In a visit to Michigan on Monday, President Donald Trump argued that his economic policies have revived the auto industry and American manufacturing even as many businesses contend that the sweeping tariffs he’s imposed against Canada and the rest of the world have hurt the state.

Trump defended his policies while visiting a General Motors facility in the Detroit suburb of Milford that is a testing ground for its vehicles. He pumped a fist after watching Corvette, Cadillac and Hummer vehicles compete in a series of drag races.

In a speech, Trump cheered GM's plans to expand production domestically in coming years and declared himself a president who was standing up for auto workers “at long last.”

“I’ve done more for you than your parents, OK?" he joked.

After being led on a tour of vehicles from different eras of GM, some of which he sat in, Trump claimed the tariffs have helped the automaker.

“They’ve come a long way,” he said to reporters about the Detroit-based automaker. “It’s amazing what tariffs are doing for GM.” Trump said he’s been good to the company but he declined to say more.

“The rest of the world doesn’t love me, but that’s OK,” he said, alluding to tariffs. “It’s called ‘America first.’”

Trump's visit is close to Michigan primary on August 4

Trump called out several Republican candidates and invited them onstage during his remarks Monday.

Republican Mike Rogers is unopposed in the Senate primary, but the GOP gubernatorial contest pits Trump-backed Representative John James against Perry Johnson, a businessman turned politician who has launched unsuccessful campaigns before, including for president in 2024.

Johnson is now trying to style himself in the president's mold — despite missing out on his endorsement. The Democratic Senate primary between Representative Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed has drawn national attention for the right to face Rogers, who was narrowly defeated by Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin in 2024.

Early voting is underway.

Trump's new Canada tariffs could hurt Michigan

Michigan was one of the 2024 battlegrounds Trump flipped after it backed Democratic President Joe Biden in 2020. But the state has seen parts of its economy affected by the president's tariffs, including on imported cars and auto parts.

A new round of steep import levies is taking effect on dozens of U.S. trading partners. But Trump has singled out Canada with tariffs as high as 50% on a wide array of its products, including cars.

The GM facility is in Oakland County, which encompasses much of Detroit's northern suburbs. Once a Republican stronghold, it has increasingly leaned Democratic, backing Biden against Trump in 2020 and Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump four years later.

GM says its facility is the oldest dedicated vehicle testing operation in the United States, where 4,200 employees work to refine nearly every vehicle the company makes before they reach consumers.

Michigan's economy relies heavily on Canada, however, meaning the new tariffs — coupled with inflation still running high and gas prices rising again as the already unpopular war in Iran escalates — have created additional economic concerns statewide.

Those come at a time when voters across the country were already increasingly dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the economy.

Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party who tried unsuccessfully to distance it from Trump's “Make America Great Again” movement in 2021, said that more than coinciding with his new round of tariffs, Trump's visit is a function of Michigan's relatively late primary and is meant to ensure that James secures the nomination.

But Roe also said it was a risk for the president to tie himself too closely to top Republicans before the general election, calling it “kryptonite to November voters.”

Trump, who won the White House on a promise to lower the cost of living, also has seen his approval ratings sag, meaning kitchen table issues could be a liability for Republicans trying to hold control of Congress in the November 3 elections.

“We’re happy to have the president here, campaigning with Republicans. We think it highlights the fact that the only thing they care about is Donald Trump and refuse to stand up to him," said Curtis Hertel, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. "It’s good for us every time the president is here because he’s incredibly unpopular.”

The U.S. and Canada have squabbled over a new border bridge

The Supreme Court struck down many of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, but his administration has tried to find ways around that, including by arguing that he can impose them on Canada because that country is discriminating against American exports of products including automobiles.

But Trump’s latest round of tariffs came after he voiced frustration with Canada for having retaliated and imposed its own levies on U.S. imports in response to Trump’s initial tariffs last year. Trump launched the first round after alleging Canada should do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

It is Trump's third trip to Michigan in his second term.

In January, he visited a Ford plant in Dearborn and addressed the Detroit Economic Club, offering a defense of tariffs even as auto industry leaders blamed them for increasing the cost of doing business.

The president marked his second term's first 100 days with a rally in Warren, where he mostly mentioned grievances left over from the 2024 campaign.

