Michigan Truth Squad: Fact-check No. 1 on 2018 governor candidates

August 2018 update: Gretchen Whitmer wins Democratic primary for Michigan governor
August 2018 update: Bill Schuette wins Republican nod for Michigan governor

Bridge Magazine is kicking off its 2018 Michigan Truth Squad coverage with our first round of fact checks, this one involving four leading candidates for Michigan governor.

Our mission is to hold candidates for public office and activist groups accountable for their political statements, a task that is even more critical this year, when every statewide office, including all House and Senate seats, are up for grabs in Michigan.

As always, Truth Squad adheres to its nonpartisan, equal-opportunity critiques of factual claims. We do not rate or analyze ideological positions, we do not pass judgment on the wisdom of a given policy proposal or campaign claim. We focus only on whether a candidate’s statements are grounded in established facts, as best we can determine them.

If you see a statement you believe is questionable, whether it is in a TV or radio ad, social media post, a mailer sent to your home, a press release, or its a remark made at an event or in an interview, please bring it to our attention and we will do our best to investigate if it is true, misleading or just plain false.

Contact editor David Zeman with statements you believe are untruthful or misleading in state political races and we will do our best to investigate promising tips. Zeman can be reached at dzeman@bridgemi.com.

Truth Squad: Brian Calley’s claims on Michigan’s economic gains

Truth Squad: Gretchen Whitmer’s role in Larry Nassar case

Truth Squad: Bill Schuette’s track record as Michigan Attorney General

Truth Squad: Abdul El-Sayed promises single-payer healthcare