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Letter from the Editor Dear Reader,
Michigan voters have been flooded with advertising from Democrat Gary Peters and Republican John James in the past month or so. I counted four ads in a row for that U.S. Senate race on the evening news the other day. That barrage led me to ask our politics team at MLive.com if what I am seeing is unusual for an election cycle. It is. “The Peters-James race has been one of the few nationally where Republicans were hopeful of defeating a sitting Democratic senator, largely because this is a state where President Trump won in 2016,” said Malachi Barrett, who covers state and national politics for MLive.com. “I think there's been more emphasis on this race and more money coming in from national Republicans, because the idea that Democrats could flip the Senate back is kind of a reality right now.” That’s led to unprecedented spending on the Peters-James race – $100 million and counting as Nov. 3 nears. The previous Senate race, when James lost to incumbent Debbie Stabenow in 2018, saw $40 million in spending. That’s a measure of how important this race is seen in both parties’ fight to control the U.S. Senate, which has been in Republican hands since the 2014 midterm elections. I had Barrett, along with Khalil al-Hajal, an MLive editor who oversees our political coverage, on the Behind the Headlines podcast this week to talk about the Senate race in particular, and the electoral landscape in general heading into Nov. 3. The discussion is full of insights that come from MLive’s reporting and analysis of politics and public policy topics: The down-ballot effects of Joe Biden polling stronger than President Donald Trump; how the Black vote may be different than 2016; get-out-the-vote efforts in the Detroit area; and why James is growing in stature as a viable GOP candidate. “The (electoral) maps will still look the same,” said al-Hajal. “The only difference to me is James’ experience and the amount of money that his campaign has been raising. “And also, Joe Biden has some real vulnerabilities, particularly in Black communities that would normally vote straight-ticket Democrat. You can't go around and saying, ‘You're not Black if you don't vote for me.’ … I think there's been a willingness lately for Black leadership to not let the Democrats sort of get away with taking them for granted.”
“James has been slowly eating into Peters’ lead throughout the cycle. He hasn't led in any polls – except some polls done by the same pollster who was the only one to predict Trump's 2016 win in Michigan. So make of that would you will.” And what about that avalanche of TV ads in the Senate race? “Many of them have been misleading at best, or kind of outright lies at worst,” Barrett said. “In terms of taking it with a grain of salt, yeah, I would get your biggest spoon in the kitchen.” For a more straightforward look at where the candidates stand on the issues, turn to the Vote411 election guide that MLive has published in conjunction with the League of Women Voters. It is also available for free online at this link. The guide has links from the top of the ticket on down to local races in your community. Rather than hearing James allege that Peters skipped most of his Senate hearings, or Peters say that James will strip health care from people with pre-existing conditions, the Voter Guide lets you see their detailed positions on issues like immigration, the environment, social justice and so on. If you need information on ways to cast a ballot, figuring out your precinct or if you’re registered, about mail-in voting or other key questions, MLive has the answers in this handy guide. Last, bookmark MLive’s politics and elections page to stay abreast of breaking news, candidate appearances, voting information and of course results on Election Day and the days following, as election officials finish tallying and winners are announced.
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🎧 To listen to this week's episode of Behind the Headlines podcast on why MLive will not be endorsing a candidate, click here. To hear all the stories behind the stories, click here and subscribe to our Behind the Headlines podcast.
Editor's note: I value your feedback to my columns, story tips and your suggestions on how to improve our coverage. Let me know how MLive helps you, and how we can do better. Please feel free to reach out by emailing me at [email protected].
John Hiner Executive Editor Vice President of Content Mlive Media Group
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