Michigan voters will decide a new governor, a new US Senator and much, much more in 2026. These are the top races to watch.
Simon D. Schuster
Simon D. Schuster is a Capitol Reporter for Bridge Michigan. Simon joined Bridge Michigan in 2024 after working as MLive's senior political reporter and later covering politics on their investigative team. He spent three years tracking the influence of political money in Michigan as executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, a nonpartisan nonprofit. A Michigan native, Simon received a bachelor's and a master of public policy from Michigan State University, where he was a policy fellow at the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. Outside of work you'll find him in Detroit, backpacking northern Michigan or visiting his fiancée in Scandinavia. He lives in Lansing.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan ranked choice voting group ends 2026 ballot effort
Rank MI Vote, which seeks to bring ranked choice voting to Michigan, is ending a bid to put a proposal on the state’s 2026 ballot. Organizers say they may try again for 2028.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan quickly deletes government chats, raising transparency questions
Michigan’s open records law does not mandate how long state and local governments must hold on to records.
Posted inMichigan Government, Political and Public Policy Information
Bills spurred by Michigan hospital killing would allow free PPO service
Victims of domestic violence or stalking wouldn’t have to pay police to serve the perpetrator with a personal protection order under the state Senate-passed legislation.
Posted inPolitical and Public Policy Information
Consumers, Blue Cross fight Michigan proposal to keep ‘money out of politics’
Consumers Energy and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan are helping bankroll opposition to a potential 2026 ballot proposal that aims to limit their political spending.
Posted inMichigan Government
GOP hopeful pumps millions of own money into Michigan governor’s race
Former Attorney General Mike Cox puts another $2M of his own money into the Michigan governor’s race as John James, Mike Duggan and Jocelyn Benson raise most from donors.
Posted inMichigan Government
Road funding 101: What to know about Michigan’s $2B deal
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday celebrated the state’s new bipartisan road funding deal, which is historic in scope but still short of earlier targets. See what roads will get fixed, and which taxes will go up, as a result.
Posted inMichigan Government
JD Vance in Michigan: Trump will send National Guard to Detroit if Whitmer asks
Vice President JD Vance offered to send National Guard troops to Detroit in a speech touting the Trump administration’s new tax-and-spending law. Bridge checked key facts from speeches by Vance and others.
Posted inPolitical and Public Policy Information
Trump admin to Michigan: Remove ‘gender ideology’ from sex ed or lose millions
As Michigan’s GOP-led House considers restricting transgender student bathroom use, the Trump administration warns the state it will lose funding if it doesn’t cut ‘gender ideology’ from sex ed materials.
Posted inPolitical and Public Policy Information
Michigan House GOP budget cuts spending, workers and DEI to pave way for roads
With a potential government shutdown looming, Michigan’s Republican-led House unveiled and quickly approved a $78.5 billion budget plan that would slash spending and state workers but boost road funding.