His latest visit coincides with tensions between his administration and Canada that have marred the opening of a new bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.

Canada on Friday held its own event hailing the opening of the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge instead of a planned celebration with officials in the U.S. after Trump announced the new Canadian tariffs.

Michigan's 2026 primary election is August 4. In the state's 7th Congressional District, three candidates are running in the Democratic primary, and the winner will face Republican incumbent Tom Barrett this fall. As part of Michigan Public's Election 2026 coverage, All Things Considered is featuring a series of interviews with all three Democratic candidates.

Candidate Bridget Brink spoke with All Things Considered host Rebecca Hector.

Rebecca Hector: What will your top three priorities be if you are elected?

Bridget Brink: First, I'd just like to say this fight is going to be about who will stand up to Trump and who will take on a broken Washington that works for corporate special interests while leaving Mid-Michigan families behind. And the truth is, I'm the only one who has stood up to Trump and will fight like hell to take on his chaos and corruption in Congress. My three priorities are the priorities of our district. First, making healthcare more affordable and accessible. Second, lowering skyrocketing costs that are affecting everyone in our district. And third, defending our democracy.

RH: Affordable Care Act premiums have increased significantly across the country this year. Costs of other health plans are also up. And then people also feel like those plans are covering less. So what, if anything, should Congress do differently to make health care affordable?

BB: First of all, we need to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies, which Tom Barrett voted against at the beginning of this year. Secondly, we need to reverse the cuts that happened with the big ugly bill last year. In our district alone, this will take 25,000 people off of Medicaid. We need to take on the insurance and the drug companies. We need to do all this and also create, I believe, a public option so that there's an affordable option on the marketplace for people to buy into who don't otherwise have insurance.

RH: Sticking with the affordability issue, people are worried about being able to find high quality, high paying work to pay for things. Do you have an example of legislation that you would propose or support to help bring and keep those kinds of jobs in the 7th District?

BB: We need to find ways where we're bringing back manufacturing and green technology and contributing to the economy of the future here. And we've got this amazing manufacturing base in Michigan, and we can use it. So we should do whatever we can to support good union paying jobs. And I think the key is working with local authorities, local businesses, and also with labor unions to do everything we can to bring back manufacturing here, and particularly in Mid-Michigan.

RH: One thing that we are seeing a lot of here in Michigan is AI companies wanting to move in and set up these data centers. Should the federal government change the way it regulates AI companies and data centers?

BB: My view is that local communities should be able to decide what's in their backyards, but they have to be able to do it with full transparency. I think part of the problem are these nondisclosure agreements which generate mistrust and concern, and rightfully so. I also believe anything coming in the community needs to mitigate any environmental impacts. And I believe that should data centers be proposed, that the corporations must be held fully accountable for all increases in costs. And finally, I'll just say that the total cost of all of this should be borne solely by the corporations.

RH: What about inflation? What should Congress's top priority be to bring down inflation and improve affordability?

BB: Well, one of the key things we're seeing out of President Trump and this administration is just chaos and corruption. And Tom Barrett, as our representative, as well as all the Republicans in Congress, are enabling this. This is one of the fundamental factors that underlies the economic instability that we're all feeling. And I'll give you a couple of examples. One, the reckless tariffs. These are even more reckless on our closest partner and our biggest trading partner for Michigan: Canada. Second thing, the war in Iran. Starting wars of choice is an enormous problem for us on many levels, including cost. And what that means for us is, number one, we are risking our most precious resource. That's our sons and daughters who are serving in uniform. Number two, the cost of this war. The last figure I saw was $28 billion. And number three, it's jacking up prices on everything, including at the pump, which is what we all see every single day.

RH: Another big theme with the current administration has been deportation. How should Congress respond to the administration's mass deportation efforts?

BB: Well, the way in which this is being conducted is completely against the law and, in my view, completely un-American. The way in which ICE has operated, not as an entity to protect Americans and protect us against transnational threats, this is something that we should all be extraordinarily worried about. So I believe we need to overhaul ICE. We also need to make sure that agents are not going on the streets and picking up people without proper rule of law and due process. People and American citizens are being killed and with no investigation, with no accountability. It's just completely unacceptable. We also need to improve our court processes. And finally, of course, we need to secure our border. This is an important element of our national security.

