The Economist.
I'm Charlotte Howard and this is Checks and Balance from The Economist.
Each week we take one big theme shaping American politics and explore it in depth.
Today, the Democratic divide in Michigan.
An experienced Democrat in Congress faces an energetic leftist.
It's a familiar story,
but the Senate primary in Michigan has a distinctly heartland flavor.
Michigan is a reliable swing state,
which in the past decade has helped elect both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The winner will take on an old-school Republican recast for the MAGA era.
And the stakes could not be higher.
Democrats need to win this seat to take control of the Senate.
Who will Michiganders trust?
And what does that choice mean for the future of the Democratic Party?
Today, I am here with James Bennet,
who has just returned from Michigan after almost a week spent, I think, traversing the state.
James, how are you?
I'm good, Charlotte.
It's always great to go back to Michigan.
I was based there a long, long time ago, early in my career in Detroit,