential impacts. Environmentalists say Senate Bill 275 would incentivize reliance on biofuels, which could lead to more Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), also known as "factory farms" in the state. This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow dives into this under the radar issue with Oakland County physician and activist Dr. Cheryl A. Ruble. Also, Zach sits down with Gongwer staff writer Elena Durnbaugh to discuss a new approach to fixing the roads in Michigan. 

Now that the election is over, we are in lame duck session. This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sits down with Detroit News reporter Beth LeBlanc. They discuss how Democrats will move forward after losing the majority in the Michigan House. 

President-elect Donald Trump won Michigan this week in what was expected to be a very close presidential election. As part of WDET’s weekly series MichMash, Zach Gorchow of Gongwer News Service speaks with Senior Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick about how the former President defied the experts, and secured a victory in Michigan on election night.