RH: Before we wrap up, is there anything else that you would like voters to know?

BB: I believe that if we want to change Washington, we have to change the kind of people that we're sending to Washington. This is a really tough race and a tough fight, but I'm no stranger to those. I've had to stand up to Putin in a war zone. I've had to fight cancer, and I've had to stand up to Trump. And in Congress, I'm going to fight like hell for mid Michigan and for the families that are here.

Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can play the full audio of this interview near the top of this page.

Today on Stateside, businessman Perry Johnson discussed his run for governor, in the Republican primary, with Morning Edition Host Doug Tribou.

Also on the show, have you ever wondered where Claude A.I. got its name? As we found out, its origin is close to home.

Then, we talked to Michigan Public’s Reporting Fellow Etai Smotrich-Barr, on how an Oakland County man's mental distress led to a suicide inside the county jail. Smotrich-Barr's story, published in the Detroit Free Press, also details how the man's family is seeking accountability.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The number is 988, with the option to text or call.

Plus, Third District Court of Appeals Judge Mark Boonstra is the author of three books, and in his spare time, also writes for a Substack. However, nowhere in his campaign financial disclosures does he mention those side hustles. So, is Judge Boonstra in compliance with the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct? Ben Solis, senior reporter for Michigan Advance, joined us to share his reporting.

And, in the latest edition of our On Hand podcast, we heard your Michigan cherry stories. In today’s episode we hear from a listener about the lessons in tenderness and abundance a forgotten cherry taught him. You can find that here.

GUESTS ON TODAY'S SHOW:

• Perry Johnson, Republican candidate for governor
• Etai Smotrich-Barr, freelance journalist
• Ben Solis, senior reporter for Michigan Advance
• Michelle Jokisch Polo, Stateside producer

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will be paid a lump sum of $7.14 million as part of his separation agreement with the university, according to a document obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

The school announced July 20 that it would buy out the remaining three years on Manuel's contract and he will step down at the end of 2026. Manuel agreed to step down following investigations into former football coach Sherrone Moore’s relationship with his executive assistant and a probe into the athletic department.

In addition to the payout, Manuel will receive former athletic director perks such as being eligible for tickets to Michigan games and having golf privileges. The university also agreed to make a $108,000 contribution to his retirement account and pay his attorney fees of $82,000.

Manuel agreed to remain employed by the university until he voluntary resigns Dec. 31, and his personnel record will reflect a resignation. He also agreed to not be an athletic director or senior athletic adviser for any Big Ten school for two years from the date of his resignation. Manuel is allowed to accept employment outside the Big Ten with no penalty.

The agreement was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The University of Michigan owns Michigan Public's broadcast license.

Welcome to Election Day!

Sort of. The calendar will tell you Election Day is actually November 3rd this year. But the primary comes first on Tuesday, August 4th.

People in Michigan have been able to cast their absentee ballots in the primary for weeks already, and early in-person primary voting officially started this weekend.

Maybe it’s less an Election Day and more an Election Season.

As a committed procrastinator, my personal tradition is still to vote in-person on the last day. I’m usually rushing to research my ballot the day before, or sometimes on the walk to my polling place.

But there’s no reason for you to wait. Here’s how you can get ready to vote, whenever you vote:

Are you registered to vote?

Always the first question to ask. You can check your voter registration status here. If you’re not registered yet, you still have time. In Michigan, you can register and vote during the same visit until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Get more information here.

What's on your ballot?

If you’re still not totally sure what’s on the ballot where you live, visit the Michigan Secretary of State’s Voter Information Center for the quickest answer.

Like a lot of election-related sites, it’s not super easy to navigate. You may want to track down extra information, like your voting precinct location (see next question), to help you out.

Where is your voting precinct?

Depending on how you look up your voter information on the Voter Information Center website, you may need to enter your precinct number to pull up a sample ballot.

Tip ➡️ There’s a way to avoid this by going directly to this link, submitting your info, and clicking on the “Ballot preview” button at the top.

You can also go online to look up your precinct number. Type your “[city name] + voting precinct,” into your favorite search bar and you should be able to find your way to a precinct map with the number.

Where do you vote early in-person?

