“There’s going to be a ton of pressure on the governor in how she handles this,” Sellek said. “It is not a science, it’s an art.”

"Frankly, for the Democrats, they’d be wise to listen” to Dingell. Democrats “had a lot of success when they thought this way,” and explains that Dingell and the caucus has the ability to have bipartisan appeal to the public which will probably pull even more voters into their camp.”

"Watch our last Small Business Briefing of 2022. Host Brian Calley talks with special guest John Sellek about the impact restaurants will feel if the tipped wage is eliminated."

"The impending change makes her feel powerless, she said. Without the boost of tips, she said she’ll likely leave the restaurant industry and find an hourly job elsewhere, even if it means sacrificing schedule flexibility.”

"John Sellek of Save Michigan Restaurants talks to Ron Jolly on WTCM, Traverse City"

"The most interesting result of the election is how Democrats will frame their initial policy platform in January."

Democrats hold an effective majority now but a Warnock win would empower Democrats to move more aggressively with a true majority.

“These workers fear this system being obliterated,” Sellek said. “It's going to not only upset their way of life, it's going to end their ability to work in this industry, because they're just not going to get paid what they're getting paid today.”

"This race is unique because it’s the fruition of a very long battle between grassroots elements and the so-called establishment," said John Sellek, a Republican consultant in Michigan. "For the first time, this race is a choice between multiple MAGA candidates, meaning the grassroots may have finally taken over."

"There's a freight train coming straight at these workers by February," said John Sellek, a spokesman for the group.

“If in one day, basically in February, they have to increase their labor payments over 200%. That money has to come from somewhere and it’s either going to drive a restaurant out of business, it’s going to cause them to reduce the hours of their workers, it will cause them to reduce the kind of services,” says Sellek.

The restaurant industry, which has warned of ramifications if wages go up in February under a court ruling, is asking the Republican-led Legislature to pass the bill this month before ending the two-year session. Democratic legislators will take control in January.

"The legislature must act during lake duck to protect tipped workers' income."

John Sellek joins the Morning Wake Up Show to talk about the upcoming battle over minimum wage here in Michigan, and its negative impact on tipped wage employees.

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

Gabbie Huhn, a bartender at The Riv in East Lansing, said she and many of her coworkers would likely quit if the state's wage system for tipped workers changes in February.

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

“If (people) knew I was making $15 an hour like they were at Target, then they would not be tipping me,”

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

 "If that was to go away, it would literally destroy restaurants as well as the people that work in them."

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

“If you can go and work at these places and get the flexibility of the work environment and be making $20, $30 or $40 an hour based on your skill set and your effort, and that’s been taken away from you because you’re going to get paid $12 an hour – that’s a huge problem,” Sellek said. “

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

“Having that cash in hand every day. ... If that was to go away, it would literally destroy restaurants as well as the people that work in them.”

Oxford parents continue push to protect their children in the classroom

"If the court determined the Legislature had no authority, it could devastate tipped workers overnight"

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on her second term: “I think it will be liberating.”

“Sellek said Scholten defeated Gibbs because she ran a “masterful campaign” & because demographics in Kent County are benefiting Democrats. “Sometimes we’re dependent on messaging & sometimes we’re dependent on the personality of the candidate. She had both going for her”

"Other than his 5,200 vote loss for attorney general, Sen. Peters has shown a quietly effective ability to continue winning, even after being redistricted out of his seat in Congress," said Sellek, a Michigan-based Republican public relations consultant.”

John Sellek joined WILS 1320 Morning Wake Up to talk about the gap between now-majority #Michigan Democrats getting their policy agenda rolling vs. the GOP spending the next three months figuring out who it's chair will be

"While there will always be a Trump faction his brand is damaged & he knows that, which is why he is attempting to seize control of the primary process," Sellek said. "many are keeping their powder dry, waiting to see who else jumps in — something not guaranteed before last week"

“Michigan is a swing state, no matter what we saw in the polls on Tuesday,” said Sellek, “It’s going to be fought over until it’s proven, in multiple elections in a row, that it can’t be fought over.”

“The worst thing the Democrats could do when they take power and roll out bills in February is to put up bills like Right to Work, the kind of revenge legislation the Democrats have called it,” said Sellek.

