Early voting begins tomorrow, October 24. Know your plan.

Help a friend.

Spread the word.

Any questions?

Click the link:

VOTER INFO —>

REMINDER - Antrim Dems are distributing yard signs on Mondays from 11:00 to 12:30 at this location in Shanty Creek. Go to the intersection of M-88 and Del Mason Rd. About half a block up the hill on Del Mason Rd is the spot pinpointed on the map.

Show your support, put up a sign, and VOTE BLUE!

Unlike Republicans, we have leaders with integrity. Pictured (L to R) are Pete Buttigieg, Callie Barr, Veronica Welter, and Debbie Stabenow.

IN MEMORIUM

We are saddened to share the news that Jim McKimmy passed away on October 1. Jim was Chair of the Antrim Dems for many years prior to our current chair. Jim was a courageous activist. We can think of no better way to give you insight into Jim than to share what his children had to say upon his passing. CLICK HERE —>

THREE MAJOR EVENTS THIS MONTH

We want to highlight three major things happening in the next few days. On October 14 the kickoff of the Recall Campaign for Victoria Bishop begins with signature collections in Elk Rapids and Mancelona, along with a caravan and rally in Bellaire. On October 17, there are No Kings Rallies in Elk Rapids, Bellaire and Traverse City. And most importantly, Early in-person voting begins on October 25. More on each of these events below.

The Victoria Bishop Recall Petition drive is on. Signature gathering began yesterday (October 14) with signature collections in front of the Elk Rapids and Mancelona Post Offices and a vehicle caravan to RIchardi Park in Bellaire where signature gathering continued and speeches about the recall effort were well-received.

Over the next 60 days, volunteers will stage signature gathering opportunities across the County as well as go door-to-door in a bipartisan effort to collect 4,500 signatures of Antrim voters. Getting that number of signatures in 60 days will be extremely difficult in a rural County of just 22,000 voters during the late Fall. Success is far from guaranteed.

The Legislature made recall difficult to do because it should be reserved for unusual circumstances where a public official’s conduct is so abhorrent that continuation in office would be a great disservice to the citizens. Unfortunately, that is the situation we are in.

If successful in gathering enough signatures, a special election will be held in May 2027. Bishop will automatically be the Republican nominee. Organizers are in the process of identifying one individual to endorse in opposition.

The language of the petition reads:

Between July 24, 2025, and June 3, 2026, Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop changed voter status codes in the Qualified Voter File to ‘Cancel’. For example, Bishop changed six voter records in Mancelona Township to ‘Cancel’ on January 9, January 13, January 23, January 27, January 29, and April 16, 2026. The township clerks responsible for those voter records had not asked Bishop to make those changes on their behalf.

The Committee to Recall Victoria Bishop needs your help:

• Commit to signing the petition

• Volunteer to help gather signatures (every signature is critical)
  Click: https://www.recallvbishop.org/volunteer

• Donate to cover expenses. Click: https://www.recallvbishop.org/donate

• Visit their website for more information including where and when you can sign or to request a volunteer come to your door. Click: recallvbishop.org

• Call Allen Wolf with questions at 248-687-9656.

Why Should Bishop Be Recalled?

The Petition itself would not allow us the space to put in all the reasons Bishop should not be our Clerk. Here is a partial list:

She filed a false campaign finance report. She falsely claimed her husband made loans and donations to her campaign of about $15,000. She was formally reprimanded by the Bureau of Elections for this.

In a supposedly corrected filing, she claimed to have donated $10,000 in cash to her campaign in excess of the $20 legal limit and could provide no paper trail of the source of the funds.

She admitted that she hadn’t filed tax returns on her radio station business or personally as far back as she could remember.

She admitted that she had paid no taxes and failed to keep any business records, tax records or campaign records.

She was found to be in Contempt of Court and order to pay fines and costs of about $12,000 which had to be garnished from her clerk wages.

If that wasn’t enough, she gave her husband, a twice convicted felon, unsupervised access to her Clerk’s Office and her computer.

She has mailed out about 1800 cancellation or verification postcards with multiple deficiencies to voters. Even if she had done this correctly, this is not actually something done by County Clerks. Some of the people getting the postcards had just voted while some were people not even on the voter rolls.

She has made at least 128 changes in the QVF that she was not authorized to make.

She defended her actions with a newspaper ad paid for by taxpayers claiming she had a mandate from the people to do these illegal things.

The Bureau of Elections has found her conduct so egregious that they have removed her access to the Qualified Voter File until she gets trained and pledges to follow the law. She has not met those requirements or even pledged to do so.

A lawsuit against Randy Bishop and Victoria Bishop’s radio station (of which she is the sole owner) was found guilty of defamation recently and the Bishops have agreed to pay damages in a secret, sealed settlement so that their followers will never know the details of their admission of guilt.

Just last month she claimed to be too busy to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request before the November election. Michigan law requires a response within 5 days normally and, in extenuating circumstances, allows an additional 10 days.

At the end of September, her office failed to mail out absentee ballots by the legally mandated date for the November election.

We believe she may be the worst Clerk to ever serve in this County if not this State.

Office Hours and Weekly Rallies

Once again, we have campaign office hours, although this year, we have a refreshing en plein air office located in front of 209 River Street. The office is staffed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Plenty of campaign signs are now available.

We also have a weekly rally on Wednesdays. The weekly rally is in Elk Rapids from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at the same Park ’n Ride lot opposite the EZ Mart/Mobil station on U.S. 31 (near 100 1st Street). Join us on October 21 and October 28.

NO KINGS RALLIES ON OCTOBER 17

There will be two No Kings Events in Antrim County on October 17.

The Antrim Dems are sponsoring a rally in Elk Rapids from 10:30-11:30 am. We will meet at the Park ‘n Ride across from the EZ Mart/Mobil station on US 31. Bring your signs and bring your spirit. We will let the community know that in the end, democracy will rule - NO KINGS HERE! The recall petition will be available to sign too!

MAKE NOTE: There will also be another Elk Rapidsrally on Sunday November1st, from 1-2 pm.!

Antrim Action is taking the lead in Bellaire. This event takes place from 10 am to noon in Richardi Park. There will be singing, speakers, cider and donuts, and even a recall petition to sign!

For those in Traverse County, the rally is at the Grand Traverse Civic Center from 11 am to 4 pm. This event includes voter registration, election protection, live music, guest speakers, on-stage games and contests, judged spooky election-themed Wagon Float Parade, face painting, and a kids activity tent.

Early Voting

In Michigan, we no longer really have Election Day; we have an election period.

With so much going on, we can’t forget that early voting will occur from Saturday, October 24 until Sunday, November 1. You are encouraged to vote during early voting in-person at your local Township Hall. Echo Township will vote at the Kearney Township Hall (820 Aero Park Drive). If you received an absentee ballot, do your research and then take your ballot in and put it through the tabulator. To confirm your early voting location and the hours it will be open each of the 9 days of early voting, click here: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index#early-voting-search-section

We listed all of the candidates for local office (with our recommendations) and all of the proposals in our last newsletter. If you wish to take another look, go to: https://www.antrimdems.com/p/gather-and-vote. Remember to vote the WHOLE ballot including non-partisan races and ballot proposals.

For information on how absentee ballots work in Michigan, click the Votebeat logo below to read an interesting article by Hayley Harding at votebeat.org.

Annual Antrim Dems Fundraiser

If you attended the Annual Antrim Dems fundraiser at Pine Hill Nursery, you know we had almost a full house. Barb Byrum, County Clerk for Ingham County, was our guest speaker. You may remember Barb as a candidate in the Democratic Primary for Secretary of State.

If you were unable to attend, it is not too late to make a donation. Donations help us support our great ads which help our candidates. If we get enough money, we can start making donations to the campaigns of our local candidates.

DONATE HERE -->

The Eyes Are On Us

The nonpartisan Michigan Election Observation Project, an initiative of The Carter Center, has chosen Antrim County as one of its locations to observe the 2026 election process.

The Carter Center is a nonpartisan humanitarian organization focused on strengthening the integrity of democracy and combating disease. One of the core pillars of the Center’s democracy work is nonpartisan and independent election observation, which monitors all aspects of the electoral process, from voter registration to the certification of results, for a given election, in this case, the midterm election on November 3. This differs from the work of party poll watchers, whose role is to represent the interests of a particular party or candidate. Independent observers instead monitor and analyze the integrity of the entire electoral process rather than acting in the interest of any particular candidate or stakeholder. The mission is fundamentally nonpartisan, comprised of individuals of all political persuasions united around support for a secure, free, and fair electoral process. All details of the process, including areas done well and any irregularities, are documented and analyzed at a systemic level, then released in the form of statements, reports, and recommendations to stakeholders ranging from county clerks to political parties to the Office of the Secretary of State. This follows international standards and best practices for election observation, which The Carter Center has applied around the world for over 30 years and in the United States since 2020, in response to years of growing distrust in the electoral system from all sides.