If you want to vote early in-person, you can find your location options on the Michigan Secretary of State site. You can also usually find the information on your city or township clerk’s website.

Voting early in-person has similar requirements to voting on Election Day. You’ll be asked to show an ID, and if you don’t have one, you’ll have to sign a form.

Can you vote for both parties?

When it’s time to vote in the primary, you’ll have to choose a party: Democrat or Republican.

Michigan has an open primary system, so you don’t have to be registered with either party (or any party) to vote in its primary. You don’t even have to like the party. Just choose whichever one you want for whatever reason you want.

What about proposals at the bottom?

You may also see local proposals at the bottom of your ballot. These could include requests for sinking funds or operating millages for local schools, or funding for other local services. Proposals are different in every community, so look them up first on your sample ballot so you can research them ahead of time.

Need to research the issues and candidates?

It seems to me like there’s always a firehose of information around elections, and wading through it is not my idea of fun. If you avoid it until the last minute, trust me, you’re not alone. But, it’s also not that hard!

Even my 10-year-old daughter can explain it. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and have no idea who to vote for or need more answers, Michigan Public has resources! You can find our quick guide to what’s on the ballot.

We’ve also compiled all our 2026 Midterm election coverage in one place, so it’s easy to deep dive into interviews with statewide candidates and find the latest election news updates.

It’s definitely a lot to take in, even for regular political junkies who follow the news every day. But once you break it down and decide which candidates best represent your values, you’re ready!.

So, go ahead, enjoy your Election Day. Whichever day that happens to be for you.

And I’ll see you back here in two weeks, when we’ll dig into one of the questions many of you have been asking: How to research judge candidates?

Until next time,
Dustin Dwyer, Reporter

Producer's Corner

Have more midterm questions for Dustin to explore? Send them our way!

Michigan teens are facing challenges trying to secure entry-level work during the summer due to an increase in demand for entry-level job positions.

This summer, teen unemployment in Michigan reached 18 percent — up from the 13 percent in 2023, and well above the national average of nearly 15 percent, according to state and federal data.

Michigan’s teen unemployment rate mirrors the conditions of the overall labor market, said Wayne Rourke, Labor Market Information Director for Michigan’s Center for Data and Analytics.

“The overall rate of unemployment has also followed that similar trend," Rourke said. "So what teens are experiencing is similar to what the overall market is seeing as far as job demand and weakness throughout the years."

The decline may actually be a return to normal after higher than average hiring.

“Job demand was really, really high over the years following the pandemic," Rourke said. "There was a lot of demand for a lot of workers that went down for a few years, but it appears to be coming up in the last year."

Jobs such as retail workers, supply stockers, counter workers, and fast food workers are in the highest demand.

Despite the recent change, experts predict job growth in general will remain relatively stable for the next several years. Change isn't expected until the baby boomer generation begins reaching retirement age.

“Our population is shifting and getting older," Rourke said. "So there’s a lot of baby boomers aging into that retirement age. So there’s going to be a lot of demand for workers in the coming years, which I would hope would make it easier for folks to get jobs as people age into their retirement age and move out of the workforce."

And there’s another contributing factor, Rourke said, due to declining birth rates.

“Right now," he said, "It looks like our labor force is going to continue to shrink.”

President Donald Trump plans to tout his handling of the economy during a visit to suburban Detroit on Monday, defending sweeping tariffs in a swing state where their effects have hurt many businesses as midterm election season heats up.

Trump is visiting a General Motors facility in Milford, home to tracks and proving grounds for new models and vehicles. Early voting is underway for Michigan's Aug. 4 primary, which features fierce nomination fights in both major political parties.

Republican Mike Rogers is unopposed in the Senate primary, but the GOP gubernatorial contest pits Trump-backed Rep. John James against Perry Johnson, a businessman turned politician who has launched unsuccessful campaigns before, including for president in 2024.

Johnson is now trying to style himself in the president's mold — despite missing out on his endorsement. He's even holding a "Trump Tailgate” outside the president's GM event.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Senate primary between Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed has drawn national attention for the right to face Rogers, who was narrowly defeated by Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin in 2024.

Trump's new Canada tariffs could hurt Michigan

Michigan was one of the 2024 battlegrounds Trump flipped after it backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. But the state has also seen parts of its economy affected by the president's tariffs, including on imported cars and auto parts.

