MLC Insider Intelligence: August 21, 2026
Michigan Legislative Consultants
Weekly Recap: The House and Senate are on their reduced summer schedule and didn’t hold session or committees this week.
Gubernatorial Candidate Selects Running Mate: Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced her pick for Lieutenant Governor, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks. This historic announcement is the first time in Michigan history that two women are running for governor and lieutenant governor.
SML Brinks: She served three terms in the Michigan House prior to her election to the Senate in 2019. During her second term, her colleagues elected her to serve as the first woman Senate Majority Leader. She represents a district in West Michigan, which will help boost the ticket as Secretary Benson is from the east side of the state. Prior to public office, SML Brinks was a caseworker at The Source and worked as the director of a community-based corrections agency and as a school paraprofessional.
Next Steps: The Michigan Democratic Party is hosting its nominating convention on August 29 to officially nominate SML Brinks as the Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor
Monthly Revenue Increases: Michigan’s major tax collections for July 2026 totaled $3,078.3 million, an increase of $165.8 million from the prior year. Additionally, year-to-date collections are 3.3% higher than the prior fiscal year, according to the latest report from the House Fiscal Agency.
Key Points: Last month, General Fund General Purpose revenue totaled $1,557.8 million last month, which was $116.5 million above projections. School Aid Fund revenue also came in higher than prior estimates, totaling $1,358.8 million.
Tax Revenue: Net income tax revenue in July totaled $1,204.9 million. Consumption tax revenue was $1,267.6 million, which was $198.6 million lower than in the prior fiscal year on a year-to-date basis. Sales tax collections also came in 4.6% lower than the prior year, while use tax collections grew 13.5% year over year.
Governor Makes Judicial Appointments: This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced three appointments to the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County. All appointments fill partial terms due to resignation or upcoming resignation and expire on January 1, 2029.
Robbie Gaines, Jr.: He is a founding member of Gaines Law Firm, PLC, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Bar Association and as a Commissioner for the State Bar of Michigan. Mr. Gaines earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Wayne State University.
Robyn Liddell: She is currently the Chief of the Criminal Trials Division at the Michigan Department of Attorney General. She’s served in the department since 2014. Ms. Liddell earned a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in African-American studies from Oberlin College
Rula Aoun: She is a partner at Cochran, Kroll and Associates, serves as a Magistrate Judge at the 19th District Court, and is a board member and volunteer attorney at the American Arab Civil Rights League. Judge Aoun earned a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in international affairs and French from the University of Michigan.
Spotlight On Representative Carrie Rheingans: Representative Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor) is serving her second term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Prior to her election to the House, she was a project director for the Michigan Public Health Institute and a lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Social Work.
District: The 47th House District includes Columbia Township, Napoleon Township, Norvell Township, Dexter, Freedom Township, Lima Township, Manchester Township, Scio Township, Sharon Township, and portions of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Township, Grass Lake Township, and Sumit Township.
Committees:
Agriculture
Families and Veterans
We asked Representative Rheingans a question to learn more about her:
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A - When I was a kid, I read Jurassic Park and wanted to become a genetic engineer to make rice that had all essential nutrients in it. So I went to genetics camp in the summer in high school, started college as a Cell & Molecular Bio major, and worked in a developmental biology lab researching inner ear development of zebrafish and realized that I didn't want to do that the rest of my life... I wanted to work on addressing health inequities instead. So I did!
Next Week: The House is scheduled to hold session Tuesday–Thursday, and the Senate has scheduled session for Wednesday. The Michigan Republican Party will hold its nominating convention on Saturday, August 22.
Leading up to the November 5 general election, we are highlighting races generally considered swing seats.
General Election Overview: 21st House District: Incumbent Representative Kelly Breen (D-Novi) is running for her fourth term in the Michigan House of Representatives. The base has been shifting left over the past couple of election cycles, and the Democrats have a slight advantage with a 51.7% base. With several years as an elected official under her belt, Representative Breen has a strong advantage headed into the November election and is facing an opponent who is a political newcomer.
District Overview: The district includes portions of Farmington, Farmington Hills, Northville, Lyon Township, and Novi.
Democratic Candidate:
Representative Kelly Breen – State Representative, attorney, former member of the Novi City Council.
Republican Candidate:
Ross Barranco – Retired geologist.
General Election Overview: 22nd House District: This seat is currently held by Representative Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth), who opted to run for the Michigan Senate instead of seeking reelection to the House. This open seat has been trending left in recent years. Joe Biden won this seat 51%-47%, and Governor Whitmer last won this seat 56.5%-42%. With this being an open seat, both the Democratic and Republican Parties will need a strong campaign effort from their candidate.
District Overview: The district includes portions of Northville, Northville Township, Plymouth, Plymouth Township, and Livonia.
Democratic Candidate:
Lisa McIntyre – Licensed professional counselor and former president and current treasurer of the Northville Board of Education.
Republican Candidate:
Casey Noce – Middle school history teacher, pastor, and realtor.
General Election Overview: 27th House District: Representative Rylee Linting (R-Wyandotte) is serving her first term in the Michigan House. This race is a rematch from 2024, when now-Representative Linting narrowly defeated then-incumbent Representative Jaime Churches, 52%-48%. The two will face off again this November in this near 50/50 district.
District Overview: The district is in Wayne County and includes Grosse Ile Township, Gibraltar, Riverview, Trenton, and Wyandotte, and a portion of Southgate.
Democratic Candidate:
Jaime Churches – Former State Representative, 5th-grade teacher.
Republican Candidate:
Representative Rylee Linting – State Representative, former Michigan Republican Party Youth Chair and Motor City Field Representative for Turning Point Action.
General Election Overview: 28th House District: Representative Jaime Thompson (R-Brownstown) is serving her second term in the Michigan House. She’s running for a third term, facing a local elected official. Rep. Thompson won a second term in 2024, securing 54.5% of the vote, increasing her win margin from her first term. This will be a highly competitive race and will play a key role in which party controls the majority.
District Overview: The district includes Brownstown Township, Flat Rock, Rockwood, Woodhaven, and portions of Taylor, Berlin Township, and Frenchtown Township.
Democratic Candidate:
Sherry Berecz – Brownstown Township Supervisor, former Township Clerk and Trustee.
Republican Candidate:
Representative Jaime Thompson – State Representative, nurse.