Pundit Monday: Mackinac Policy In National Politics Shadow

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 05/18/2026) Lansing will empty out next week for the annual week-long migration to Mackinac Island, prompting pundit questions about the theme and feel expected at the 2026 policy conference in the long shadow of national politics, as well as the chatter of changing who is — or isn't — elected in state politics.

The Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference will not include a gubernatorial debate this year, but many of the Republicans and Democrats running are expected to make an appearance. In 2025, the chamber threw its weight behind Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, prompting the first question for the four pundits.

Q. How does the Detroit Regional Chamber's endorsement of Mike Duggan change the vibe of next week's Mackinac conference, if at all?

Mario Morrow, Sr., of Mario Morrow and Associates: "Duggan is heading to the island as a serious force. Both sides are attacking him, and he's got everyone up in arms. You don't go after people in last place. The Mackinac conference is his event to lose and — knowing him like I do — I don't see him losing. The Democrats have been hitting him from the get-go, and with the GOP finally starting to lean in on the attacks. It's clear that he has momentum with everyone on the island. If other gubernatorial candidates decide not to participate in the conference in a meaningful way, that's on them and shows that they are scared of Duggan. All eyes are on Mike!"

Stephanie Van Koevering, of Resch Strategies: "The Chamber changed the vibe the moment it endorsed Mike Duggan more than a year before Election Day. Now it arrives at its own flagship conference with polling showing Duggan slipping in a three-way race despite enormous spending and institutional support. That creates an unusual dynamic where the Chamber isn't just convening the political conversation, but it has become part of the story itself. Mackinac is always part policy summit, part political family reunion, but this year there's also an unmistakable, 'How's that endorsement working out?' undertone hanging over the island."

Jimmy Greene, of Jimmy Greene and Associates: "I think it's a pretty good excuse for people who aren't well-prepared to suggest that the fix is in. Because of the endorsement of Duggan, you might have candidates on both sides of the aisle suggesting that there is a bias. I don't see that playing out at all. It'd be pretty feeble for somebody to suggest that the policy chamber is going to change as a result of that endorsement. At the end of the day, these guys and women all have to make a case for themselves, and so going into an environment like the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce is just another step to that."

Melissa Roy, Principal at Roy Public Affairs: "This is a smart political move for the Detroit Regional Chamber. It's also not the first time they've put their chips down early for a unique candidate (see 2010). The conference is its own beast. It's up to all candidates to make themselves stand out and be a part of — or drive — the vibe.”

The Detroit Regional Chamber selects a theme for their annual Mackinac Policy Conference and the panels ping-pong those ideas surrounding that theme, along with many other subjects. This year's theme centers around housing, education, talent and (the elephant in every room) artificial intelligence/data centers.

Q: The theme of this year's Chamber conference is "A quest for common ground." What is the common ground this year in a political atmosphere that's been marked by disruptive behavior?

Van Koevering: "The strongest areas of common ground in Michigan right now are economic concerns: workforce shortages, affordability pressures, trade uncertainty, and the need for long-term economic stability. Those are issues where business, labor, and policymakers still overlap. The challenge is that 'common ground' can easily become a slogan people nod at between cocktail receptions unless it's tied to real-world pressures families and employers are actually feeling. If the conference stays focused on pocketbook issues, the theme works. If it drifts into political branding, people will tune it out pretty quickly."

Greene: "I think the common ground is 'Let's move Michigan forward,' and I think this is where it's interesting to me, because to me, you only get there when you bring back civility and policy. Right now, this is a state caught up in politics. It used to be that we were local, and all politics were local and up. Unfortunately, we've become national and down, and, in particular, I mean that by the Republican Party, which I used to belong to. They've used a national platform to phrase or position what should be state and local policy, and that makes it tough to find a common ground. When you're talking about Michigan versus the rest of the country, you got one side of the party — and I'm not suggesting that the Democrats have it right either — which is quite frankly why I support Mayor Duggan. I do see common ground on both sides of that party. I think the only way when you talk about common ground moving forward is to find people who are far-left and far-right moving back toward at least a common ground called moderation."