Coordination of the Northern Michigan region for the project will be the responsibility of Max Bone who spent summers in the Charlevoix area while growing up. He is arranging for volunteers to observe various sites in Antrim County during the election. Max can be reached at max@boneasset.com or +1 (248) 229-1247. He is not in need of volunteers. However, if you have concerns about election integrity in Antrim County, feel free to contact him.

Click the Michigan Dems logo below for a huge collection of voting resources
so you can be sure your vote will be counted!

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

IMPORTANT NOTE - PINTS AND POLITICS, AT THE SHORT’S PULL BARN IN ELK RAPIDS, WILL START AT 3:30 ON OCTOBER 20 INSTEAD OF THE USUAL 4:30. THIS IS DUE TO THE VISIT OF CURTIS HERTEL, CHAIR OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY. COME OUT AND JOIN US!

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR 2026 MEMBERSHIP

CLICK RIGHT HERE

Download our membership form to mail in or click a link below

Click to Download Form

Voting in Antrim County Membership

Join Here

Part Time Resident (non-voting)

Join Here

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter, Chair@antrimdems.com

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY SALLIE FOLEY, ALLEN WOLF, and JIM BLACK.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

For more contact information, including Michigan senators and house representatives, visit our full contact information page by clicking HERE

Support Antrim Dems Today!

REMINDER - Antrim Dems are distributing yard signs on Mondays from 11:00 to 12:30 at this location in Shanty Creek. Go to the intersection of M-88 and Del Mason Rd. About half a block up the hill on Del Mason Rd is the spot pinpointed on the map.

Show your support, put up a sign, and VOTE BLUE!

Click for More Info --->

Everyone is welcome to join us at our usual location in Elk Rapids across from the Mobil Station. SEE YOU THERE!!

REMINDER - Antrim Dems are distributing yard signs on Mondays from 11:00 to 12:30 at this location in Shanty Creek. Go to the intersection of M-88 and Del Mason Rd. About half a block up the hill on Del Mason Rd is the spot pinpointed on the map.

Show your support, put up a sign, and VOTE BLUE!

ANTRIM DEMS IT’S TIME TO:

--Use your voice and use your vote!

--Make your plan early and VOTE EARLY!

--Reach out to friends and neighbors, encourage them to vote early

IF YOU VOTE BY MAIL:

The Antrim County Clerk's office reports that they missed the State-mandated September 24 deadline for making absentee ballots available to voters. There was an apparent delay in printing. We are told that the absentee ballots will be mailed out soon. If you don't have yours by October 6, contact your Township Clerk. Be kind. It is not your township clerk's fault. .

IF YOU VOTE IN PERSON

Question: Voting in person….where do I go?

Answer: Usually to your township building. Voting machines and Election workers will be there.

Early voting begins: October 24 - November 1

No voting on November 2

ELECTION DAY: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3

IF UNCERTAIN OF WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO GO TO VOTE:
CALL YOUR TOWNSHIP CLERK!

DEM Volunteers are getting the job done!

VISIT THE ANTRIM DEMS OFFICE IN ELK RAPIDS: OPEN FRI-SUN

We have a SIDEWALK ANTRIM DEMS OFFICE In front of 209 RIVER STREET. Chairs, a table, lots information and two volunteers . Staffed Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays between 10 am and 4 pm.

THANK YOU DEMS VOLUNTEERS!!!!
Questions? Contact Ellen Baird at embaird56@gmail.com

A Note About Antrim Dems Precinct Delegates:

Delegates will be reaching out to their neighbors. Sending postcards, making calls, and knocking on doors.

In their training delegates are encouraged to ‘Talk to Ten.’
Reach out to 10 neighbors. Ask them:

“WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES TO YOU RIGHT NOW?”
They’ll tell you!

WHAT DO YOU ANSWER?

Antrim Dem Precinct Delegate Kevin Garlock says:

“I think you follow the lead of James Talerico. Nationally, he is a Democratic Nominee who is having success reaching Independents and Undecideds.

His answers make good sense to the undecided.”

GO TO TALERICO TALKING POINTS AND STUDY UP. HE’S THE ONE HAVING THE MOST SUCCESS ANSWERING TEXAN’S QUESTIONS.

VISIT JAMES TALARICO

VOTE —LIKE YOUR WAY OF LIFE DEPENDS ON IT…..
……BECAUSE IT DOES.

Overheard in Antrim County:

Elk Rapids: How did it get this way? I never thought our country would look like this.

Mancelona: I never thought it would be this bad. How can they be doing this?

Bellaire: The tarriffs and gas prices are killilng me.

Ellsworth: The corruption!. The corruption is terrible. \

Central Lake: My medical insurance company just stopped paying for mey drugs. I can’t beleive it! How can they do this? It’s the only drug that works for me with my diagnosis..

Rapid City: Things just seem to go from bad to worse.

Alden: In America, it feels like the wheels are coming off the bus.

WHO ARE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES?

• Jocelyn Benson- Governor

• Winnie Brinks – Lt. Gov.

• Garlin Gilchrist II – Secretary Of State

• Eli Savit – Attorney General

• Abdul El-Sayed – U.S. Senate

• Callie Barr – U.S. House

• Kate Gallup – Kate Gallup

• MI House 104^th – Mitch Distin

• MI House 105^th – Rachel Longendyke Teeter

• MI Board of Ed – Tiffany Tilley and Judith Pritchett

• U of M Regent – Paul Brown and Amir Makled

• MSU Trustee – Kelly Zemke and Biranna Scott

• Wayne State Governor – Richard Mack and Shereef Akeel

• Prosecuting Attorney – (No Dem running)

• Justice, MI Supreme Ct – Noah Hood and Megan Cavanagh

• Justice, Ct of Appeals – (3 incumbents for 3 positions)

• 13^th Circuit Ct – (1 incumbent for 1 position)

  ---

  Important Note

There are a few positions without a candidate for school boards or village trustee. We would love to see you run as a write-in for one of these positions. You must complete a candidate affidavit and have it notarized by the end of voting on November 3 to be eligible. You can do this at your township clerk’s office or on Election Day at the polls.

Alba

4 Yr. Board Member, Alba Schools – (3 candidates for 3 positions)
2 Yr. Board Member, Alba Schools – (2 candidates for 2 positions)

Alden

Library Board, Alden – (2 candidates for 2 positions)

Bellaire

President, Bellaire Village – (2 candidates for 1 non-partisan position)
• Patrick Boyd
• Delvin Johnson

Trustee, Bellaire Village – (3 candidates for 3 positions)

School Board, Bellaire – (4 candidates for 3 positions)
• Shannon Hooper
• Don Hoyt
• Bradley Keiser
• Nancy Slabosz

School Board Partial Term 2028, Bellaire -- (2 candidate for 1 position)
• Kristina Livingston
• Kyle Shumaker

School Board Partial Term 2030, Bellaire – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Boyne Schools

Board, Boyne City Public – (4 candidates for 3 positions)
• Clyde Payton
• Mary Ann Towne
• Lindsay Verwys
• Joel Schraw

Boyne Falls

Board, Boyne Falls – (no candidates for 2 positions)

LSD Board, Partial Term, Boyne Falls – (no candidates)

Central Lake

President, Central Lake – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Trustee, Central Lake – (3 candidates for 3 positions)

Trustee, Partial Term, Central Lake – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Board, CL Public Schools – (4 candidates for 4 positions)

Charlevoix Schools

Charlevoix-Emmet Schools- (3 candidates for 3 positions)

LSD Board, Charlevoix – (4 candidates for 4 positions)

East Jordan

School Board, East Jordan -- (4 candidates for 3 positions)
• Matthew Wyman
• Gena King
• Britney Smith
• Dawn Burks

Echo

Treasurer, Echo Twp – (No Dem running)

Trustee, Echo Twp – (No Dem running)

Elk Rapids

President, Elk Rapids – (2 candidates for 1 non-partisan position)
• Thomas Stephenson
• Barbara Matthews

Trustee, Elk Rapids – (5 candidates for 3 non-partisan positions)
• Karen Simpson
• Donald Marker
• Terri Sue Kuffner
• Laura Shumate
• Tony Anderson

Ellsworth

President, Ellsworth – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Clerk, Ellsworth – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Treasurer, Ellsworth – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Trustee, Ellsworth – (4 candidates for 3 positions)
• Dustin Prevo
• Donald Ruis
• Lynn Aldrich Spearing
• Chris Wallace

School Board, Ellsworth – (2 candidates for 2 positions)

School Board, Partial Term, Ellsworth Community – (2 candidates for 1 position)
• Emily Busman
• Suzanne Olsen

Gaylord Schools

School Board, Gaylord – (6 candidates for 4 positions)
• Ellen Templeton
• Courtney Willits
• Kari Visser-Robel
• Jordan Kettlewell
• Katie Drzewiecki
• Rachel Davis

Helena Twp.

