Jonathan Oosting

Republican state Rep. Beau LaFave, a critic of orders to restrict businesses because of COVID-19, is self-quarantining after contracting the virus. He said the illness hasn't changed his mind about Gov. Whitmer's orders.

One longtime elections attorney said the attorney general's probe could result in misdemeanor criminal charges against circulators, petition firms or others involved in the effort.

Welcome to Missaukee County, where 3 of 4 voters backed Donald Trump four years ago and voters say racial injustice and the coronavirus aren’t pressing issues. Trump needs to dominate in such rural areas if he hopes to repeat in November, experts say.

The Unlock Michigan group seeking to repeal Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers has collected enough signatures to advance its initiative to the Republican-led Legislature for likely enactment. But they may not be counted until next year, setting up a fight.

Months after dire predictions that COVID-19 would force massive state spending cuts, rebounding revenue and federal assistance helped Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders strike a deal to avoid major service cuts. They even managed to find enough money for 33 “pork barrel” spending projects.

State lawmakers could vote as soon as Wednesday on a roughly $60 billion budget bill that few have seen. It’s the latest development involving Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who campaigned on a pledge of transparency but has been slow to release information during the pandemic.

In separate rulings, judges rule that ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 will count in the election and block a ban on providing transportation to the polls.

An annual Second Amendment rally in the capital saw traditional gun rights groups joined by a variety of militia and far-right organizations who say they are needed to protect against government overreach and the unrest they equate with protests over police violence.

Republican legislators accused Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration of failing to adequately prepare for the pandemic. “20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing,” countered state health director Robert Gordon.

Michigan law now allows clerks to process absentee ballots only on Election Day. Municipal clerks say that would be a “recipe for disaster” this year given an expected surge and would delay results reporting in a closely watched presidential election.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration and Republican legislative leaders said Monday they've agreed to a framework for the 2021 budget that will protect funding for K-12 schools and local governments despite revenue declines amid COVID-19.

More than four months after armed protesters brought weapons inside during a tense legislative debate, the Michigan Capitol Commissioners rejected proposals that would have banned guns from the building or prohibited open carry. But they say the debate is not over.

The Democratic presidential nominee outlined his plan to boost manufacturing as he wooed blue-collar workers in Macomb County. He also blasted Donald Trump’s handling of COVID-19, accusing the president of a “life-and-death betrayal of the American people.”

Justices grilled Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s attorney for more than an hour and a half Wednesday, questioning the limits of her authority to take emergency actions without legislative approval during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Progressives are taking a cue from conservatives and founding ‘news’ sites like Courier Newsroom, which spends big money on election-year social media ads to benefit Democratic in swing districts such as U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Holly.

As Democrats turn to virtual rallies and phone calls amid the COVID-19 pandemic, masked-up Republicans resumed door-knocking in June, have hosted “MAGA meetups” across the state and will welcome Vice President Mike Pence to Traverse City on Friday.

The U.S. Department of Justice demands records from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other Democratic governors who "issued orders which may have resulted in the deaths of thousands." A Whitmer spokeswoman says the request is “election-year politics.”

A little-known tax cut trigger tucked into a 2015 Michigan law was designed to slow runaway government growth. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to reverse it before the 2022 election, warning it could slow the state’s recovery.

Consumer spending is up amid the pandemic, as Michigan residents are spending federal bailout money designed to keep the economy going amid the pandemic. But state economists warn Michigan still faces tough times.

The latest TV attack ad from Republican challenger John James blends a few facts (some of which are quite old) to reach a questionable conclusion that Sen. Gary Peters has done little but double his wealth while in Washington, D.C.