PODCAST:
July 23, 2026 ~ Bridge Michigan’s Lauren Gibbons and Kelly House join Kevin Dietz to fact check Michigan’s senate race.
LANSING, MICH. ~ Bridge Michigan and 760 WJR have partnered throughout election season to help voters bring the facts to the polling centers, and on Thursday, Bridge’s Lauren Gibbons and Kelly House joined All Talk to explore what’s really true in this year’s Michigan Senate race between Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed.
“It’s really important for voters to do some research on the candidates themselves outside of the media that they’re seeing,” Gibbons said during the interview on All Talk. After reviewing campaign advertisements and public records, Bridge reporters found that some campaign claims were largely accurate, while others were overstated or omitted key details.
One major issue examined by Bridge involved Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and allegations that he supported “defunding the police.” Reporters found that El-Sayed did publicly use the phrase during discussions following the 2020 protests over the killing of George Floyd. However, they also found that he frequently described the concept as reallocating some resources toward education, anti-poverty initiatives and other public services rather than eliminating police departments altogether. Bridge characterized the issue as more nuanced than many political advertisements suggest.
Bridge also reviewed advertisements featuring former President Barack Obama praising Democratic candidate Haley Stevens. Reporters confirmed that Obama did make the positive remarks about Stevens’ work on the Obama administration’s auto rescue effort, but the comments originated from a 2018 campaign event, not the current Senate race. Bridge further found that Obama has not endorsed a candidate in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, despite criticism that the advertisements could create that impression.
Another frequently discussed claim centers on Stevens’ role in helping save the U.S. auto industry during the 2009 restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler. Bridge Michigan found that Stevens served as chief of staff to the Obama administration’s auto rescue team and played a significant role in outreach, coordination, and communication with stakeholders. However, the publication noted she was not one of the primary decision-makers who negotiated the bailout itself. Former administration officials and Michigan leaders nevertheless credited her with performing important operational work during the rescue effort.
Campaign financing has also emerged as a major point of debate. Bridge reported that outside organizations have spent tens of millions of dollars on the race, with much of that spending benefiting Stevens or opposing El-Sayed. At the same time, El-Sayed has continued to emphasize his refusal to accept corporate PAC contributions, although independent groups have spent money supporting his campaign.
The Michigan primary election is set for Aug. 4.