School Board, Elk Rapids – (3 candidates for 3 positions)

Helena

Clerk, Helena Twp – (No Dem running)

Jordan

Clerk, Jordan Twp – Sherri Huffman

Treas., Jordan Twp – (No Dem running)

Mancelona Village

President, Mancelona Vill. – (1 candidate for 1 position)

Trustee, Mancelona Vill. – (2 candidates for 3 positions)
• Lori Derror
• Jeremy Davis

School Board, Mancelona – (3 candidates for 3 positions)

KNOW YOUR BALLOT PROPOSALS

Proposal 1 – Constitutional Convention

We recommend a “NO” vote. Conservatives want to use this to outlaw abortion in Michigan as well as pursue other Conservative agenda issues.

Proposal 2 – Money out of Politics

We recommend a “YES” vote. This proposal would ban political donations from public utilities and major government contractors.

ALSO -

STAR TOWNSHIP
Additional Township Road Millage Shall Star Township impose an increase of up to 1 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for 4 years, 2026 through 2029 inclusive, on all taxable real and personal property in the Township, for the purpose of providing township road improvements (including maintenance and repairs), which 1 mill increase will raise an estimated $62,594 in the first year the millage is levied?

BOYNE FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROPOSAL BOYNE FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL
This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law. The remaining 4 mills are only available to be levied to restore millage lost as a reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will only be levied to the extent necessary to restore that reduction. Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Boyne Falls Public School, Charlevoix and Antrim Counties, Michigan, be increased by 22 mills ($22.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 12 years, 2026 to 2037, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2026 is approximately $3,552,662?

CENTRAL LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROPOSAL
Central Lake Public Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Central Lake Public Schools, Antrim County, Michigan, be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed .4766 mill ($.4766 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2027 to 2030, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for the purchase of real estate for sites for, and the construction or repair of, school buildings; for school security improvements; for the acquisition or upgrading of technology; for the acquisition of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used for the maintenance of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for or in the maintenance of school buildings; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used to maintain such trucks and vans; and all other purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2027 is approximately $203,421?

CHARLEVOIX PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROPOSAL CHARLEVOIX PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL
This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance. Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Charlevoix Public Schools, Charlevoix and Antrim Counties, Michigan, be increased by 3 mills ($3.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2027 and 2028, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 0.1981 mill is levied in 2027 is approximately $145,463 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?

CHEBOYGAN-OTSEGO-PRESQUE ISLE ESD PROPOSAL
Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District Special Education Millage Renewal Proposal This proposal will permit the intermediate school district to continue to levy special education millage previously approved by the electors. Shall currently authorized millage rate limitation of 0.6231 mill ($0.6231 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Cheboygan-OtsegoPresque Isle Educational Service District, Michigan, to provide funds for the education of students with a disability, be renewed for a period of 6 years, 2027 to 2032, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2027 is approximately $2,992,734 from local property taxes authorized herein (this is a renewal of millage that expire with the 2026 tax levy)?

LOOKING FOR MORE CANDIDATE INFORMATION?

FOLLOW THIS LINK --->

TO SEE THE OFFICIAL CANDIDATE LIST

CLICK HERE --->

ANALYSIS:
MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS,
WHAT ARE WE UP AGAINST?

—

FROM THE WASHINGTON POST

—

We polled Michigan’s Senate race. There’s good news and bad news for Democrats

By Erin Cox and Scott Clement, Washington Post

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed holds a narrow edge over Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s nationally watched Senate race despite a political environment that heavily favors Democrats, a Washington Post-Schar School poll finds.

El-Sayed’s three percentage-point lead over Rogers — 48 percent to 45 percent among likely voters — puts the contest within the poll’s 3.9-point margin of error. That’s a small gap at a time when economic worries and frustrations with President Donald Trump has voters viewing Republicans unfavorably.

The tight Senate race stands in contrast to another Democrat’s wide lead in the governor’s race and voters’ clear preference for Democrats to control the Senate.

While 53 percent of Michigan’s likely voters say they want the Democrats to control the Senate next year, El-Sayed has support from a smaller share of voters.

But in the more lopsided governor’s race, Democrat Jocelyn Benson holds a 12 percentage-point lead over Republican Rep. John James. Compared with El-Sayed, Benson gets slightly more support from Black voters, independents and voters who say they are unwilling to support a Muslim for president.

The depressed support among those constituencies suggest an electoral opportunity, both for Rogers, a former congressman who narrowly lost the 2024 Senate race, and El-Sayed, a former public health official who has run as a populist. It also illustrates the headwinds each face as the increasingly caustic Senate race enters its final stage.

Inside the Washington Post-Schar School Michigan poll

Republicans see the race to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D) as their best opportunity to flip a swing-state seat held by Democrats. They view El-Sayed, who would be the country’s first Muslim senator and has drawn support from his party’s left flank, as a vulnerable general election candidate. Their ads highlight his liberal policy ideas and attack him in ways that evoke anti-Muslim stereotypes.

Meanwhile, Democrats’ ambition to wrest control of the Senate relies on holding Michigan and other Democratic seats, as well as flipping four seats held by Republicans. El-Sayed has cast Rogers as a yes-man to Trump, whom the poll finds is deeply unpopular in Michigan, and highlighted Rogers’s ties to corporations.

Both Rogers and El-Sayed have lobbed personal retorts at each other, battling on social media over physique, their high school sports careers, their donor networks and relationships to polarizing supporters. Neither man has left a net-favorable impression on Michigan voters, the poll found.

A larger share of Michigan voters view El-Sayed favorably than Rogers, with 44 percent holding a positive view of the Democrat and 39 percent holding a favorable impression of the Republican.

Why El-Sayed’s support is not higher

Attitudes toward Muslim politicians are correlated with lower support for El-Sayed.

More than 4 in 10 likely voters in Michigan say they’re unwilling to support a Muslim candidate for president. El-Sayed’s support among that group is six percentage points lower than Benson’s.

Among likely Black voters, 83 percent say they want Democrats to control the Senate but 67 percent back El-Sayed. Black voters have long been crucial to Democrats’ coalition, and El-Sayed’s primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Michigan), shored up disproportionate support in that community. Former vice president Kamala Harris plans to campaign with El-Sayed next week during an event on Black maternal health.

El-Sayed, who has campaigned on Medicare-for-all and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is one of the furthest left Democratic nominees in a competitive Senate race. He does not identify as a democratic socialist, but he is backed by progressive leaders including several democratic socialists such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York).

Nearly half of likely Michigan voters, 48 percent, say El-Sayed is “too liberal” for them, higher than the 43 percent who view Rogers as “too conservative.”

“It is tempting to attribute El-Sayed’s lackluster polling exclusively to Islamophobia, but his socialist endorsements and policy positions are certainly not helping him either,” said Justin Gest, professor of policy and government at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.

At the same time, likely Michigan voters support some policy ideas embraced by El-Sayed and other progressives. Forty-seven percent support a national Medicaid-for-all health plan, compared with 37 percent who oppose it. El-Sayed has been a fierce critic of the Israeli government and opposes funding a military he says committed genocide; 54 percent support reducing or ending military support for Israel.

Asked to give a one-word description of each candidate, Michigan voters described El-Sayed with a mix of well-defined attributes but used generic terms to describe Rogers.

While some of the top words to describe El-Sayed included “radical” and “communist” — terms that mirror attack ads — voters also described him as “honest,” “progressive” and “smart.”

*Note - since the publication of this article in THE WASHINGTON POST on September 17, most reputable polls show El-Sayed’s lead has increased. —Antrim Dems

Come Meet Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in Traverse City

POSTCARDS FOR ELECTIONS

Myra Muth has agreed to be the point of contact for postcard distribution. Five hundred cards are now available If you’re interested in this project Myra may be reached at 616-260-0200 to get the cards, mailing list and directions. Party groups will be set up or you can take packets of cards home with you to do.

Some will also be available at the sidewalk office to do there if foot traffic is slow.

Last week 100 cards were sent out by a group who gathered at Sue Myers. Thanks Sue for hosting.

ANTRIM DEMS KEEP SHOWING UP!

October 17
No Kings 4
VOTE EARLY RALLY 11-4
Grand Traverse Civic Center

CLICK FOR DETAILS--->

Is this the most important voting cycle of our lives? Possibly. Click the Michigan Dems logo below for a huge collection of voting resources so you can be sure your vote will be counted!

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR 2026 MEMBERSHIP

CLICK RIGHT HERE

Download our membership form to mail in or click a link below

Click to Download Form

Voting in Antrim County Membership

Join Here

Part Time Resident (non-voting)

Join Here

UPCOMING EVENT FOR MITCH DISTIN

DONATE VIA ACTBLUE -->

Take a look at the difference between
Mitch Distin and incumbent John Roth.

Distin V. Roth Factsheet

3.55MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

The Michigan Board of Canvassers approved language for the petition to recall County Clerk Victoria Bishop.

