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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

Election day is five days away.

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.

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.

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."

Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson has personally donated all but $125 to his $30 million campaign, according to a state filing released this afternoon.

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.

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.

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.

The Secretary of State is showing that nine people filed petitions to get on the ballot to run as independents before the 4 p.m. deadline Thursday, including some established political names.

Former State Rep. Sara Cambensy turned in 2,349 signatures to the Richard H. Austin building Thursday in Lansing to be able to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as an independent in the Michigan 38th Senate District.

The former Michigan Conservative Union president, running for term-limited Sen. Rick Outman (R-Six Lakes)'s seat, claims a state police secretary tried to intimidate homeowners into removing his campaign signs.

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) and Abdul El-Sayed debated at the WOOD TV 8 studio where it turned into a verbal brawl, but both U.S. Senate candidates refused to address the schism in the party.

Oakland County Judge Michael Warren perhaps made political history Tuesday, earning both the Libertarian and Republican parties’ nomination for the Michigan Supreme Court (MSC).

As Anthony Hudson enters the gubernatorial race this week as the Libertarian Party nominee, MIRS reviewed every Michigan governor's race since statehood to see what impact third-party candidates have had.