MichMash Politics

A voter citizenship proposal that aims to have voters show proof of citizenship in Michigan was presented at a committee hearing in the state House this week. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Alethia Kasben discuss the partisan divide this proposal has caused.

Plus, Michigan Secretary of State and 2026 gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson stops by to share her thoughts on the proposal. She explains how Michigan already evaluates citizenship at registration. Benson also details why she decided to run for Michigan's governor. 

After some compromise, the Michigan Legislature passes a revised version of the minimum wage/sick leave laws late Thursday. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Alethia Kasben discuss what this means moving forward. Plus, Kasben spoke with Michigan House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township) about the committee's policy plans.

Today's episode of MichMash will be delayed until 4:00pm on February 21st to give you the most up-to-date reporting on what's going on at the state capitol in regards to the minimum wage bill. Tuen in this afternoon to check out the brand new MichMash for the week. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer coined the phrase "Fix the damn roads" while on the campaign trail in 2018. But as she reaches the end of her term, how does the governor plan on getting the job done? This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service's Alethia Kasben and Zach Gorchow break down a comprehensive plan introduced by the governor's office this week.

Also, Alethia sits down with Attorney General Dana Nessel to discuss the halt to President Donald Trump's federal employee "buyout" offer.

Budget season is here, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer has put forth a $83.5 billion dollar proposal that targets environmental measures, mental health, a tax on vapes and more. MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Alethia Kasben sit down with Bridge Michigan's deputy editor Jonathan Oosting to discuss what is likely to pass as the budget goes through sub committees.

Many in Washington and across the state of Michigan were shocked by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters' announcement this week that he will retire from Congress when his term ends in January 2027. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow discuss who could possibly fill the vacant seat. Plus, Detroit Mayor and Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan joins the show to share more about his decision to run for governor as an independent.

The GOP-led Michigan House passed two bills this week to curb some of the changes to the state's minimum wage and paid sick leave laws set to take effect next month following a Supreme Court ruling. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow talk to Danielle Atkinson of Mothering Justice and state Rep. Bill Schuette (R-Midland) about the general support and opposition towards the change.

Roth and Gorchow also discuss Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's entry into the 2026 gubernatorial race.

This week on MichMash, Executive Director of The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Kimberly Bezy sits down with host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow to discuss the intricacies of auto insurance in the state and the organization's unique relationship to state government.

The state's 103rd Legislative session began on Wednesday, with Republicans taking the majority in the House of Representatives. But Democrats still hold a majority in the state Senate, requiring bipartisan efforts in the Legislature to get bills passed into law. This week, MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow discuss the first day back in session and some of the new legislative developments being drafted.
Then Zach Gorchow sits down with Rep Joseph Aragona to discuss the goals for this new legislature and the likelihood for bipartisanship.

The race for Detroit's mayor is already underway with some candidates declaring their bid to become the next leader for the Motor City. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow talk with the Detroit Free Press' Michael Elrick about the potential influences on the race. 

It's been a whirlwind of a year for politics in the mitten state. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow review some of the most surprising, most under-the-radar and biggest political stories of 2024. They also take a look ahead at 2024 to see what the year has in store. 

Today's episode of MichMash will be delayed until 4 p.m. on Dec. 20, to give you the most up-to-date reporting on what's going on at the state capitol. Tune in this afternoon to check out the brand new MichMash for the week — just in time for the holidays!

The final days of the current iteration of the Michigan Legislature are upon us as the Republican majority in the House begins in January. Education and the environment are two of the many topics circulating these legislative sessions. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sit down with Jane McCurry from Clean Fuels Michigan to discuss biofuels, carbon capture and electric vehicles. Then, they switch gears and chat with Chalkbeat's Hannah Dellinger about charter schools. Finally, Zach reports live from the Michigan State Capitol where ALL of these topics come together in this exciting, jam-packed episode.

The Michigan Legislature has been stagnant on expanding the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to cover the governor's office, and there isn't a clear explanation as to why. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sit down with Lisa McGraw, public affairs manager for the Michigan Press Association, to examine the status of the bills.

On this Thanksgiving episode of MichMash, we take a look at how the Michigan Legislature falls short in their oversight of government. Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sits down with Jim Townsend, the director of the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, to find out why. 

Now that the election is over, we are in lame duck session. This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow sits down with Detroit News reporter Beth LeBlanc. They discuss how Democrats will move forward after losing the majority in the Michigan House. 

President-elect Donald Trump won Michigan this week in what was expected to be a very close presidential election. As part of WDET’s weekly series MichMash, Zach Gorchow of Gongwer News Service speaks with Senior Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick about how the former President defied the experts, and secured a victory in Michigan on election night.

How do candidates feel as they get closer to election day? In this bonus episode from our Live in Lansing MichMash recording, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben talk with former speaker Jase Bolger and former minority leader Christine Greig. They discuss how each party is looking ahead of the election and the best way to connect with voters. 

As the election season comes to an end, both Democrats and Republicans are ramping up their messaging to reach out to voters. In a LIVE edition of our weekly series, MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss these matters at Urban Beat in Lansing, Michigan. They sit down with Andrea Bitely, founder of Bitely Communications, and Josh Hovey, partner at Martin Waymire, to discuss the strategy from both parties.

There have been some longstanding issues with staffing at the Michigan Department of Corrections that have been boiling over the last few months — with some calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to bring in the National Guard to help serve as a stopgap. MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Alethia Kasben sit down with State Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) to discuss the state of the department and what needs to be done to make things better. They also discuss voter turnout as we head into the general election. 

Michigan Democrats currently have a trifecta in state government — with control of the state House of Representatives, Senate and governor's office. But as November approaches, questions about whether Democrats can maintain their two-seat Majority in the House loom. On this episode of MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service's Alethia Kasben and Zach Gorchow analyze which state House races could potentially tip the scale.