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Research Service Inc.


Sheriff Leaf Has New Allegations About Noncitizens Voting
Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who maintains there was voter fraud in the 2020 election, has new allegations, claiming in a video that a confidential informant provided him with “evidence” of non-citizens voting.
5 hours ago1 min read


Hornberger Positioned To Replace DeBoyer On House Ballot
Former House Speaker Pro Tem Pamela Hornberger said Tuesday she wants to replace Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay) as the Republican nominee in the 63rd House District after he was tapped as gubernatorial nominee John James’ running mate. At least one GOP source told MIRS she may have already locked it up.
1 day ago2 min read


Can Dems Make Interlochen, Alleged Sexual Abuse Issue In Gov Race?
Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing) wasted little time turning Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay)'s selection as the Republican lieutenant governor nominee into another front in their months-long fight over allegations of sexual abuse at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.
2 days ago3 min read


Bureau Staff: Citizen Voting Petition 11,775 Signatures Short
A proposed constitutional amendment requiring Michigan voters to prove their U.S. citizenship before voting appears headed for rejection after Bureau of Elections staff Monday concluded the petition drive fell an estimated 11,775 valid signatures short of qualifying for the November ballot.
2 days ago3 min read


Top 5 Senate Seats Most Likely To Flip
The playing field isn't exactly large in the Senate. Realistically, the best Democrats can hope for is to hold their two vulnerable seats and win four more to move them from 20 to 24.
6 days ago4 min read


Lawrence Not Hiding From 13-Year-Old Felony Case
William Lawrence, the new Democrats' 7th Congressional nominee, has a felony on this record stemming from a 2013 protest at an Enbridge Energy pipeline work site. And he hasn't shied away from talking about it.
Aug 123 min read


Pundit Monday: A Look At Lt. Governor Names, Potential Spoilers, Attacks On El-Sayed
The first MIRS Pundit Monday after the primary election has four Michigan pundits answering the questions front of mind now about who makes the most sense as picks for gubernatorial running mates, among other questions.
Aug 116 min read


Did Trump-Backed Candidate's Islamic Name Led To Surprise Loss?
Thomas Smith, who defeated the Trump-endorsed candidate in the 8th U.S. House district after suspending his campaign on July 16, participated in Wednesday’s "Unity Luncheon" as the Republican nominee for the seat. However, he did not want to talk to MIRS about his surprise victory.
Aug 65 min read


If Primary Turnout Were General Election Votes, Dems Would Take House 74-36
More than 61% of Michigan voters who cast partisan ballots in Tuesday’s August primary chose the Democratic ballot, an enthusiasm advantage that appeared from the top of the ticket down to legislative races.
Aug 63 min read


DOJ Monitors Polling Sites In 4 Michigan Cities
The U.S. Department of Justice kept its promise Tuesday to monitor polling sites in four Michigan cities “to ensure transparency, ballot security and compliance with federal law.”
Aug 52 min read


Grebner Raises Primary Turnout Forecast, Projects 55% Of Ballots Have Been Turned In
More than 1.2 million Michigan voters have already cast ballots in Tuesday's primary, prompting longtime elections analyst Mark Grebner to raise his projected turnout to between 2.2 million and 2.3 million voters.
Aug 42 min read


Utility PAC Spending Falls As Political Scrutiny Rises
Michigan's two largest utility political action committees (PAC) spent less ahead of this year's August primary than they did during the same period in any of the previous three midterm election cycles, according to a MIRS review of campaign finance records.
Aug 43 min read


Testy Three State Legislative Primaries To Watch Next Week
Election day is five days away.
Jul 316 min read


Stevens Leans Into Calling Herself A 'Geek'
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) is leaning into her self-described “geek” persona in the final week of a primary in which she trails Abdul El-Sayed by double digits.
Jul 303 min read


Buttigieg: Democratic Primaries Should Be ‘Contest Of Ideas, Not Personalities’
Pete Buttigieg said Democrats competing in primaries must do more than denounce Republicans or attack factions within their own party. Instead, they should offer voters an affirmative vision, pointing to Michigan’s “very spirited” primary and the limited time Democrats will have to reunite afterward.
Jul 307 min read


18,953 Absentee Ballots Have Been Spoiled For Primaries, Will They Make A Difference?
As of this afternoon, 18,953 absentee ballots have been spoiled for the August primary election. The Secretary of State's office notes that they're not all tied to the several candidates who've suspended their campaigns, as "people spoil for a bunch of reasons."
Jul 273 min read


Perry Johnson Bankrolls All But $125 Of His $30M Campaign
Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson has personally donated all but $125 to his $30 million campaign, according to a state filing released this afternoon.
Jul 272 min read


James Turns To Public Financing For GOP Primary
Republican gubernatorial candidate John James has made at least two requests for public funding worth a combined $387,000, according to Bureau of Elections filings released this week.
Jul 232 min read


40% Of Likely Primary Voters Estimated To Have Voted
With two weeks left before the Aug. 4 primary, nearly 40% of expected voters have already filled out a ballot, including some still in the mail or received but not processed yet by local clerks, projected Mark Grebner of Practical Political Data Tuesday afternoon.
Jul 222 min read


Michigan's U.S. Senate Primary Reaching Record-Breaking Territory
Michigan's contentious U.S. Senate primary is, as of today, the second-most expensive Democratic senatorial race in U.S. history and is now $6 million away from being No. 1 with two weeks to go before the Aug. 4 primary, according to research conducted by AdImpact.
Jul 213 min read
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