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). 

Lon Johnson, the Michigan Democratic Party's past chair, talks about how the shooting at former President Donald Trump will impact this election cycle. Also, he discusses why he called on incumbent President Joe Biden to end his campaign earlier this month (:55). 

MIRS sits down with deputy directors Michelle Richard and Emily Laidlaw of the Governor's new department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential. They highlight their favorite items in the department's first-ever, more than $643 million budget (20:50). 

Additionally, MIRS meets Nate Chesher of the Cherry Marketing Institute to discuss the state of Michigan's tart cherry industry (42:00). 

Tony Zammit – a past Republican communications specialist – and progressive Kent County Commissioner Ivan Diaz discuss how Michiganders are reacting to calls for President Joe Biden to end his campaign (1:07). 

Public education advocate Peter Spadafore describes the newest school aid budget for Michigan, and how it deals with public school retirement debt, as homework he probably would have sent back for students to do over (22:13). 

Additionally, MIRS speaks with Connor Herman of Forth Mobility and James Delgado of Mobility Development on an electric vehicle rideshare program that was launched on Detroit's east side (41:08). 

To discuss an $83 billion total budget that legislators approved after 4 a.m. last week, MIRS was joined by President Monique Stanton of the Michigan League for Public Policy and Michael LaFaive, the head of fiscal policy for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. 

One voice supports financial help for needy Michiganders, another calls for limited government. Together, they share their different "Winners and Losers" of the budget (1:13). 

Also, the budget gives direct care workers serving disabled residents a 20-cents-per-hour raise. But direct care worker service providers fear this won't be enough to alleviate staff shortages (24:10). 

Additionally, MIRS was joined by Political Director Max Docksey of the Republican State Leadership Committee, to talk about why his national group has launched an absentee and early voting program in Michigan (42:27).