Ashley Areeda did an amazing job pushing this through to completion. It took 3 appearances in Lansing and 6 versions until the Board’s Republican members agreed to let the petition go forward.

Bishop has 10 days to file an appeal. We are waiting to hear if she will be appealing. If she doesn’t, signature collection may start as soon as October 10.

Recall website: https://www.recallvbishop.org/

To volunteer: https://forms.gle/kmeumq1qt2n9oXSt7

To donate: https://www.recallvbishop.org/donate

Allen Wolf provided a good overview of the reasons why Bishop is not suited for the Clerk’s position during the public comment portion of the Board of Canvassers meeting.

ALLEN WOLF COMMENTARY -->

VICTORIA BISHOP RECALL INITIATIVE GATHERING ATTENTION BEYOND OUR COUNTY

Many recent articles can be found from wider news outlets who are following the Victoria Bishop Recall Initiative. The recall effort has garnered attention from Votebeat.org, Interlochen Public Radio and other media outlets.

Votebeat Article -->

All of us know the stakes in this election.
Every vote matters. Every vote counts.

End the corruption in Washington.

End the corruption in Antrim County.

Let our votes speak. Let our voices be heard.

The Ad committee keeps the message front and center!

Interested in Free Coffee? Come meet Rachel!

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter, Chair@antrimdems.com

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY SALLIE FOLEY, ALLEN WOLF, and JIM BLACK.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

For more contact information, including Michigan senators and house representatives, visit our full contact information page by clicking HERE

Support Antrim Dems Today!

There is still space available for this great fundraiser!

At this late hour, you can still pay in advance or pay at the door 👍

Don’t miss out on this important opportunity to get involved and show your support for the Antrim Dems! It’s going to be a great event!

Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Email chair@antrimdems.com to RSVP or for more information.

Thank You !

Hello ACDP faithful. We wanted to share a note with you about Substack, the publishing platform we have chosen to get information out to you in a way that is quick and easy, and very cost efficient.

In the past, we had a ‘basic’ website, and then a separate bulk email service that carried our newsletter out to you. Two separate (fairly expensive) platforms making for twice the work, but less effective messaging. Subscribers either had to check in with the website if they wanted to see if there were updates, or simply wait for the monthly or bi-monthly newsletter to come out.

With Substack, both things can happen at the same time. Since it is basically a blog publishing platform for writers and content creators (like ACDP news and content), every time a blog post is created, it also posts and updates on the website.

We truly hope you have had some success - and maybe even some enjoyment - in seeing and participating in this transition. Like anything on the internet, it is a work in progress and ever-evolving. We volunteers are doing our best to keep it up-to-date and relevant to current events.

There have been some reports about issues with the newsletter reaching subscribers’ inboxes. We apologize for any technical difficulties people have been experiencing.

One quick fix for you is to simply add antrimdems@substack.com to your email contact list. This tells your email server that we are not junk/spam email and it should allow our mail through to your inbox. Gmail users have found our emails in their ‘Promotions’ folder instead of their regular inbox. These folks can simply drag the email our of ‘Promotions’ and into their regular inboxes to fix that problem.

For those of you who have the Substack app, there is a Settings tweak that may need adjusting. If you go to Settings —> Notifications —> Newsletter Delivery, you will see choice preferences that are: Prefer Push, Prefer Email, and Both Email and Push. We suggest choosing the ‘Both’ option if it isn’t chosen already.

If nothing else, simply visit www.antrimdems.com, subscribe if you haven’t already, and click through. The newsletter, along with past newsletters and other posts of relevance, will be there for your access.

Also worth noting about the Substack platform. It is a great place to go beyond the noise of other platforms like ‘X’ or Instagram or Facebook. Substack is a place you can go to find writers and creators who are covering the news of the day, offering professional insight and opinions on current events, all ad-free.

And it’s not just politics. You can follow and subscribe to people writing about baking, gardening, pets, sports - just about anything you can think of.

Podcasts are also available so you can listen while driving or working. There’s even a chat area if you want to engage with like minded individuals, or have civil discussion with others who may have a different position. Either way you engage, you may find it refreshing.

Best of all - joining, creating, contributing, and reading is all free of charge. Some writers request a subscription contribution to help support their efforts, but there’s no pressure.

Enjoy.

All the best from the ACDP.

LET’S VOTE EVERYONE!

MICHIGAN—Some of the donors financing Republican former US Rep. Mike Rogers’ campaigns for US Senate are now turning up somewhere else: the Jeffrey Epstein files.

A new Detroit Metro Times review released this week cross-referenced federal campaign finance filings against names appearing in the Justice Department’s Epstein Library.

All told, seven donors who turn up in the so-called Epstein files were found to have collectively given about $4.7 million since 2023 to either Rogers’ campaigns, his leadership PAC, joint fundraising committees, or the Great Lakes Conservative Fund (GLCF)—the super PAC that has collected most of the cash and has spent heavily to boost Rogers’ campaign in Michigan.

FULL ARTICLE AT THE 'GANDER -->

Governor/Lt. Gov.: Jocelyn Benson/Winnie Brinks

MEET JOCELYN | WHERE SHE STANDS

Secretary of State: Garlin Gilchrist II

VISIT GARLINGILCHRIST.COM

Attorney General: Eli Savit

MEET ELI | WHERE HE STANDS

U.S. Senate: Abdul El-Sayed

MEET ABDUL | WHERE HE STANDS
EL-SAYED vs. ROGERS

U.S. Congress District 1: Callie Barr

MEET CALLIE | WHERE SHE STANDS

State Senate District 37: Kate Gallup

MEET KATE | WHERE SHE STANDS

Listen to her Podcast Interview

State House District 18: Betsy Coffia

MEET BETSY | WHERE SHE STANDS

State House District 104: Mitch Distin

MEET MITCH | WHERE HE STANDS

State House District 105: Rachel Longendyke-Teeter

MEET RACHEL | WHERE SHE STANDS

Is this the most important voting cycle of our lives? Possibly. Click the Michigan Dems logo below for a huge collection of voting resources so you can be sure your vote will be counted!

We’ve recently received word in regards to some folks not receiving the newsletter, even after subscribing. It seems to be a mail filtering issue - the mail inbox doesn’t recognize our publication as ‘safe’ and blocks it from coming into the receiver’s mailbox (obviously this doesn’t apply to you since you’re reading this now!) .

We think we’ve found a workaround, and if you know of anyone who is experiencing this issue, please share this fix: simply add antrimdems@substack.com to your EMAIL contact list. Be sure you add it to the email address line. Called ‘Whitelisting,’ this tells the mail server to trust this address and allow the mail in.

Some folks using Gmail have said no mail, and not in junk folder. Please also check the ‘Promotions’ folder as sometimes Substack emails end up there. Users can then simply reassign the email from Promotions to the regular inbox and Gmail will ‘learn’ this is what is preferred.

ALSO - For folks that have the Substack app, there is a function in settings called push notifications or ‘Smart Delivery’ which turns off all direct inbox emails.

Users who have the app should go to the app or account settings and change newsletter delivery back to “Prefer email” or “Both email and push”.

Reach out if you or anyone you know is still experiencing a problem.

Many thanks to you all!

UPCOMING EVENT SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR MITCH DISTIN

act blue link: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mitchformichigan

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR 2026 MEMBERSHIP

CLICK RIGHT HERE

Download our membership form to mail in or click a link below

Click to Download Form

Voting in Antrim County Membership

Join Here

Part Time Resident (non-voting)

Join Here

ANTRIM DEMS HAVE THE AD-VANTAGE

The Ad Team is hard at work creating ads that will draw folks in – looking out for us all, rather than locking people out.

We appreciate your support! Every dollar goes toward our efforts to get the word out.

Click here to donate via ActBlue

Or you can mail a check to:
Antrim County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 331
Elk Rapids, MI 49629

· Official Website: Antrim County Democratic Party

· Facebook Page: Antrim County Democratic Party on Facebook

Thanks for your support!

QUICK READ….

SOWING CHAOS

BY ROBERT REICH

The goal is the chaos:

On the surface it may look like what USPS is doing is a way to disenfranchise voters, but that is a just a smoke screen. The real plan is chaos in our election system.

The Trump administration has a track record of “change it until you break it” approach to governing. But with elections, breaking the system creates opportunity.

Consider what happens if a Republican loses a close race and late-arriving mail ballots determine the outcome. The administration has created uncertainty over whether those ballots were mailed on time. That gives the losing candidate exactly what is needed to contest them — and, if enough ballots are involved, contest the election itself.

Trump spent years attacking mail voting and refused to accept the results of an election he lost. His administration knows perfectly well how uncertainty over ballots can be weaponized after Election Day.

I don’t think this is simply another poorly executed rollout. Create confusion over which ballots are valid, wait to see who loses, and use that confusion when it is politically useful.

The chaos isn’t a flaw. It’s the plan.

Make your plan early and VOTE EARLY!

