In a political environment in which more and more states are reliable strongholds for one party or the other, Michigan is one of the last truly “purple” states.
We’ve regularly pin-balled between Republican and Democratic governors; you have to go back to 1968 to find one party winning that office with back-to-back candidates. Sometimes we elect a mix of both; as recently as 2024, Michigan voted for President Trump while also electing Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin. That unpredictability makes Michigan a competitive political battleground.
It also makes Michigan a prime target for advertising dollars. More than $900 million is expected to be spent in political ads in Michigan this year—more than any state except California. Turn on your TV for any five-minute period in the five months before Election Day and you’re bound to see a barrage of political ads with varying degrees of insinuation and nastiness. When not inundated with ads, you might be fielding calls or texts from pollsters asking your opinions about the issues of the day. You might be blasted with direct fundraising appeals from candidates insisting it’s your “LAST CHANCE” to support their campaign.
It’s not all bad, though. Compared to some solidly blue or solidly red states, your individual vote arguably matters more in Michigan. National candidates feel compelled to pay more attention to Michigan than they do some of our neighbors. Ideally, our ever-shifting balance of power keeps a check on extreme partisanship and forces elected officials to appeal to moderates and independents. All of this gives Michigan voters an important voice every election season.
I’m still a nerd—I look forward to watching election night returns the way some people look forward to the Super Bowl. And in a state where the outcome is never quite a foregone conclusion, there’s still something pretty satisfying about watching to see what Michigan voters will do next.
Get out and vote!