Roy: "Common ground is found when Michigan leaders commit to showcasing our strengths rather than shouting about our flaws. Michiganders are naturally pessimistic, and we don't need our leaders to double down on our deficits. I'm looking for strength-based leadership on both sides of the aisle."

Morrow: "The common ground this year is political infighting. The Democrats are coming off their endorsement convention that saw them booing and showing open disrespect, and the Republicans are locked in a primary battle that isn't showing any signs of ending. The worst political behavior displayed in years. I think a lot of people would prefer the common ground to be people who are more focused on results rather than fighting. But mudslinging gets more eyeballs, so we're going to have a really messy summer. Everyone is out to destroy each other in the worst possible way."

The Mackinac Policy Conference this year won't just take place during the midterm election year, but also during a time when politics on the national stage looms large in the mind of everyone in the state.

Q: Has national politics overshadowed Michigan's governor race up to this point?

Greene: "The noise out of Washington is so loud, it has drowned out our gubernatorial politics. Every now and then we peek our head up, 'Oh yeah, that's right, Michigan,' as opposed to the national politics, but has it been overshadowed by war, inflation. All those things, quite frankly, do affect us on the state side, so it has overshadowed it. Yes, I would love to see each of the candidates get back to 'Michigan First.' I don't see many of them — I know this sounds biased — but other than Duggan. If you look at his comments, he doesn't even talk about Washington, he doesn't talk about Trump, he only talks about Michigan. The Democrats are talking about Trump, and the Republicans are talking about Trump, for two different reasons, mind you, but they're literally drowning out stateside politics in this quest to either get Trump support or to attack Trump."

Roy: "The general public doesn't pay close attention to any gubernatorial races until summer. There is significant attention on national primaries, particularly on GOP incumbents facing a Trump-endorsed challenger. I'm personally watching the Massie versus Gallrein primary."

Morrow: "The want-to-be progressive takeover of the Democratic Party, the brawl that's going on in the Michigan Senate race, combined with the reality of $5 gas is making the national political scene the defining issue in all the races. The incredibly active campaigns of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), Abdul El-Sayed and Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) are sucking all the air out of the room. The gubernatorial camps are going to have to find a way to break through. Right now, all eyes are on the Senate race."

Van Koevering: "National politics absolutely shapes the atmosphere around Michigan's gubernatorial race, but this race also has enough built-in drama to command attention on its own. An independent candidate backed by the Detroit Regional Chamber, crowded fields, and volatile polling create a uniquely Michigan political storyline. What national politics really does is shape the lens through which voters view everything else. At this point, even conversations about roads and workforce policy eventually end up orbiting around national partisan identity. Washington may not be on the ballot in Michigan, but it’s definitely riding shotgun."

Q: How likely is it that the Legislature passes a proposed constitutional amendment for the ballot that changes how major political parties nominate their Secretary of State and attorney general choices or make all university boards gubernatorial appointments?

Roy: "These issues are not exciting or compelling for voters. They poll horribly and don't seem relevant to the average family when gas is $5 per gallon, and eggs are $6 per carton."

Morrow: "Slim to none, even though it's a better way to select candidates. The two parties don’t want to give up power, and changing the way Secretary of State, Attorney General and board candidates are put into power would drastically reduce the power of the two parties."

Van Koevering: "These constitutional amendment ideas generate a lot of discussion at Mackinac every cycle, but discussion and legislative momentum are two very different things. Changing how Attorney General and Secretary of State candidates are nominated, or restructuring university boards into gubernatorial appointments, would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers to reach the ballot. That’s an exceptionally high bar in a divided and politically cautious Legislature. Right now, these ideas are closer to Mackinac porch-conversation material than imminent constitutional reform.”

Greene: "Extremely unlikely, and it goes back to your question about common ground, of which we have none. That would require massive common ground, and I certainly don't see that happening."