From Kevin Garlock —

“This is what we have to try and change, for over 50 years they have been conditioned to think anyone with an R is the good guy.

And now it’s basically just a team sport where you are okay with your side doing whatever as long as you feel on top.”

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter, Chair@antrimdems.com

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY SALLIE FOLEY, ALLEN WOLF, and JIM BLACK.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

For more contact information, including Michigan senators and house representatives, visit our full contact information page by clicking HERE

Support Antrim Dems Today!

Trump miscalculated what it would take to defeat Iran. Now we are in a never-ending war.

Trump imposed tariffs on our friends. Now we are all paying more for everything.

Trump wanted to rename the Kennedy Center after himself. Now the Kennedy Center is closed.

Trump kicked out tens of thousands of immigrants. Other foreigners decided not to visit America. Now, farmers and other businesses are struggling to find enough workers.

Trump gave big tax cuts to the wealthy. Now, our federal deficit exceeds $1.8 trillion a year and our national debt is over $40 trillion.

When will it end? When we elect Callie Barr to replace General (yes sir) Bergman in the U.S. House and Abdul El-Sayed to the U.S. Senate.

WE WILL GET OUT THE VOTE!

Trump wants confusion and chaos so that people get discouraged and give up.

Our Goal as Antrim Dems: USE YOUR VOICE! VOTE EARLY!

HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING:

ANTRIM DEMS SIDEWALK OFFICE IN ELK RAPIDS
We have a set up A SIDEWALK ANTRIM DEMS OFFICE In front of 209 RIVER STREET (River Street Dog). It’s right next to that pretty walkway with benches between the buildings. (Unfortunately. we don’t have access to the indoor office we’ve used in the past.) On the sidewalk will be chairs, a table, lots information and two volunteers.

We want to staff Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays between 10 am and 4 pm. Volunteers needed! Grab a shift and get to know great people. The supplies are stored nearby so the only ‘heavy lifting’ is signing on! Contact Ellen Baird at embaird56@gmail.com. There will also be additional volunteers reaching out to Antrim County by writing post cards, and some of us will be knocking on doors.

AMTRIM DEMS SIGNS
A big shout out to all those putting up signs in Antrim County. It’s a BIG TASK

THANK YOU ANTRIM DEMS

The best antidote to anxiety and hand wringing is ACTION!! Become a part of the action and let’s reach out in Antrim County!

ANTRIM DEMS PRECINCT DELEGATES
CARRY THE MESSAGE TO THEIR NEIGHBORS

Both political parties have precinct delegates. They are elected during primaries, and are the the go-between for their political party and their neighbors. Precincts in Antrim County tend to represent a township or several townships. ANTRIM DEM Delegates ‘spread the word’ to their neighbors- about what elected Democrats are trying to accomplish.

KNOW WHAT WORRIES OUR NEIGHBORS
Precinct delegates often ask their neighbors, “What concerns you? What do you think needs to be done?” Listen first.

The Antrim Dems ADS in the local papers and Northern Express regularly point out these concerns:

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ; BE A PERSON WHO ‘TALKS TO TEN!’ Precinct delegates often follow the ‘’talk to ten people” rule. Ask ten people what they care about, talk to them about it, and then ask each one to’ talk to ten’ as well..

YOU CAN TALK TO TEN!

ASK THEM: “WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES RIGHT NOW?” They’ll tell you!

WHAT DO YOU ANSWER?
Kevin Garlock, Antrim Dem, retired Navy (19 years) AND Precinct Delegate for Forest Home Township, has lived all over the place. Garlock says, “The Dem with the best answers is James Talarico. Visit his site and see how he is handling the issues. He’s the one having the most success answering Texan’s questions.

VISIT JAMES TALARICO

DEMS MAKE POLICIES THAT WORK
Remind people Democrats are the ones who pass legislation for stability and continuity. The Voting Rights Act, Affordable Care Act , Social Security (a safety net for older adults), Medicare and Medicaid (federal and state programs for for older adults and other vulnerable people) and Medicaid). None of these landmark social programs were created by Republicans. DEMS care about the environment and clean air and water. They care about PEOPLE!

To accomplish this, Democrats believe in everyone paying their fair share, no tax breaks for the super rich, no tolerating corruption—locally or nationally, in the Supreme Court or the Oval office, or legislature.

IT’S RALLY TIME AGAIN!

ANTRIM DEMS KEEP SHOWING UP!

September 26
ICE OUT of Baldwin (Protest)
12-2 PM
TC Senior Center
801 Front Street

CLICK FOR DETAILS--->

October 17
No Kings 4
VOTE EARLY RALLY 11-4
Grand Traverse Civic Center

CLICK FOR DETAILS--->

SAVE THE DATE

ANTRIM DEMS FUNDRAISER SEPTEMBER 27, 4:30 PM

Our creative ads serve as a source of inspiration for our supporters and a source of education for others. Pick up any area newspaper – The Antrim Review, The Elk Rapid News or the Northern Express and you are likely to see one of our ads. We place one or more ads each month in these publications. This costs approximately $10,000 a year. We’d like to do even more such as provide financial support to local candidates.

Our annual Antrim Dems Fundraiser is a major source of the revenue we need to win elections.

There is still space available to attend! You may RSVP with just your phone number and checks will be accepted at the door. Please email Veronica Welter: chair@antrimdems.com

The Antrim Dems are a terrific bright blue space in all of our lives!

Join us in person or in spirit!

REMEMBER . . .

Whether voting in person on November 3 or by absentee ballot (Absentee ballots may be arriving as early as Sept 24), make sure you are registered to vote.

Check your status- registered? On permanent Absentee Vote list? Find out below:

Click to go to Ballotpower.org

To register, get on permanent AV list, or for most of your other voting needs:

CLICK HERE!

GET TO KNOW YOUR DEM CANDIDATES – READ ON!

Governor/Lt. Gov.: Jocelyn Benson/Winnie Brinks

MEET JOCELYN | WHERE SHE STANDS

Secretary of State: Garlin Gilchrist II

VISIT GARLINGILCHRIST.COM

Attorney General: Eli Savit

MEET ELI | WHERE HE STANDS

U.S. Senate: Abdul El-Sayed

MEET ABDUL | WHERE HE STANDS
EL-SAYED vs. ROGERS

U.S. Congress District 1: Callie Barr

MEET CALLIE | WHERE SHE STANDS

State Senate District 37: Kate Gallup

MEET KATE | WHERE SHE STANDS

Listen to her Podcast Interview

State House District 18: Betsy Coffia

MEET BETSY | WHERE SHE STANDS

State House District 104: Mitch Distin

MEET MITCH | WHERE HE STANDS

State House District 105: Rachel Longendyke-Teeter

MEET RACHEL | WHERE SHE STANDS

Is this the most important voting cycle of our lives? Possibly. Click the Michigan Dems logo below for a huge collection of voting resources so you can be sure your vote will be counted!

We’ve recently received word in regards to some folks not receiving the newsletter, even after subscribing. It seems to be a mail filtering issue - the mail inbox doesn’t recognize our publication as ‘safe’ and blocks it from coming into the receiver’s mailbox (obviously this doesn’t apply to you since you’re reading this now!) .

We think we’ve found a workaround, and if you know of anyone who is experiencing this issue, please share this fix: simply add antrimdems@substack.com to your EMAIL contact list. Be sure you add it to the email address line. Called ‘Whitelisting,’ this tells the mail server to trust this address and allow the mail in.

Some folks using Gmail have said no mail, and not in junk folder. Please also check the ‘Promotions’ folder as sometimes Substack emails end up there. Users can then simply reassign the email from Promotions to the regular inbox and Gmail will ‘learn’ this is what is preferred.

ALSO - For folks that have the Substack app, there is a function in settings called push notifications or ‘Smart Delivery’ which turns off all direct inbox emails.

Users who have the app should go to the app or account settings and change newsletter delivery back to “Prefer email” or “Both email and push”.

Reach out if you or anyone you know is still experiencing a problem.

Many thanks to you all!

UPCOMING EVENT SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR MITCH DISTIN

act blue link: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mitchformichigan

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR 2026 MEMBERSHIP

CLICK RIGHT HERE

Download our membership form to mail in or click a link below

Click to Download Form

Voting in Antrim County Membership

Join Here

Part Time Resident (non-voting)

Join Here

ANTRIM DEMS HAVE THE AD-VANTAGE

The Ad Team is hard at work creating ads that will draw folks in – looking out for us all, rather than locking people out.

We appreciate your support! Every dollar goes toward our efforts to get the word out.

Click here to donate via ActBlue

Or you can mail a check to:
Antrim County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 331
Elk Rapids, MI 49629

· Official Website: Antrim County Democratic Party

· Facebook Page: Antrim County Democratic Party on Facebook

Thanks for your support!

QUICK READ….

SOWING CHAOS

BY ROBERT REICH

The goal is the chaos:

On the surface it may look like what USPS is doing is a way to disenfranchise voters, but that is a just a smoke screen. The real plan is chaos in our election system.

