If Brian Banks attempts to re-seek the House seat he gave up as part of a criminal plea deal, can he win? Rep. Fred Durhal III (D-Detroit) says yes. The Democrats' new ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, Durhal also gives his thoughts on Gov. Rick Snyder's budget and the impact a Detroit public school closure would have on the community.

Also, how does Ron Weiser becoming the next Michigan Republican Party chair set up the R's to field the most competitive challenger possible against U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow? What are the Republicans looking for in a U.S. Senate candidate? And at the Democratic convention, who was the most active and who was surprisingly not overly visible? All this and more.