Inbox: Bernie Sanders will rally with @abdulelsayed.bsky.social in Detroit on May 3.
It will be at least the third time Sanders and El-Sayed have campaigned together since last year, though one of those appearances was before El-Sayed launched his campaign for U.S. Senate.
NEW: @abdulelsayed.bsky.social says he reached out to @haleyformi.bsky.social to let her know he disagrees with the way she was treated at the MDP Convention, calling it “unkind and unnecessary.”
“That kind of treatment is unbecoming of the kind of politics we want to build,” El-Sayed said.
More photos from last night’s MDP Convention in Detroit, featuring U.S. Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, Secretary of State endorsee Garlin Gilchrist and many campaign signs.
📸 for @michiganadvance.com
Scenes from the MDP’s spring convention last night, where progressives like Garlin Gilchrist and Eli Savit had a nearly clean sweep and candidates like Mallory McMorrow and Suzanna Shkreli were followed by marching bands and anonymous digital billboard carriers.
📸 for @michiganadvance.com
More from each of the U.S. Senate candidates in my @michiganadvance.com story from this weekend’s MDP Convention in Detroit:
Progressive U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said he agrees Democrats should use plain language, but that it has to be backed by substance.
“I would add a proviso, which is to say that you got to be talking about things that people actually care about,” El-Sayed told me for @michiganadvance.com
Amir Makled defeats UM Regent Jordan Acker to win the Michigan Democratic Party's endorsement for the University of Michigan's governing board in another win for the party's progressive wing. Incumbent Paul Brown won the party's other endorsement.
Michigan State University Trustees Brianna Scott and Kelly Tebay have won the Michigan Democratic Party's endorsement for another term, fending off a challenge from state Sen. Sylvia Santana.
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit wins the Michigan Democratic Party endorsement for attorney general in a win for the party's progressive wing.
Lt. Gov. @garlingilchrist.bsky.social has won the Michigan Democratic Party's endorsement for secretary of state on the first ballot.
Barb Byrum says in an email to supporters that the Secretary of State race "will likely go to a second ballot" at MDP Endorsement Convention.
"I know it has been a long day for you, but I ask that you please stick around the Convention Hall until the race is decided," she wrote.
Voting is underway at the MDP Endorsement Convention, with long lines to cast a ballot. MDP Chair Curtis Hertel reminded delegates that because there are three candidates for secretary of state, it could go to a second ballot; they will tabulate those results first once everyone has voted.
McMorrow faced some chants of "Abdul" as she left the stage.
El-Sayed got the same chant (but louder), supporting him, as he took the stage.
But audience members yelled over Stevens through her entire speech and didn't let up.
Haley Stevens is booed as she takes the stage at the Michigan Democratic Party Convention in Detroit. She spoke over people screaming "shame" and other comments, many about Palestine, through most of her remarks.
"Democrats, I love you, even when we disagree," Stevens said.
More than an hour after voting was scheduled to begin, candidates for governor and U.S. Senate are speaking while the party sorts out an issue where some registered delegates weren't marked as eligible to vote. Hertel vowed that anyone registered will be able to vote.
MDP Chair Curtis Hertel says this is the party's largest convention to date. They've filled the Huntington Place ballroom and have several overflow rooms set up.
The Michigan Democratic Party's spring convention, where they will endorse candidates for secretary of state and attorney general among other offices, is getting underway soon.
"That's what you get when you don't have a message," U.S. Senate candidate @abdulelsayed.bsky.social says as the band passes by his media availability.
U.S. Senate candidate @mallorymcmorrow.bsky.social is traversing the MDP Endorsement Convention caucus meetings with a band this afternoon.
Scenes from the Michigan Democratic Party Legacy Dinner in Detroit last night, where @jocelynbenson.bsky.social, @garlingilchrist.bsky.social, @andybeshearky.bsky.social and Gretchen Whitmer spoke. Taken for @michiganadvance.com:
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wore a “Big Gretch” pin at last night’s MDP Legacy Dinner.
Beshear said he doesn’t swear in public because Gov. Gretchen Whitmer swears enough for both of them, but made an exception to call her a “damn good governor.”
Examples Beshear gave of “advocacy speak”:
“Food insecure” instead of “hungry”
“Justice involved population” instead of “inmates”
“Substance abuse disorder” instead of “addiction”
“The idea was we reduce stigma. But we don’t reduce stigma by changing words.” That takes action, Beshear said.
1/2 Those who are saying no one uses the phrase "justice-involved population" apparently don't spend time with people who do use it. In my job as a reporter who covers the justice system, I've heard people use that phrase, particularly with juvenile offenders, aka justice-involved youth.
On the one hand, I’ve never heard the phrase “justice involved population” until this post.
On the other hand, apparently it is an actual term used to describe current or former inmates…especially in the healthcare field, it seems.
Beshear mentioned this as another example.
Beshear pitches it as a change in style, not substance.
He says he vetoed legislation targeting abortion rights and the LGBTQ community, knowing it would garner attack ads.
"I vetoed because it's the right thing to do, and some things are worth losing for," Beshear says.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear tells Michigan Democrats the party has "let advocacy speak seep into our language."
He gives the example of calling inmates the "justice involved population."
"If we want to be the party of the people, we've got to talk like we are people," he says.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asks Michigan Democrats to think about how many hours they dedicated to the last election knocking doors, making calls and attending events — then double it this year. She says she'll do the same.
"Big Gretch is all gas this year, baby," she closes.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the MDP Legacy Dinner: "When times are tough, we get tougher. When leadership fails, we stay focused and fight back. When shit gets real, we get shit done."
"The thing I feel positive about is that we will get through any difficult moment in our country's history with two things: engaged citizens and principled leaders," Sen. @elissaslotkin.bsky.social says at the MDP Legacy Dinner.