The Trump administration has a track record of “change it until you break it” approach to governing. But with elections, breaking the system creates opportunity.

Consider what happens if a Republican loses a close race and late-arriving mail ballots determine the outcome. The administration has created uncertainty over whether those ballots were mailed on time. That gives the losing candidate exactly what is needed to contest them — and, if enough ballots are involved, contest the election itself.

Trump spent years attacking mail voting and refused to accept the results of an election he lost. His administration knows perfectly well how uncertainty over ballots can be weaponized after Election Day.

I don’t think this is simply another poorly executed rollout. Create confusion over which ballots are valid, wait to see who loses, and use that confusion when it is politically useful.

The chaos isn’t a flaw. It’s the plan.

Make your plan early and VOTE EARLY!

From Kevin Garlock —

“This is what we have to try and change, for over 50 years they have been conditioned to think anyone with an R is the good guy.

And now it’s basically just a team sport where you are okay with your side doing whatever as long as you feel on top.”

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter, Chair@antrimdems.com

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY SALLIE FOLEY, ALLEN WOLF, and JIM BLACK.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

For more contact information, including Michigan senators and house representatives, visit our full contact information page by clicking HERE

Support Antrim Dems Today!

You can RSVP for the event using your phone number, and then checks will be accepted at the door 👍

Don’t miss out on this important opportunity to get involved and show your support for the Antrim Dems! It’s going to be a great event!

Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Email chair@antrimdems.com to RSVP or for more information.

Thank You !

SAVE THE DATE

ANTRIM DEMS FUNDRAISER SEPTEMBER 27, 4:30 PM

Our creative ads serve as a source of inspiration for our supporters and a source of education for others. Pick up any area newspaper – The Antrim Review, The Elk Rapid News or the Northern Express and you are likely to see one of our ads. We place one or more ads each month in these publications. This costs approximately $10,000 a year. We’d like to do even more such as provide financial support to local candidates.

Our annual Antrim Dems Fundraiser is a major source of the revenue we need to win elections.

JOIN US ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

LOCATION PROVIDED UPON R.S.V.P.

Time: 4:30-6:30 PM

Speaker to be announced!

Reservations required (stay tuned for the ActBlue site for reserving your spot)

Cost: $100 per person minimum donation

Maximum 75 attendees

Wine, beer, appetizers, small plate dinners.

Food created and donated by Chef Jesse of YumYum Caterers, East Jordan, Mi

Can’t make the date but want to be there in spirit? Please consider a donation.

You will receive further information on making your reservation shortly.

The Antrim Dems are a terrific bright blue space in all of our lives!

Join us in person or in spirit!

.

VOTING – READY, SET, GO!

Whether voting in person on November 3 or by absentee ballot (Absentee ballots may be arriving as early as Sept 24), make sure you are registered to vote.

Check your status- registered? On permanent Absentee Vote list? Find out below:

Click to go to Ballotpower.org

To register, get on permanent AV list, or for most of your other voting needs:

CLICK HERE!

GET TO KNOW YOUR DEM CANDIDATES – READ ON!

Governor/Lt. Gov.: Jocelyn Benson/Winnie Brinks

MEET JOCELYN | WHERE SHE STANDS

Secretary of State: Garlin Gilchrist II

VISIT GARLINGILCHRIST.COM

Attorney General: Eli Savit

MEET ELI | WHERE HE STANDS

U.S. Senate: Abdul El-Sayed

MEET ABDUL | WHERE HE STANDS
EL-SAYED vs. ROGERS

U.S. Congress District 1: Callie Barr

MEET CALLIE | WHERE SHE STANDS

State Senate District 37: Kate Gallup

MEET KATE | WHERE SHE STANDS

Listen to her Podcast Interview

State House District 18: Betsy Coffia

MEET BETSY | WHERE SHE STANDS

State House District 104: Mitch Distin

MEET MITCH | WHERE HE STANDS

State House District 105: Rachel Longendyke-Teeter

MEET RACHEL | WHERE SHE STANDS

Is this the most important voting cycle of our lives? Possibly. Click the Michigan Dems logo below for a huge collection of voting resources so you can be sure your vote will be counted!

BISHOP RECALL UPDATE

Victoria Bishop’s attorney was once again successful in getting the Board of Canvassers to not approve the petition language. His main point was that the language was not specific enough.

With Bishop making so many unforced errors, it is hard to single out just a few acts of misconduct. However, the Committee to Recall Victoria Bishop is not discouraged and they are pressing forward with revised language.

We’ve recently received word in regards to some folks not receiving the newsletter, even after subscribing. It seems to be a mail filtering issue - the mail inbox doesn’t recognize our publication as ‘safe’ and blocks it from coming into the receiver’s mailbox (obviously this doesn’t apply to you since you’re reading this now!) .

We think we’ve found a workaround, and if you know of anyone who is experiencing this issue, please share this fix: simply add antrimdems@substack.com to your contact list. Called ‘Whitelisting,’ this tells the mail server to trust this address and allow the mail in.

ALSO - Some folks using Gmail have said no mail, and not in junk folder. Please also check the ‘Promotions’ folder as sometimes Substack emails end up there. Users can then simply reassign the email from Promotions to the regular inbox and Gmail will ‘learn’ this is what is preferred.

Reach out if you or anyone you know is still experiencing a problem.

Many thanks to you all!

UPCOMING EVENT

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR 2026 MEMBERSHIP

CLICK RIGHT HERE

Download our membership form to mail in or click a link below

Click to Download Form

Voting in Antrim County Membership

Join Here

Part Time Resident (non-voting)

Join Here

ANTRIM DEMS HAVE THE AD-VANTAGE

The Ad Team is hard at work creating ads that will draw folks in – looking out for us all, rather than locking people out.

We appreciate your support! Every dollar goes toward our efforts to get the word out.

Click here to donate via ActBlue

Or you can mail a check to:
Antrim County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 331
Elk Rapids, MI 49629

· Official Website: Antrim County Democratic Party

· Facebook Page: Antrim County Democratic Party on Facebook

Thanks for your support!

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter, Chair@antrimdems.com

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY SALLIE FOLEY, ALLEN WOLF, and JIM BLACK.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

For more contact information, including Michigan senators and house representatives, visit our full contact information page by clicking HERE

Support Antrim Dems Today!

The August 4 primary gave us both Senate and House of Representative candidates: Abdul El-Sayed for Senate and Callie Barr for US House of Representatives, District 1.

Abdul El-Sayed will be running against Mike Rogers in the November elections (the incumbent—Senator Gary Peters, Democrat, is retiring).

Callie Barr will be running against our U.S. Congressman Jack Bergman, who is running for his 6^th term in office.

Locally, the Antrim Dems had excellent candidates in all races.

Leading up to the Primaries was exciting. Antrim Dems had a chance to meet many of the candidates. We now know all the ways we can drive around Torch Lake to get to Elk Rapids and Bellaire, and all the drink and food options at Shorts Pull Barn (ER) and Shorts on Bridge Street (Bellaire). There were also meet and greets at Art and Connections (ER) and BeeWell (Bellaire). As always, a big shout out to our local coffee houses, shops, and pubs for becoming excellent places to meet old friends and new.

We have excellent candidates running across the board. In the weeks to come, we’ll be interviewing candidates for the Antrim races ( for example Mitch Distin in the 104^th District/MI State Legislature, Rachel Longendyke Teeter in the 105^th District/MI State Legislature and Kate Gallup in the 37^th District/MI Senate race.

We elected many fine Precinct Delegates locally. They’ll be working hard to meet their neighbors and get the word out about the excellent Dems who are running.

The Antrim Dems are an amazing, energized, smart and yes, creative group. The Newsletter is looking forward to biweekly reports as we “Go for Blue” in Antrim County!

Here are the Antrim County results as reported by 9and10news. Note that the Dems got out there! Thanks to everyone for showing up and voting.

CLICK FOR RESULTS

Keep your eyes peeled for our Michigan blue support of our candidates.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR 2026 MEMBERSHIP

CLICK RIGHT HERE

A huge shoutout

…To Martha Davidson who has been our Antrim Dems Treasurer for years. Martha, thank you so much for ALL you have done for the Antrim Dems!!!

A big welcome to our new Antrim Dems Treasurer Steve Klotz 62klotz@gmail.com.

Thanks, Steve, and welcome aboard!

ANTRIM DEMS HAVE THE AD-VANTAGE

The Ad Team is hard at work creating ads that will draw folks in – looking out for us all, rather than locking people out.

And we care about the beauty and richness of our natural resources.

We appreciate your support! Every dollar goes toward our efforts to get the word out.

Click here to donate via ActBlue

Or you can mail a check to:
Antrim County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 331
Elk Rapids, MI 49629

· Official Website: Antrim County Democratic Party

· Facebook Page: Antrim County Democratic Party on Facebook

Thanks for your support!