A new round of steep import levies is taking effect on dozens of U.S. trading partners. But Trump has singled out Canada with tariffs as high as 50% on a wide array of its products, including cars.

The president is visiting Oakland County, which encompasses much of Detroit's northern suburbs. Once a Republican stronghold, it has increasingly leaned Democratic, backing Biden against Trump in 2020 and Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump four years later.

The White House says Trump will talk up having generated manufacturing jobs and foreign investment in the U.S. while making the case that his policies and leadership have boosted the auto industry.

“The President pledged to put Michigan workers back to work, and he’s doing it,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement.

Michigan's economy relies heavily on Canada, however, meaning the new tariffs — coupled with inflation still running high and gas prices rising again as the already unpopular war in Iran escalates — have created additional economic concerns statewide.

Those come at a time when voters across the country were already increasingly dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the economy.

Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party who tried unsuccessfully to distance it from Trump's “Make America Great Again” movement in 2021, said that more than coinciding with his new round of tariffs, Trump's visit is a function of Michigan's relatively late primary and is meant to ensure that James secures the nomination.

But Roe also predicted that it was a risk for the president to tie himself too closely to top Republicans ahead of the general election, calling it “kryptonite to November voters.”

Trump, who won the White House on a promise to lower the cost of living, also has seen his approval ratings sag, meaning kitchen table issues could be a liability for Republicans trying to hold control of Congress after Election Day on Nov. 3.

“We’re happy to have the president here, campaigning with Republicans. We think it highlights the fact that the only thing they care about is Donald Trump and refuse to stand up to him," said Curtis Hertel, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. "It’s good for us every time the president is here because he’s incredibly unpopular.”

The US and Canada have squabbled over a new border bridge

The Supreme Court struck down many of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, but his administration has tried to find ways around that, including by arguing that he can impose them on Canada because that country is discriminating against American exports of products including automobiles.

But Trump’s latest round of tariffs came after he voiced frustration with Canada for having retaliated and imposed its own levies on U.S. imports in response to Trump’s initial tariffs last year. Trump launched the first round after alleging Canada should do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

It is Trump's third trip to Michigan in his second term.

In January, he visited a Ford plant in Dearborn and addressed the Detroit Economic Club, offering a defense of tariffs even as auto industry leaders blamed them for increasing the cost of doing business. The outcry is part of the reason Trump extended rebates to domestic car companies on some tariffs on imported auto parts.

The president marked his second term's first 100 days with a rally in Warren, where he mostly mentioned grievances left over from the 2024 campaign, even scoffing at what Biden might look like in a bathing suit.

His latest visit coincides with tensions between his administration and Canada that have marred the opening of a new bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.

Canada on Friday held its own event hailing the opening of the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge instead of a planned celebration with officials in the U.S. after Trump announced the new Canadian tariffs.

An earlier, joint ceremony had been set for June but was scrapped after Trump suggested the U.S. wanted a “better” deal on the bridge it co-owns with Canada.

That eventually led to an agreement on splitting tolls that was supposed to allow for the rescheduled joint U.S.-Canada celebration — until the new tariffs derailed that, too.

Detroit resident Deanne Austin doesn’t drive. So, when she got a manufacturing job in Livonia, she knew it wouldn't be easy getting there.

Austin ended up taking three buses each way, and needing to rely on family members and rideshare services when a bus wasn’t available.

“I spent the majority of my day getting to work,” Austin said.

She worked there for eight years. But, even after leaving, she couldn't shake the feeling that she deserved to live in a community where she could get where she wanted to go without driving.

“I was always encouraged to move out of Michigan,” Austin said. “But I think we just can't just live in Michigan, we need to be able to thrive. When you offer better transportation, it's a lifeline to so many different people.”

Part of the reason that journey was so difficult is because Livonia is one of 17 communities in Wayne County that have opted-out of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) bus system — making a direct bus impossible.

That could all change this August, when the entire county will vote on the Wayne County Public Transportation Millage on their primary ballots.

Opting out is not an option anymore. The Michigan Legislature removed the long-standing opt-out rule in 2024, meaning if the millage passes, some suburbs will be taxed for transit service for the first time. SMART says it would use the money to expand service into previous opt-out areas and fund specialized connector programs tailored for seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

But if it fails, SMART could lose the revenue needed to maintain current operations in the county.

