© Clay Jones – https://claytoonz.substack.com

On our political radar this week…

Donald Trump, possessor of the self-proclaimed “Big Brain,” seems to have fully embraced a bunker mentality: his ever-shifting Iran strategy manages neither to sway Tehran nor steady the global economy, but it does keep everyone guessing. Meanwhile, he’s tied up in court trying to build an actual bunker—allegedly tucked beneath his $400 million gold-plated ballroom—because nothing says “strong leadership” like preparing to retreat in style.
Michigan Democrats attracted a record-setting 7,200-plus delegates to their endorsement convention … along with potential presidential candidates Kamala Harris, Corey Booker and Andy Beshear (as well as home field potential candidates Elissa Slotkin and Gretchen Whitmer). Much to the consternation of party leaders, a sizable contingent of young progressives heckled and booed some of the on-stage candidates … a demonstration that brought quick condemnation from state party chair Curtis Hertel on the party’s weekly podcast.
Trump’s polling numbers continue to plummet. The latest AP-NORC poll has his approval rating a massive 40 points under water: 30% approval, 70% disapproval.
The worst cabinet in generations is getting a huge shakeup with the firing of three of the most incompetent – all of them women. Who’s next? Oh, so many bozos from which to choose. Bar-room buddies Hegseth and/or Patel? Bessent? Brainworm Bobby?
Virginia voters narrowly approve a congressional gerrymander that could flip four seats to the benefit of Democrats while Florida struggles to enact what could be the final chapter of the Trump-led gerrymandering quagmire. When it’s all said and done, the GOP plan to reinforce its U.S. House majority may well backfire.
Michigan’s top officials agree: the latest Trump-branded election conspiracy tour deserves a hard pass. This comes as federal officials are demanding full access to Wayne County’s 2024 ballots, apparently treating election records like a clearance rack for future grievances.
The whole exercise doubles as a rehearsal dinner for the GOP’s next claim that 2024 was “rigged,” a storyline notably unsupported by facts but eagerly workshopped by two-time election loser John James, who is still auditioning his 2020 script blaming Secretary of State Benson—a plotline first piloted by Mike Rogers and apparently too good (or too baseless) to retire.
Perry Johnson has taken a page out of the Donald Trump playbook, filing an absolutely absurd lawsuit to get some attention. His target: John James, over a campaign flyer which he claims implies James is already Governor of Michigan. By the way, the latest poll from EPIC-MRA shows that our actual Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has nearly 100% name identification.
The GOP gubernatorial field is down by one. Former state House Speaker Tom Leonard, who was polling in single digits, has dropped out of the race 2 days after filing his nominating petitions.
The man who led Trump Airlines into bankruptcy is brokering a deal for the federal government to take partial ownership of the equally prestigious Spirit Airlines … at a cost of a half-billion dollars.
Democrats are focusing on gas prices as they challenge Republicans running for reelection to Congress. One target in Michigan: Lansing area Congressman Tom Barrett, who used the price of gas to flip the mid-Michigan district in 2024. He promised back then to get gas prices under control.
Meanwhile, a new report from the non-partisan Anderson Economic Group says the ongoing high price of gas is costing a typical family $100 a month.
Former Michigan Democratic and Republican party officials are teaming up in an effort to eliminate candidate nominating conventions for top state offices, arguing the practice disenfranchises voters.. The effort is led by former Michigan Democratic Party chair Lon Johnson, and former Republican Executive Director of the Michigan Republican Party Jason Roe. Mark is a former Michigan Democratic Party chair, and Jeff is a former Michigan GOP Executive Director. They offer their perspective on the idea.

The battle lines are drawn in Michigan for the November elections as candidates near and far file their petitions, and the state’s Democrats give preliminary approval to their candidates for most statewide offices in an often raucous convention. Joining the podcast this week: the Democrats’ choice for Attorney General, Washtenaw County prosecuting attorney Eli Savit.

A native of Ann Arbor, Savit attended Kalamazoo College in western Michigan, where he played four years of college basketball. Following his college graduation, he worked as a public school teacher—teaching both special-education and general-education 8th-grade U.S. history.

After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School, Eli worked for two federal judges. He was then selected to clerk on the United States Supreme Court for Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Prior to his election as Washtenaw County prosecutor in 2020, he served as senior legal counsel for the city of Detroit. As prosecutor, Eli has established dedicated special-victims and domestic violence units, led the successful investigation and prosecution of multiple “cold-case” rape cases, launched multiple successful programs that allow people dealing with behavioral health and substance-use issues to obtain rehabilitative services— while avoiding a criminal conviction, and established Washtenaw County’s first-ever conviction integrity and expungement unit, which remedies wrongful convictions and provides legally eligible residents free assistance in clearing old criminal records.

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