An Update on the Recall Effort

On August 6, the Attorney General’s Office issued a press release indicating they found no criminal conduct by Antrim County Clerk Victory Bishop in regard to allowing her husband unsupervised access to her office and computer.

The press release goes on to state: “There are obvious concerns with any county clerk allowing unsupervised and unauthorized access to their computers, workspaces, and files… this case surely represents a clear misstep from adequate practices and prudent policy.”

This “misstep” is just one in a long series of missteps by our County Clerk. Her campaign for office included a false campaign finance report. She accepted an improper $10,000 cash contribution for which there was no paperwork. She mailed out approximately 1800 confirmation and cancellation notices to voters with multiple deficiencies. She improperly modified at least 14 voter records.

A Committee to Recall Victoria Bishop has been formed. A massive petition effort is expected to collect 4,500 signatures to hold a recall election in May 2027.

Ashley Areeda will appear before the Board of Canvassers on August 17 seeking approval of proposed language for the recall petition. Bishop’s lawyer would have 10 days to file an appeal if the Board approves the language.

A website with further information will be available in the next few days. We will provide the website address in our next newsletter.

Please help by filling out this form and forwarding this newsletter to everyone you know in Antrim County asking them to do the same. This will only happen if EVERYONE (meaning you) does their share. It is easy and quick !

ACCESS THE FORM

Conversations in Midterm Election Years:
Ready. Set. Go!

Before the November elections of 2026, you’ll hear a lot of chatter about Social Democrats. If you are a Democrat, you’ll find yourself handling questions like:

“I hear that Democrats are really Socialists. Are you one of those?”

“Isn’t that like Communism?”

How to respond….

Here are a few suggestions from friends who are in this with us:

The word ‘social’ has been around as long as there have been humans forming groups. It means “as of or relating to human society”. It means social connection/people living in groups/ time spent with others.

It means human interaction, community life, and humans gathering together.

In the US Congress, Democratic legislation over the years has often been about social issues. Democrats are interested in social options to improve individual’s lives-- like schools, public parks, regulations to make water, or houses or bridges safe for all. These are rules that people as a social group agree upon.

Democrats also believe that this is includes ‘social safety nets.’

Over the years it’s Democrats who pushed for the economic safety net of Social Security for the aged or disabled. It was Democrats who introduced Medicare for the aged, and Medicaid to provide health care for the poor, or young and alone, or disabled who could not meet those expenses.

It was Democrats who passed the Affordable Care Act attempting to bring health insurance into the grasp of all Americans, not just the rich. Why shouldn’t those whose independent businesses dig our wells and install our septic fields have insurance to cover the costs of their child’s broken bones or diabetes or asthma?

Over the years, all of these very popular programs were introduced and passed in Congress.

All these programs were passed by Democrats, not Republicans.

(Ironically, one of the first presidents to realize that Americans needed a social safety net was Republican President Teddy Roosevelt! He pushed for safety regulations for water, and fire door exits among other things.)

The term ‘Social Democrat’ in its most basic definition is related to all of the above.

Recently, those Democrats, like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who believe in health care for everyone, have been called ‘Social Democrats’ as ‘opposed to Democrats. Some are proud to call themselves Social Democrats in this sense. Others—both Democrat and not Democrat—interpret the term to mean ‘Socialist’ Democrat….as in the Socialist Democratic Party.

It’s easy to twist words into different meanings. The English language is famous for it.

The word ‘swell’ is a case in point. Most wood swells when wet…That guy swelled with pride…I think going to the county fair is swell…..We like him. He’s swell…...How did a word for growing larger, louder, or more intense in size, number, or emotion transition to being a word for excellence or outstanding competence?

So, in your conversations this Election Season, be ready to counter the question of ‘Social’. Decide where you fit…is it adjective, verb, slang, timely, a slur or a compliment. Then form your response to others.

You can say, “I’m a Democrat. Some folks call us Social Democrats as if it’s something ugly or wrong…..It’s not. …. It’s just a way to describe this long list of great achievements Democrats have made over the years.

“Yes, I care about other people and their well-being. I care that people have food, a place to live, health care, and we try to practice the Golden Rule.”

After you respond, the other person might say that they believe the same things but they are Republicans. If so, compliment them. It’s good to be wanting the same things.

But if they feel compelled to argue back, your next response can be tailored to fit the circumstance, with the underlying goal: “Don’t pick up the rope.”

Wish them well, agree to disagree or remind them of the Golden Rule.

Many people are taught that conversation is about ‘winning’ a point. Having the ‘last word’ makes them feel they’ve won….

So, throw a smile. Wish them a great day. .

It’s the social thing to do. And that’s a winning conversation.

LASTLY . . . A Long Read on the War in Iran

by Terry Miller, Antrim County Resident, and ChatGPT Plus
Sunday August 9, 2026

The Iran War: Staying informed.

Here is a concise breakdown of key milestones in the conflict, now in its sixth month:

Core Summary

February 28: War begins with massive joint US-Israeli strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is killed in the initial barrage.

March-April: The conflict expands regionally as Hezbollah opens a northern front in Israel, prompting Israeli ground operations in Lebanon. Mojtaba Khamenei is named Iran’s new Supreme Leader. Iran effectively closes the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global energy prices.

May-June: Repeated clashes disrupt maritime trade routes as Washington enforces a naval blockade on Iranian ports. A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire and June memorandum briefly reduce large-scale fighting, but disputes over Hormuz, sanctions and renewed strikes prevent a durable settlement.

Late July-early August: Multi-front escalation resumes after Iran targets U.S. bases in Jordan. U.S. and Saudi forces strike IRGC positions in Iran and proxy targets in Iraq. Houthi attacks also threaten Saudi and Red Sea energy and shipping infrastructure.

Current Status

Status: Active combat. The war has entered its sixth month and has become a prolonged regional standoff rather than the quick resolution initially envisioned.

Key Flashpoints: The effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, attacks on Gulf and Red Sea shipping, cross-border missile exchanges, and proxy clashes across Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

Diplomacy: Oman is mediating indirect U.S.-Iran discussions over a shipping arrangement and a possible reopening of Hormuz. Iran says an agreement is nearing completion but continues to demand sanctions relief, compensation and an end to U.S. military pressure.

Economic Consequences

The war’s largest economic consequence is not the direct military bill. It is the energy shock created by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. That cost travels everywhere—in gasoline, airfare, food, manufacturing, interest rates, and slower economic growth.

At home: the United States

1. Gasoline is the most visible cost

U.S. gasoline averaged more than $4.20 per gallon during the second quarter, compared with roughly $2.80–$3.00 before the war. Prices have since retreated; the EIA expects about $3.80 during the third quarter. U.S. Energy Information Administration

For Michigan, an analysis by the minority staff of Congress’s Joint Economic Committee estimated that the average household had spent an additional $502 on gasoline by mid-July. That estimate depends on assumed fuel consumption, but it captures the scale correctly: several hundred dollars per driving household, not merely a few dollars at the pump. Michigan Independent

A household with two vehicles, especially SUVs or pickups, has probably felt considerably more.

2. Air travel has become substantially more expensive

Jet fuel has risen about 65% since the beginning of 2026, while domestic airfares are reportedly 26.5% above last year. Not all of that increase is attributable to Iran—aircraft shortages, reduced competition and FAA staffing also matter—but the fuel shock is an important component. The Guardian

3. Food and ordinary merchandise are being affected indirectly

Higher diesel and gasoline costs raise the price of:

• Farm operations and fertilizer

• Trucking and refrigeration

• Plastics and packaging

• Restaurant ingredients and deliveries

• Almost every product transported over a long distance

The March shock was especially pronounced: world crude prices rose nearly 40%, Asian LNG prices nearly two-thirds, and nitrogen-fertilizer prices nearly 50%. World Bank

For Masala Magic, the effects would appear less as one spectacular surcharge and more as accumulating pressure: food deliveries, cooking oil, packaging, employee commuting and customer reluctance to make discretionary trips.

4. Inflation is staying higher—and borrowing costs higher for longer

The Federal Reserve and other central banks face an unpleasant choice:

• Cut interest rates to protect growth, risking renewed inflation.

• Keep rates high to suppress inflation, weakening housing, investment and consumer spending.

The IMF says anticipated interest-rate paths have already moved upward because policymakers fear energy prices will spread into wages and other prices. Longer-term bond yields have risen as well. IMF July 2026 outlook

Thus the war can affect someone who buys no gasoline at all — through mortgage rates, auto loans, credit cards and business financing.

5. Taxpayers are acquiring a large future bill

The Pentagon placed direct war expenditure at $37.5 billion through late July, including projected costs through September 30. The administration has requested almost $90 billion in additional Iran-related funding. Reuters

That has not yet appeared as a special tax. It will instead become some combination of:

• Larger federal deficits

• Higher interest expense

• Reduced spending elsewhere

• Future taxes

Weapons inventories are also being depleted. Replacing costly interceptors and missiles will continue well after combat ends.

