Tuesday is primary election day in Michigan. The ballots will include a key senate race and local proposals on funding public services.
First that senate race. It results from the retirement of Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and it’s become a test of how progressive the party will swing. Abdul El-Sayed is supported by Democratic Socialists, although he insists he’s not a Democratic Socialist. He’s called for Medicare for all and is running in a tight race against the more moderate Haley Stevens.
There also will be a new governor elected in November as Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited. Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson had a big polling lead over Christopher Swanson. On the Republican side, John James held a smaller polling lead over Perry Johnson.
And locally, there are lots of ballot proposals to renew property tax millages in Cass and Berrien counties. They range from asking Watervliet and Coloma voters to generate just $600 more a year for the North Berrien Historical Society, up to a four-year millage renewal for Edwardsburg schools to generate $3 million a year for operating costs.
