Hi! You're reading the It's Just Politics newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the It's Just Politics podcast for all the political news you need each week.
Happiest of happy new years!
Maybe you’ve tried to ignore the political scene over the winter holidays. So, we’re here to help you catch up with what’s happening in 2026. Like last year, we are delivering no predictions, but rather the top five Michigan political stories we’re watching heading into this new year:
2026 elections
We are looking at an unprecedented ballot maelstrom this year with a sweep of top-of-the-ticket open elections leading with the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections. It’s not hyperbole to say that Michigan voters hold the balance of power both in Lansing and Washington in their hands this November. Michigan’s entire state House and state Senate are up for election, as well as every U.S. House seat (including some true toss-ups). Add in the open races for attorney general and secretary of state and 2026 is going to be an absolute doozy.
Con-Con
If the aforementioned races aren’t enough to captivate political junkies, voters in Michigan will also decide whether the state constitution should be rewritten. That’s because every 16 years, Michigan voters are asked whether they want to convene a new convention to rewrite the state constitution. Since the adoption of Michigan’s most recent constitution in 1963, voters rejected holding a “con-con” three times. But many are wondering if, in today’s political climate, this time will be different? At stake: all those amendments that voters have recently enshrined in the current constitution (independent redistricting, reproductive rights and term limits) would be up for reconsideration with a new convention.
Whitmer’s next act
Michigan governors typically don’t announce their plans for the future while they are still in office. But there is no way to put a dam up against the speculation and relentless scouring for hints and possibilities regarding Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s future plans. That includes, of course, the option of running for President in 2028. In the meantime, the Democratic governor has 12 months to cement her legacy, including fixing those roads, improving student literacy and dealing with whatever the economy throws her way.
The economy
While we’re on that topic, Michigan’s capricious economy often defies plans forged by the political class. Reliable data on the direction of the economy is more difficult to come by since the federal government shutdown kept the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from gathering employment data for three critical months. That information is not easily replicated. That said, the highly respected University of Michigan Research Seminar on Quantitative Economics determined economic growth has stalled headed into 2026 although falling short of a recession. The RSQE predicts growth returns in 2027, as a new governor is executing their economic strategy.
Court rulings
The Michigan Cannabis Industry Association is asking the judicial branch to strike down a new wholesale marijuana tax that took effect this week. The group representing marijuana businesses says the Legislature and Governor Gretchen Whitmer should not be allowed to sidestep the voter-approved recreational marijuana initiative that set up its own tax and regulation structure. The state argues the law is for funding roads and does not touch the language of the initiative. The cannabis industry says a victory for the state would create a template for lawmakers to subvert citizens’ constitutional power to use when state government is out of step with voters’ wishes. We’re waiting for this one to make its way up to the Michigan Supreme Court.
There’s also still the active lawsuit with roots in the 2023-24 session of the Legislature when Democrats were running the show. House Democrats failed to forward nine bills that were adopted by both chambers to Governor Gretchen Whitmer before Republicans took over in 2025. New GOP House Speaker Matt Hall ordered the House clerks to sit on the bills. Senate Democrats sued, arguing the Michigan Constitution requires all bills adopted by both chambers must go to the governor. Hall says he is not required to finish business the previous majority left undone. This case, too, could end up in front of the state’s highest court this year.
Which reminds us! There are two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court on the ballot this year as well. The races are nominally nonpartisan, but Michigan uses a quirky process that allows political parties to choose candidates for the court at nominating conventions, even though those nominees will appear on the nonpartisan portion of the ballot with no hint as to which party they represent. This process is so unique, it is known as the Michigan Method for choosing high court candidates.
Just one more story to watch this year!
________________________
Yours in political nerdiness,
Rick Pluta & Zoe Clark
Co-hosts, It’s Just Politics
________________________
