The August primary is just about a week away with Michigan campaigns kicking into high gear to court undecided voters.
Early voting is underway, and hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have already cast their absentee ballots.
The two most high-profile statewide races are the Republican gubernatorial primary and the Democratic race for the state's open U.S. Senate seat.
Congressman John James and businessman Perry Johnson are looking to become the state's next leader. James has an endorsement from President Donald Trump, and Johnson is spending tens of millions of dollars of his own money to campaign. Trump is rallying with James Monday afternoon.
WKAR's Senior Capitol Correspondent Rick Pluta says the results of the race might indicate the impact of the president in Michigan politics.
"In terms of the primary, it will tell us something about how the Republican base views the president and his endorsements."
On the Democratic side, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running against Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the gubernatorial primary.
Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat has gained widespread national attention in recent weeks. Former Wayne County health official and Congresswoman Haley Stevens are going head to head in what some see as battle between the party's progressive and moderate wings.
El-Sayed recently campaigned with national progressive leaders Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Stevens picked up an endorsement from Governor Gretchen Whitmer Friday.
They meet in a final debate Monday night.
"We are going to see how these factions, these forces, play out in the primary, and then afterwards, whether or not the Democratic coalition can get past those differences and come together heading into the general election," Pluta said.
Whoever comes out on top will face Republican Mike Rogers in November.
The federal Department of Justice has said it will send election monitors to Detroit, East Lansing and Lansing for the primary. The move comes as the Trump Administration continues to call into question previous election results with little evidence while pushing to, in some way, nationalize elections.
Pluta says while election monitors are not uncommon, there are concerns about this kind of oversight.
"The fear here on the part of the Secretary of State's office, election officials, and Democrats is that this is a practice run for the November general election, where there is concern that the Trump administration will use federal power to somehow try and skew the results, and create a crisis in terms of which ballots are being counted, whether or not precincts in, you know, urban, Democratic districts will be targeted," he explained.
"There's just a lot of skepticism surrounding whether or not this is about fair elections or whether this is about trying to skew the results by casting doubt on the elections."
The primary is August 4.
Interview Highlights
On President Trump's role among Michigan Republicans
In terms of the primary, it will tell us something about how the Republican base views the president and his endorsements. If they accept his slate of candidates, which is John James in the gubernatorial primary, and he basically cleared the field on on the Senate side by endorsing Mike Rogers, and that kind of pushed everyone else out. We will see if that dynamic plays out with voter loyalty in the primary.
On the final debate between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for the state's U.S. race
It's a minority of voters who actually watch the debates, so it's going to be influenced more by the coverage and the ads that come out of it. You know, Haley Stevens has a lot of money that's being spent on her behalf by outside groups, and Abdul El-Sayed, who is still the leader in just his campaign fundraiser, is trying to make hay out of that. That, again, stark relief that you know the establishment versus the progressive insurgency in the Democratic coalition, and I think that will be placed prominently on display in the debate.
On election monitors being sent to East Lansing, Lansing and Detroit from the Department of Justice
Certainly, election monitors are used regularly in primary and general elections. The fear here on the part of the Secretary of State's office, election officials, and Democrats is that this is a practice run for the November general election, where there is concern that the Trump administration will use federal power to somehow try and skew the results, and create a crisis in terms of which ballots are being counted, whether or not precincts in, you know, urban, Democratic districts will be targeted. That there's just a lot of skepticism surrounding whether or not this is about fair elections or whether this is about trying to skew the results by casting doubt on the elections.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: The August primary is just about a week away with campaigns kicking into high gear to court undecided voters.
Early voting is underway, and hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have already cast their absentee ballots.
Here to break down the upcoming week in politics is Senior Capitol Correspondent Rick Pluta. Thank you for joining us.
Rick Pluta: Hi, Sophia.
Saliby: I think there are two big statewide races people are watching with this primary. Let's start with the Republican gubernatorial candidates. We have John James and Perry Johnson left in the race.
It's Monday morning when we're talking. We're speaking a few hours before President Trump is set to rally outside Detroit. What role has he played in the race?
Pluta: Well, first of all, he has endorsed John James, which is a big deal in a Republican primary where the Republican base is still very, very loyal to the president.
Perry Johnson, whose campaign is basically being funded by Perry Johnson, he's a very wealthy man, says that you know sometimes the president gets it wrong that he is in fact very loyal and would be a Trump supporter as well, you know, if he wins the nomination and if he is elected. So, he's sort of trying to to put that on, you know, on the shelf.
Saliby: What will the results of this race say about Michigan's Republican Party in 2026?
Pluta: Well, in terms of the primary, it will tell us something about how the Republican base views the president and his endorsements.
If they accept his slate of candidates, which is John James in the gubernatorial primary, and he basically cleared the field on the Senate side by endorsing Mike Rogers and that kind of pushed everyone else out. We will see if that dynamic plays out with voter loyalty in the primary.
Saliby: Turning to the Senate, we also have this Democratic primary for the open seat with Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed locked in a close race.
It's gotten national coverage for being a battle between the progressive and moderate sides of the Democratic party. We had a big endorsement Friday. Could you catch us up?
Pluta: It seemed like Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who, as the top Democrat in the state, is also basically the leader of the Democratic Party, endorsing Haley Stephens, saying that she's got the record in Congress, that she has a record about working in the Obama administration on the auto rescue package, and so Whitmer said that that's the way to go. And I don't think it changes things so much as it places in stark relief where the candidates stand on this.
That yes, that Governor Whitmer has endorsed Haley Stevens, but Abdul El-Sayed has AOC, has Bernie Sanders, has the backing of the United Auto Workers Union, which is typically a huge deal in a Democratic primary. And so, we are going to see how these factions, these forces, play out in the primary, and then afterwards, whether or not the Democratic coalition can get past those differences and come together heading into the general election.
Saliby: We also have a debate coming up tonight between these two candidates. Is that going to be a deciding factor for a lot of voters?
Pluta: It's a minority of voters who actually watch the debates, so it's going to be influenced more by the coverage and the ads that come out of it. You know, Haley Stevens has a lot of money that's being spent on her behalf by outside groups, and Abdul El-Sayed, who is still the leader in just his campaign fundraiser, is trying to make hay out of that.
That, again, stark relief that you know the establishment versus the progressive insurgency in the Democratic coalition, and I think that will be placed prominently on display in the debate. We will be able to talk later about whether or not I got that right.
Saliby: The Department of Justice has said it will send election monitors to Detroit, East Lansing and Lansing next week. Do you think the federal government could use this as an opportunity to get more involved with oversight in the November elections?
Pluta: That is obviously the concern. Certainly, election monitors are used regularly in primary and general elections. The fear here on the part of the Secretary of State's office, election officials, and Democrats is that this is a practice run for the November general election, where there is concern that the Trump administration will use federal power to somehow try and skew the results, and create a crisis in terms of which ballots are being counted, whether or not precincts in, you know, urban, Democratic districts will be targeted.
That there's just a lot of skepticism surrounding whether or not this is about fair elections or whether this is about trying to skew the results by casting doubt on the elections.
Saliby: Rick Pluta is our senior capital correspondent. Thank you for joining us.
Pluta: Always glad to do it, Sophia.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
