MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS hosts a West Michigan politics roundtable with progressive Joe Spaulding, a political strategist, and conservative Chair Tom Norton of the America PAC. Together, they discuss Ottawa Impact at the local level, and reports of the 3rd Congressional district not being all that competitive this year (1:20). 

Jamie Clover-Adams of Michigan Asparagus and Hart farmer Nick Oomen explain how mandatory $18.50/hour wages for migrant farm workers is challenging Michigan agriculture (27:04). 

Additionally, MIRS meets Jason Woolford, the Republican running in Michigan's Howell and Hartland-based 50th state House district (50:00). 

MIRS welcomes state Rep. Joe Aragona, a Clinton Township Republican, and George Chapp, the chair of the Warren Sterling Heights Area Democratic Club. Together, they share what they're seeing in Macomb County ahead of the November election, and their political insights on a competitive Congressional race and several unpredictable state House contests (2:47). 

Former Democratic Gov. James Blanchard and Mike Bishop, a past Republican state Senate majority leader, come together to talk to MIRS. They're serving on the board of directors of the Defend Democracy Project in Michigan, pushing for confidence in Michigan's election systems (34:21). 

Chris White, the Michigan director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, calls the claims that wait staff will lose tips following the adopt-and-amend ruling "fear mongering and false information" (55:44). 

MIRS meets Joseph Pavlov, the retired English teacher who won a Republican primary of five candidates for Michigan's 64th state House district, covering Marysville and Port Huron (1:51). 

State assessments show young students struggling to reach proficiency levels in English. Policy Director Jen DeNeal and Government Affairs Director Jeff Cobb of The Education Trust-Midwest discuss what these scores mean, and why students should be screened early for traits of dyslexia (15:44). 

Should it become easier to transform unused commercial space into housing? MIRS talks to Executive Director Brooke Oosterman of Housing Next, who explains why her West Michigan-based group is proposing the "Kent County Corridor Strategy" (37:54). 

MIRS kicks things off with Katie Jesaitis of Martin Waymire, who formerly did constituent services for U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, and Brad Wurfel of BJW Strategies, a previous Snyder-era state agency spokesperson. Together, they discuss the potential election desires of industrial Michigan and the politics of energy (2:11). 

Alexandra Bailey of The Sentencing Project and past inmate Greg Wines talk about the staffing shortage in Michigan's prison system. They're pushing for reform to lower the incarcerated population, specifically by allowing some inmates to petition for sentence reductions (21:43). 

Additionally, MIRS sits down with Republican campaign consultant Randall Thompson. All five of his candidates secured nominations during August's Republican state convention (42:19). 

MIRS' Samantha Shriber and Maggie George discuss their top stories from this month's Republican and Democratic state nominating conventions, where party members determined the candidates for multiple statewide races (1:17). 

Kicking off interviews today was Founder Erin Vilardi and State Director Cee Maul of Vote Run Lead, an organization dedicated to expanding woman representation across state legislators. They discuss Michigan's battleground races and the recent Democratic National Convention in Chicago (18:53). 

MIRS interviewed Detroit City Mayor Mike Duggan while he was at the DNC, asking about another mayor's comment that he would make a good governor (39:34). 

Additionally, the team meets Paul Hudson, a Grand Rapids area Republican running against U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten in West Michigan (52:47). 

MIRS was joined by Dennis Darnoi, a Farmington-based political consultant, and assistant professor Jordan Cash of Michigan State University.  Michiganders can access their absentee voter ballots for the presidential election next month. Together, Dennis and Jordan discuss if Democrats have anything to gain, or lose, from their national convention in Chicago, and what Republicans could do next (2:36). 

After first leaving the Legislature nearly six years ago, former Rep. Tim Kelly -- a Saginaw County Republican -- is running to return in the 93rd state House district's general election (34:38). 

Also MIRS meets Michigan's first poet laureate since the 1950s, Nandi Comer (47:11). 

Kicking things off this week, MIRS sits down with communications professional Andrea Bitely and Denzel McCampbell of Progress Michigan. Together, they discuss the winners of Michigan's recent primary elections, and what stage-setting themes they see for November (3:07). 

Additionally, MIRS meets Parker Fairbairn, the Emmet County GOP chair who defeated Michigan Freedom Caucus Rep. Neil Friske in Northern Michigan's 107th state House district (35:22). 

State Senator Dayna Polehanki, a Livonia Democrat, describes what it was like to see education groups criticize the school aid budget….as a former teacher (59:22). 

MIRS kicks things off with political strategists and communications professionals John Sellek, of Harbor Strategic, Brandon Dillon of the WinMATT Group, and Karen Dumas of Images and Ideas. The roundtable discusses the changed presidential race in Michigan with Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat candidate, and how some key down ballot races look for the State Legislature, US Congressional races in Michigan, and the Michigan US Senate race. (1:10). 

C. Jay Coles, the senior government relations associate of the Verified Voting Foundation discusses his opinion that when it comes to national efforts seeking online voting, technology is not yet able to keep an internet voting system secure. (20:35). 

And Mark Brewer, of law firm Goodman and Acker discusses, among other judicial items, the major Michigan Supreme Court ruling, overturning the "Adopt and Amend" package that clears the way for a higher minimum wage and mandatory paid sick leave in the state. (39:30).

MIRS kicks things off with Vice President Stephanie Van Koevering of Resch Strategies and Mario Morrow, the Southfield-based public relations professional. Together, they discuss the future of budget-making transparency, as well as the state of not-so-competitive Democratic primaries (3:00). 

Michigan Budget Director Jen Flood talks about the recently signed $82.5 billion state budget, and if more spending is on the horizon (30:00).

Also, MIRS meets with a coalition of Traverse City area education and economic leaders, who are hoping to secure more teachers in Northern Michigan with a planned housing incentive project (41:40). 

President Joe Biden announced Sunday he will not seek reelection, endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris. Ahead of this BREAKING NEWS, political consultant Mark Grebner and Matt Grossman – a Michigan State University political scientist – discuss the optics of a Biden drop out, and the challenges his replacement could face in Michigan and beyond (:56).

MIRS also meets Jocelyn Bucaro, the director of the Mobile Voting Project, which is a national effort to permit voters to cast absentee-like ballots on their cell phones (25:40). 

Additionally, state Senator Jim Runestad, a White Lake Republican, describes his time at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He also explains his effort to educate House primary candidates on how they can possibly change the Legislature's rules (49:10).