MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, Oct. 24, 2022

Mark Grebner of Practical Political Consultants says abortion rights-based Proposal 3 was "not written to pass" and may be in trouble (13:32) while NARAL Pro-Choice America Vice President Angela Vasquez-Giroux feels confident in Proposal 3 passing due to the large number of new voters that reproductive freedom is bringing out (32:50).

Supreme Court candidate Paul Hudson is asked under what circumstances he would rule a law is unconstitutional (45:29) and Public Sector Consultants CEO Julie Metty Bennett joins the MIRS team to come up with the questions we would ask at Tuesday's gubernatorial debate.

MIRS Monday, October 17, 2022

Mark Totten, the U.S. Attorney of the Western District, talks about his prior job as Gov. Whitmer's chief legal counsel during the height of COVID and his new job overseeing federal prosecutions for about half of Michigan.

 

Hear why Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum says she doubts more than 1 in 10 clerks will bother using the pre-processing legislation and what she thinks about the phrase "chain of custody."

 

Jeff Litten of Secure MI Votes talks about why Proposal 2 isn't necessary, the MIRS team talks about the significance of President Barack Obama returning to Michigan and more.

MIRS Monday, October 10, 2022

At age 79, former Emergency Manager Don Weatherspoon came out of retirement to help two more struggling school districts, but this time it's learning failures, not financial failures, that are beginning him back. What does he believe needs to be done to help kids succeed?

 

Rep. Angela Witwer says Republicans are "dreaming" if they believe they can pick up state House seats when the top of the ticket is up 10 points.

 

And Nancy Wang from Voters Not Politicians is asked about the need for Proposal 2 and what she knows about the Sixteen Thirty Fund, the No. 1 contributor to Prop. 2.

MIRS Monday, October 3, 2022

Outgoing U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence shares some of her most memorable moments from being in the Congress and Southfield politics from the past 30 years.

Rep. Bryan Posthumus shares why he believes Republicans will retain majority in the state House even if Tudor Dixon loses by 10 points, which he said he doesn't see happening.

And what has voters of Detroit pumped up? Alexis Wiley from Moment Strategies says it's all about "Big Gretch."

MIRS Monday, September 26, 2022

Republican SOS nominee Kristina Karamo talks about what she would have done differently in 2020 if she were the Secretary of State.

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin explains her living situation in Lansing.

And John Yob of Strategic National explores the split in the Republican Party between the grassroots and the DeVos family.

MIRS Monday, Sept. 19, 2022

Former Speaker Jase Bolger debates Scott Tillman of the anti-Proposal 1 campaign on the ballot question to change the state's legislative term limits and order financial disclosure for state officials.

Also, MI-7 Congressional candidate Tom Barrett speaks about the General Motors vote, vaccinations, abortion and other issues.

And, who is helped more by their respective national figure's visit to Michigan? Gov. Gretchen Whitmer or Republican nominee Tudor Dixon?

MIRS Monday, September 12, 2022

Tudor Dixon told the media late last week to do its job. This week, MIRS asks the Republican gubernatorial candidate what she meant by that tweet, among other questions. 

 

Former Gov. Gretchen Whitmer aide Mark Burton, now with the Honigman law firm, gives his insights on the 2022 election cycle and Michigan Health and Hospital Association CEO Brian Peters talks about the challenges in the healthcare industry.
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MIRS Monday, September 5, 2022

At least 25 of the 110 state House districts may have competitive elections this fall. Adrian Hemond from Grassroots Midwest looks into those with Kyle Melinn of MIRS News. 

 

Amritha Venkataraman, field director for the Human Rights Campaign, talks about how culture wars are on the 2022 ballot. 

 

And Governor Whitmer has tweeted about abortion 145 times since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. The MIRS team explores the race to the political middle on this issue.

MIRS Monday, August 29, 2022

Donald Trump and a surprise possibility for U.S. Senate in 2024 rise to the top of the MIRS/Michigan Republican Party straw poll this weekend. Hear the official results first here. Kaitlyn Buss, The Detroit News' assistant editorial page editor will break down with us the results and Saturday's GOP convention.

Attorney General nominee Matt DePerno talks about his involvement with voting machines post 2020 election and Dr. Amy Cooter, a sociologist and expert in contemporary U.S. militias discusses the Boogaloo Boys phenomenon.

MIRS Monday, August 22, 2022

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes gives odds on four congressional races as she breaks down last week's convention, Darci McConnell from the Reproductive Freedom for All campaign pushes back on claims the constitutional amendment is too expansive and extreme to be adopted by voters.

A Democratic state House candidate talks about why Bill G. Schuette isn't a slam dunk in November.

The MIRS team breaks down Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon's running mate pick, both the selection of Shane Hernandez and the timing of the announcement.

And how serious is John James' carpetbagger issue in MI-10?