Michigan Matters: Primary reverberates nationally and pro soccer gains ground in Detroit
The eyes of the nation were on Michigan as its critical 2026 primary was held Tuesday, with defining races headlined by the Democratic U.S. Senate contest between progressive candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and traditional candidate Rep. Haley Stevens.
When the votes were counted, El-Sayed won in a tight contest over Stevens.
The roundtable of former Michigan Democratic Party chair Lon Johnson, former Michigan GOP chair Susy Avery and Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter appears on Michigan Matters this Sunday to talk about that contest which gained tremendous coverage nationally.
On the Republican side, Mike Rogers ran unopposed in the U.S. Senate race and will face El-Sayed in the general election.
The trio also talked about Michigan's open governor's race (Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited) as Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James sailed to easy victories Tuesday and will square off in the November election.
The roundtable talked about other races and the impact of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who supported progressive candidates that won in the state and President Trump, who endorsed James in the governor's contest and others.
Coulter talked about race results in his municipality, a bellwether among Michigan's 83 counties.
Then the focus turns to another competitive endeavor – pro soccer, which is gaining ground in Detroit on the heels of the recently completed World Cup taking place in numerous cities across America this summer.
Claude Molinari, president/CEO of Visit Detroit; Alex Wright, co-owner, Detroit City Football Club, and Keith Baldwin, founder/owner of The Regal Eagle – a new Detroit soccer/sports pub – appear to talk about the world's most popular sport.
Baldwin's pub opened just before the World Cup began.
Molinari, who oversees the tourism and convention industries in the region, talked about the growing following of soccer.
Wright, who started Detroit City Football Club 15 years ago, has been steadfast about the sport as DCFC has been a catalyst for the sport. He is spearheading the construction of a new pro soccer field in Detroit.
(Watch Michigan Matters at its new time: 5:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS Detroit and 9:30 a.m. Sundays on CW Detroit 50 WKBD).
(Carol Cain is the 13-time Emmy-winning senior producer and host of Michigan Matters).