The millage would be levied at a maximum rate of 0.9831 mills for a period of 10 years beginning with the 2026 tax year and ending with the 2035 tax year. That translates to about $8 a month for a home with a market value of $200,000 ($100,000 in taxable value). It would replace an expiring millage and is estimated to raise about $57.6 million in the first year.

“We are all one broken axle away from not being able to drive.” 

A century ago, an electric streetcar network connected Detroit to Ann Arbor, Pontiac, and dozens of towns in between. As the automotive industry and urban sprawl boomed, the system was dismantled by the 1930s. The region has been stitching transit back together ever since.

The Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) was formed in 1967 to take over the financially strapped suburban mass transit services in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties, including the City of Detroit.

Detroit reorganized its own public transit system — the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) — and broke off from SEMTA in 1974. DDOT would receive the portion of millage dollars collected in Detroit.

SEMTA was restructured as SMART in 1989.

Oakland and Macomb counties do not currently allow opting-out of SMART. Besides Detroit, the following Wayne County communities have opted out of the system:

• Belleville
• Brownstown Township
• Canton
• Flat Rock
• Gibraltar
• Grosse Ile Township
• Huron Township
• Livonia
• Northville
• Northville Township
• Plymouth
• Plymouth Township
• Rockwood
• Sumpter Township
• Van Buren Township
• Woodhaven

Megan Owens, Transportation Riders United executive director, says public transportation access helps everyone.

"You may not personally use transit, but you depend on someone who does,” Owens said. “Your kids' daycare worker, the chef at your favorite restaurant, the nurse in the ER. The janitor at your work. Maybe it's the older lady down the street who's crashed into your mailbox one too many times."

Owens said “we're all one broken axle or one broken foot away from not being able to drive,” and that even if people don't currently use public transportation, they never know when they might need it.

"What seems weird to me is that we've ever allowed opt-outs,” Owens said. “You don't get to opt out of a highway going through your community. You don't opt out of public schools, or public libraries, or public parks."

Opposition grows

Not everyone is on board. A group called Not SMART Wayne, led by Matthew Wilk, says the tax would be a waste of money.

Wilk contends that low ridership — SMART buses average just 3.9 riders, according to 2024 filing — means the buses aren't delivering congestion, environmental, or road-wear benefits.

"Our best advertisement against this tax is buses driving around town — because they drive around empty,” Wilk said.

He said SMART doesn't have an incentive to operate efficiently because it is so heavily subsidized — and that the public has grown weary of paying because of recent inflation and rising costs.

“We're hearing from a lot of people, it's really not a right-left issue. It's on both sides of the aisle issue – people do not want to be taxed this year,” Wilk said. “That’s not to say that public transportation is not necessary. We feel that it just has to be done right.”

Not SMART Wayne has also explored legal routes to stop the millage. The group filed a lawsuit, arguing that the Wayne County Transit Authority didn't properly provide notice of a March 19 meeting where ballot language was approved and used unclear ballot language. It was ultimately dismissed.

The organization also filed a campaign finance complaint alleging county officials improperly partnered with Transportation Riders United at a June informational event. A Wayne County spokesperson told The Detroit News that it followed all applicable laws.

Austin said the vote is personal — a chance to spare someone else the eight years of three-bus commutes she lived through. But she also hopes it changes who people picture when they think about transit.

“Who rides the bus?” Austin said. “They say poor people or Black people ride the bus, and now that that's changing, people realize that there's so many people of different nationalities and ethnicities that need to get around. This is a human, layered piece.”

The next U.S. senator from Michigan could shift the national balance of power between the political parties.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Congresswoman Haley Stevens are fighting to be the Democratic party's nominee against Mike Rogers in the upcoming U.S. Senate race.

Before you vote in the Aug. 4 primary, here's what you need to know about where these two stand on immigration enforcement, healthcare affordability and data center projects.

Immigration enforcement has dramatically increased under the second Donald Trump administration. Thousands of people living in Michigan have been arrested and hundreds more have been detained here from other states.

The next U.S. senator could cast a vote or propose legislation to reshape the federal government's approach.

