The Ballenger Report

Question 1): Michigan Democrats won control of both chambers of the Michigan Legislature in the Nov. 8 general election, but by narrow margins — 20-18 in the state Senate and 56-54 in the state House of Representatives. They also earned a majority of the state’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, 7-6. A major […]

Question 1): So, what happened last Tuesday (Nov. 8), anyway?   Answer 1): No mystery here. There’s nothing that could be added to what has already been written and broadcast ad nauseum during the past week — Michigan Republicans were decimated in an election when history tells us it never should have happened. The GOP […]

Question 1): Late last week, news broke that the former wife of Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian ZAHRA told NBC News that he paid to abort her pregnancy when they were dating 39 years ago. This would seem to conflict with Zahra’s decision earlier this year to keep the proposed abortion constitutional amendment, Proposal 3, […]

       Question 1): A survey commissioned by MIRS newsletter week before last found Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon closing what earlier had been a huge polling gap with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to a skimpy two points — 49% to 47%. However, closing “most” of the gap isn’t the same as having caught up. Whitmer still […]

Question 1): With a little more than two weeks left before the Nov. 8 election, MIRS newsletter reports that underfunded Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor DIXON is within two percentage points of incumbent Gov. Gretchen WHITMER, according to a Mitchell Research & Communications survey commissioned by MIRS. The Oct. 19 survey of 541 respondents found Whitmer up […]

      Question 1): The first of two debates between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her Republican challenger, Tudor Dixon, took place last Thursday, Oct. 13, in Grand Rapids on WOOD-TV. So, how did the incumbent fare? What did we expect to see and hear from the governor, anyway?       Answer 1): First, Whitmer spent as little […]

Question 1): Democrats in the Michigan Senate, in their efforts to end longtime Republican control of the chamber, have botched what looked like a winning hand before. For example, they should have achieved a majority — or at least a tie — in 2006, which was a huge Democratic year. At least 23 districts (out […]

Question 1): In somewhat of a surprise, a $1 billion mid-year supplemental spending bill designed to replenish Michigan government’s Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) fund and kick start other large-dollar economic development projects passed both the House and the Senate with bi-partisan support last week. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign it into […]

Government entitlements change minds and human behavior, it seems. Take one away and what happens? November 8 will be the first time an abortion proposal of any kind has been on a Michigan statewide ballot since a half-century ago. What occurred in 1971-72 that can be compared with where we are today? An abortion rights […]

Question 1): Bridget MCCORMACK, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court,  announced last week that she is resigning from the bench no later than Dec. 31 but not before Nov. 22. McCormack, who became the 108th justice and the ninth woman to join the Court when she was sworn in as an associate justice on […]