This past weekend, MIRS podcast host Samantha Shriber covered the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, where candidates ahead of the '26 elections courted Republican activists and enthusiasts. She recaps what she saw with guests (1:16 ). 

At the conference, MIRS met up with Republican Amir Hassan, the U.S. Navy veteran and Flint native running in Michigan's competitive 8th U.S. House district (9:24 ). 

Also, 46th Gov. John Engler shares what it was like creating budgets with a political rival and later with an evenly divided state House in the '90s (21:11 ).