Politicians sometimes share incorrect information. Get the facts about immigration enforcement here.

Affordable Care Act premiums increased significantly across the country this year. Costs of other health plans are also up, while a lot of people feel like those plans are covering less.

The next U.S. senator could use their vote to change the way you pay for your next doctor's visit.

Politicians sometimes share incorrect information. Get the facts about healthcare here.

Data centers have quickly become a big deal in Michigan. People, companies and officials across the state have been embroiled in bitter debates over where they get built.

The next U.S. senator will likely have the opportunity to vote on or propose federal regulations for data centers.

Politicians sometimes share incorrect information. Get the facts about data centers here.

Watch full interviews with both candidates below:

Note: Michigan Public reached out to former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is running on the Republican ticket. If he accepts an interview request, we’ll bring you his positions and that conversation as well.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has weighed in with an endorsement in the hotly contested Democratic primary race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat as early in-person voting begins Saturday and absentee ballots are out.

Whitmer’s endorsement of U.S. Representative Haley Stevens came just days after inveighing against the increasingly harsh tone of the primary campaign and warning it could cost her party a must-win open seat if Democrats are to take the Senate majority next year.

Whitmer cited Stevens’ record in Congress and her work on the Obama administration’s auto rescue task force as the primary reasons behind her endorsement.

“She knows what Michigan families are going through and that’s how I know she will always put Michigan first,” she said in a video posted to X by the Stevens campaign.

Whitmer joins other prominent state Democratic elected officials who say Stevens is the stronger Democrat to face former Republican U.S. Representative Mike Rogers.

Former health official Abdul El-Sayed has never held an elected office and is a progressive favorite. He ran against Whitmer in her first gubernatorial primary. He is endorsed by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont), U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the United Auto Workers union.

The Senate primary campaign has played out largely as a contest between the Democratic Party’s center-left mainstream and its emerging progressive wing.

“The corporate establishment has closed ranks and made their pick,” said El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Roxie Richner about Whitmer's endorsement. "Now Michigan voters will get to make theirs.”

A bipartisan state elections board has certified the campaign to ban political donations from committees linked to utilities and public contractors. The Michigan Board of State Canvassers determined the campaign has gathered enough signatures from registered voters to move ahead.

The Michiganders for Money Out of Politics [MMOP] campaign faced a barrage of signature challenges that played out over a marathon hours-long meeting in Lansing. In the end, finding a single-digit margin of valid signatures, the Board certified the initiative by a 3-1 vote.

“What we have here today is the culmination of thousands of Michiganders, Michigan citizens, Republicans, Democrats and independents, exercising their constitutional and statutory right to reform their government,” said Michael Brady, an attorney for Michiganders for Money Out of Politics.

MMOP successfully fended off challenges to its signatures after a voluminous filing that nevertheless came in very close following a vetting of a random sample of signatures by the Michigan Bureau of Elections.

Gary Gordon is an attorney with Protect MI Free Speech, the business group opposing the initiative. He said the initiative campaign did a sloppy job of signature-gathering and did not leave the state enough time to check its work.

“The staff review of these petitions was truncated by the petitioners gaming the system,” he said. “They gamed the system by filing way more than the number of signatures they required, thereby increasing the burden on the staff, and they waited until the last minute.”

Both sides and the board engaged in a lengthy, painstaking review going over signature by signature on some petitions before the board reached its conclusion that the campaign cleared the 356,958-signature threshold.

The next step is for the initiative to go to the Legislature, which will have 40 days from when the initiative is received to approve it, reject it or ignore it. If the Legislature fails to approve the measure – which seems likely, given it's divided between a GOP-controlled House and a Senate led by Democrats – the question goes to the November ballot.

The initiative is gearing up for an election campaign, said MMOP co-chair Christy McGillivray.

“Today is proof that a people-powered movement can stand up to some of the most powerful special interests in Michigan,” she said. "Now we must continue to mobilize across the state because our opposition, backed by billion-dollar corporations, is going to do anything they can to stop us from holding them accountable and changing the way our politics work in Lansing.”

Michigan's 2026 primary election is August 4. In the state's 7th Congressional District, three candidates are running in the Democratic primary, and the winner will face Republican incumbent Tom Barrett this fall. As part of Michigan Public's Election 2026 coverage, All Things Considered is featuring a series of interviews with all three Democratic candidates.