Abroad

Iran: economic devastation

Iran is experiencing the most severe direct damage:

• Oil-export revenue has been curtailed.

• Ports, power systems and industrial facilities have been damaged.

• Sanctions and the U.S. blockade impede imports as well as exports.

• Currency depreciation magnifies the price of imported food and medicine.

• Businesses face shortages, closures and layoffs.

Exact Iranian statistics are difficult to trust during wartime, but reports indicate extraordinarily high food inflation and severe foreign-exchange stress. The economic pressure is real; whether it forces political capitulation is much less certain. Governments can survive economic misery considerably longer than their populations can comfortably endure it.

Gulf states and Iraq: enormous lost output

The World Bank has cut expected 2026 growth for Gulf Cooperation Council countries from 4.4% in 2025 to 1.3% in 2026. For the broader Middle East region excluding Iran, expected growth has fallen from 4.0% to 1.8%—a 2.4-point downgrade from the January forecast. World Bank regional update

Even oil-rich countries cannot profit fully from high prices when they cannot reliably ship the oil. Saudi Arabia and the UAE possess alternate pipelines, but those routes cannot replace normal Hormuz capacity.

Europe: particularly vulnerable

Europe imports energy and has less domestic cushioning than the United States. The consequences include:

• Higher household utility bills

• Higher industrial costs

• Weaker consumer spending

• Delayed interest-rate reductions

• Greater recession risk in energy-intensive economies

Eurozone consumption growth fell to about 2.5% year-over-year in April, down from the previous 3–4% range. The ECB attributes much of that pullback to uncertainty and fear of lost purchasing power. Reuters

Asia: most exposed to physical Gulf supplies

China, India, Japan and South Korea normally receive most of the oil and LNG leaving the Gulf. Wealthier importers can pay more and reroute supplies; poorer countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh have much less room.

China’s inflationary pressure has recently eased as Brent fell from above $110 to roughly $84, but its second-quarter growth slowed to 4.3%. The war is not the sole cause—China’s property and demand problems remain important—but expensive imported energy added to the drag. Reuters

Global shipping and inventories

Traffic through Hormuz is reportedly around 10% of its prewar level, with hundreds of vessels and thousands of crew members stranded. Aramco estimates that the disruption has removed 2.6 billion barrels from normal global supply flows and inventories—nearly a month of world consumption. Even reopening the strait would not instantly restore inventories, refinery operations or insurance availability. Reuters

Bottom line

The United States is inconvenienced and made poorer; Iran and parts of the Gulf are being economically battered; Europe and energy-dependent Asian economies face the greatest external danger.

For an average American household, the most defensible present conclusion is:

• Several hundred dollars already lost through fuel and related prices

• Potentially around $1,000 over the year when indirect costs are included

• More expensive travel and goods

• Interest rates remaining higher longer

• A substantial federal war bill deferred to taxpayers

The hopeful fact is that oil markets have adapted better than feared: Brent has fallen from above $110 to the low-to-mid $80s. The dangerous fact is that this adaptation has consumed much of the world’s remaining cushion. A sustained Hormuz reopening would produce meaningful relief. Another major attack on Gulf oil infrastructure could reverse it very quickly.

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter, Chair@antrimdems.com

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

Volume #12. ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY SALLIE FOLEY, ALLEN WOLF, and JIM BLACK.
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Rogers’ shift towards total fealty to Trump over Michiganders clear as he pushes election denialism claims he used to condemn

LANSING — Breaking reporting from The New York Times reveals that corrupt multimillionaire Mike Rogers is prioritizing “loyalty to Trump” after “Trump convinced him to get back on the campaign trail,” including pushing false claims of stolen elections that he used to condemn.

According to The New York Times, Rogers said at a campaign event that he decided to run again only after “The president called and said, ‘Mike, I need you to do this. I need you in the Senate.’” Since then, Rogers has done Trump’s bidding at the expense of Michiganders, including suggesting that “further scrutiny of the 2020 election was warranted” and “voting irregularities sank his first Senate bid two years ago,” while pledging to rubber stamp all of Trump’s cost-raising policies.

Read more:

New York Times: Michigan Senate Candidate, a Former Trump Critic, Shifts Toward Election Skepticism

• [A]s he aims to return to Washington, in a Senate race considered key to control of that chamber, Mr. Rogers has become an election skeptic. Minutes after the president’s recent speech filled with outlandish accusations about voting fraud — including a debunked claim about Michigan ballots — Mr. Rogers weighed in, suggesting that further scrutiny of the election was warranted.

• “I am thankful for President Trump’s commitment to transparency,” Mr. Rogers said on his social media accounts. “The news coming out of the White House tonight is deeply troubling — especially that of a voter fraud scheme right here in Michigan.”

• Mr. Rogers has also suggested that voting irregularities sank his Senate bid two years ago — based on an unproven claim about late-arriving Detroit ballots that Mr. Trump has amplified and that echoed accusations made by election deniers in 2020.

• […] “Now he’s toeing the MAGA line,” said former Representative Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican who served with Mr. Rogers in the House and calls him a friend. “I don’t want to speculate on his motives for talking about the 2020 election, but that election is over. The 2024 election is over.”

• […] Mr. Rogers’s campaign did not provide any evidence to back up his claim about his 2024 defeat.

• Mr. Rogers now faces the newly minted Democratic nominee, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official from the left wing of his party, in the November election. Mr. Trump said earlier this week that Dr. El-Sayed had “a real shot” in a state he claimed was riddled with voter fraud. “Get ready for another Rigged Election,” he said.

• […] The editorial board of The Detroit Free Press reported in June 2024 that when it asked the Senate candidate whether Mr. Biden won the 2020 election, he refused to answer — a sign of Mr. Rogers’s newfound loyalty to Mr. Trump.

• Mr. Rogers won the primary two months later but narrowly lost to Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, even as Mr. Trump carried the state. Weeks later, an aide to the president-elect quashed speculation that Mr. Rogers was under consideration for F.B.I. director amid a backlash from MAGA influencers, who saw the former intelligence official who had worked for CNN as part of the loathed “deep state.”

• But after Senator Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, announced his retirement in January 2025, Mr. Rogers said Mr. Trump convinced him to get back on the campaign trail.

• “The president called and said, ‘Mike, I need you to do this. I need you in the Senate, and here’s the only thing I’m going to ask you: win,’” Mr. Rogers told a Republican group in Muskegon, Mich., in October 2025, according to video reviewed by The Times.

• At that same event, Mr. Rogers cast doubt on the legitimacy of Ms. Slotkin’s victory, referring to a van carrying ballots that “showed up” in Detroit the morning after the election. He gave the same account at another event earlier that month and said those ballots had “swung the election.” His comments about the van were previously reported by The Detroit News.

• “Mike Rogers knows better,” said Christopher Thomas, who served as Michigan’s elections director for more than three decades before becoming an adviser to voting officials in Detroit. “Mike Rogers knows no one stole the election from him in 2024, and he knows full well no one stole the election from Trump in 2020.”

• This year, Mr. Rogers is running not just with the president’s endorsement but also with the help of many of his closest associates. His current campaign team includes Chris LaCivita, a co-manager of Mr. Trump’s 2024 campaign; Katie Walsh Shields, Mr. Trump’s former deputy chief of staff; and Tony Fabrizio, a pollster and senior adviser to the president.

• […] Linda Lee Tarver, a Republican activist in Michigan who backed Mr. Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election, said she did not blame Mr. Rogers for opposing those efforts six years ago. “He didn’t have all the information,” she said. Ms. Tarver also suggested that Mr. Rogers’s view of that vote might have changed after his loss in the 2024 Senate race.

• “We know in our hearts that he won,” said Ms. Tarver, who is serving on Mr. Rogers’s campaign coalition of religious leaders. “Tell me, how would you feel about losing by 19,000 votes in a state with illegal voting? That had to have changed his view.”

• […] Mr. Trump remains fixated on voting fraud and has seized on Mr. Rogers’s claim about his defeat in the 2024 Senate race. In a speech to the Detroit Economic Club in January, the president asserted Mr. Rogers “won” a Senate seat two years ago and said, “I think they took that away from you last time.”

• “They rigged the election on you,” he added.

• Mr. Rogers posted the president’s remarks on X and featured them in a fund-raising appeal.

• When the two men campaigned together last month in Michigan, Mr. Trump said, “I happen to think he won last time.”

• […] Mr. Trump then called up John James, a Republican candidate for governor, to the stage. “Thank you Mr. President for coming back to Michigan, where you’ve won three times,” Mr. James said. (Mr. Trump carried the state in 2016 and 2024 but lost in 2020.)

• Mr. Rogers stood to Mr. James’s right, his hands clasped.

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ANTRIM COUNTY — In contested races for the Aug. 4, primary election, voters in Antrim County showed support for Abdul El-Sayed by a slim margin over Haley Stevens in the Democratic run for U.S. Senator.

Click For Full Article and Results