Candidate William Lawrence spoke with All Things Considered host Rebecca Hector.

Rebecca Hector: What will your top three priorities be if you are elected?

William Lawrence: Top three priorities are to stop these stupid wars we're fighting around the world, including the war in Iran, including our arming and abetting of the genocide that Israel is committing in Gaza. My second priority is to put a pause on AI data centers coming into the 7th District through a federal moratorium on new data center construction. And my third priority is to tackle the cost of living and deliver economic security for the people of Michigan by fighting for Medicare for all. I'm also going to fight for good quality, affordable housing for everybody.

RH: One thing we are hearing a lot from people is that they're worried about their ability to find high quality, high paying work. Do you have an example of legislation that you would propose or support to help bring and keep those kinds of jobs in the 7th District?

WL: Certainly. We know that the highest quality jobs with the best wages and the most job security are union jobs, because a union supports workers to bargain collectively to get our fair share. In the United States Congress, I will work to pass the PRO Act, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which makes it easier for every worker to form a union by making it illegal for the bosses to be fighting back and busting the unions.

RH: I think you touched on this a bit in your priority list, but Affordable Care Act premiums increased significantly across the country this year. Costs of other health plans are also up, and people feel like those plans are covering less. So what, if anything, should Congress do differently to make health care affordable?

WL: Tom Barrett voted to undermine the Affordable Care Act. And that is why all of our premiums are rising, because they cut out the subsidies that were going to help support our health coverage. He also voted to kick 700,000 Michiganders off of Medicaid. People are suffering because of the cost of not just the premiums, but also the deductibles and co-pays. This is happening because the health insurance system is delivering massive profits to a small number of investors and executives at these health insurance companies. That's why I support Medicare for all, which will allow all of us to have high quality health insurance coverage and will also give us the security of knowing that our kids and our grandkids will get that same deal.

RH: Something else that you already touched on a little bit: should the federal government change the way it regulates AI companies and data centers?

WL: Right now, there's no regulation at all that is protecting people. I mean, the story normally goes like this. I hear the billionaires, the Silicon Valley companies, their lobbyists and their PR agents, they come into town, they sign the township officials to non-disclosure agreements, and then they come forward to the public and say, this is a great deal, everybody. Just trust us. And people say, well, you've signed these non-disclosure agreements. You have a track record of misrepresenting and making false promises. Why would we trust you? And then usually the next step is threats and intimidation. So asking local communities to fight back on their own is not realistic. That's why we need a federal moratorium on new data centers, so that we can all have a society-wide dialogue about what are the appropriate regulations to ensure that if these data centers are built, it is for the benefit of all of our people, rather than just a few billionaires in Silicon Valley.

RH: I want to jump over to inflation. What do you think Congress's top priority should be to bring down inflation and improve affordability?

WL: When I talk about the economy, my big focus is on the concept of security. Economic security, which is not just being able to afford things now, but having confidence that we'll be able to afford them in the future. The first thing we got to do is we've got to end this ridiculous and disastrous war in Iran, which has caused the gas prices to go through the roof. It's also caused fertilizer prices to increase, and that is filtering through the entire economy and is especially showing up in the cost of groceries. But we also have to recognize that mega corporations are taking advantage of the economic environment to raise prices and deliver record profits to their investors. We need to make it illegal to engage in that kind of price gouging.

RH: One thing that has been a theme throughout the current administration is these mass deportation efforts that we are seeing. How do you think Congress should respond to that?

WL: I can't think of anything more un-American than masked unidentified agents in American cities, kidnapping people and throwing them into unmarked vans. We need to restore the rule of law, because right now, the immigration enforcement regime under Trump is completely lawless and it's unconstitutional. So we need to restore the rule of law and stop separating families, which is absolutely inhumane.

RH: Is there anything else that you would like voters to know?

WL: I'm proud to have been raised in Lansing, East Lansing, live in Lansing now. I've spent most of my life here in this district, and I've won at the federal level and at the state level to pass policy to help working families here in Michigan. Now, I'm very excited to represent your interests and serve all of us as your next representative in Congress.

Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can play the full audio of this interview near the top of this page.