"This is a huge opportunity for the GOP to start going in the right direction or completely implode. The Michigan Republicans are facing a massive crisis in leadership right now," consultant John Sellek said.

“Those who win claim credit like the Democrats did yesterday,” said John Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic. “And the party who lost, like the Republicans, start to point fingers and start to plot who is in charge next.”

“If we were to pick just one issue that made the biggest difference here, by far it’s abortion,” said John Sellek, a Republican public relations consultant in Michigan. He called Tuesday the “worst day in the modern Michigan G.O.P. history.”

The fact of the matter is that the top of the ticket bombed.

"That made her into a national candidate, not just a Michigan candidate," he said. "She's Gretchen Whitmer, a presidential candidate. That showed in the bank account....That was something that Tudor Dixon could never recover from."

"When she got into those skirmishes with Trump that he initiated, she generally came out on top. It turned her into a different figure," he said.

“Voters showed ad makers they can separate local candidates from President Biden.”

John Sellek of Habor Strategic Public Affairs and Adrian Hemond of Grassroots Midwest join MIRS' Publisher John Reurink and Editor Kyle Melinn to break down the historic results of Michigan's 2022 general election

"DeSantis is peaking now. Ask Chris Christie how easy it is to hold on to that."

“Detroit is the biggest bank of votes for Democrats,” said John Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs and a Republican communications strategist. “(Democrats) cannot afford to lose votes there in a close election.”

The Democratic incumbent had a major fundraising and advertising advantage over DePerno but has struggled to effectively remind voters of her accomplishments in Lansing, said Sellek, the Republican campaign veteran.

"It gives a general emotional boost to Democrats everywhere in Michigan. Because I think many of them look back on Obama now as sort of the last normal president. The last president who tries to charm you and actually succeeds at that," Sellek said.

John Sellek and Adrian Hemond debate the last fights of campaign 2022 with Kevin and Tom on @WJR

"The debates "went a long way in proving at least to the donors and the media that Dixon was a viable candidate for governor," said Sellek. “it's affected the overall discussion that's made it more of an actual choice, instead of just being about Whitmer."

"Sellek, who managed the successful 2014 reelection of former AG Schuette, said he thinks it's tough to predict a winner. "But if I was giving an advantage it would be illogical not to give her the advantage. So if she loses it's one of the biggest upsets in MI political history"

"The Senate will be the closest race we have seen in at least 40 years and at this point may simply come down to how real the national independents' shift toward the GOP is," said Republican communications and political consultant John Sellek

"By most accounts, Whitmer has done almost everything she needed to do to try to survive this bad Democrat year," Sellek said. "It's possible that she will have achieved that and still lose, and that'll be because the national political environment just pulled too many people away from the Democratic Party."

"Democrats at the congressional level needed all that money to try to carve out a unique safe zone for themselves in a stormy year for Democrats," Sellek said.

“Voters don’t want to get suckered. They don’t like that and they might look at this the more they hear 40 laws may be removed,” said Sellek. “This might end up in the courts for a decade.”

"Sellek said Dixon is "peaking when she needed to peak to have a chance, but will need that national shift to the focus on inflation and crime that undercuts the ability of Whitmer to hold some of the independent voters who are feeling anxiety."

“Prop two has a lot of those side issues that are going on the public is never going to truly have the time to look at or understand,” said Sellek, “And because it’ll be in the Constitution, we really won’t be able to adjust it very easily going forward should something go haywire.”

"As a ticket of outsiders, Republicans always knew they’d be outspent this cycle but no one imagined to this historical extent," Sellek said. "

Sellek remarked that luck and timing in politics can be everything and right now, “Inflation is killing us all — it’s bubbling up in the headlines in a different way practically every day and that's causing a lot of independent and soft GOP voters who are looking the other way on the abortion issue, to start looking back at the GOP.”

Adrian & John join WJR to debate the big issues of the week in Michigan politics and government.

Michael Patrick and John talk about the crazy fundraising emails currently flooding our inboxes.

"It is could provide a boost for Barrett in turnout and fundraising because of how much Congresswoman Cheney became enemy No. 1 in Trump world, whereas she is not as well known in the universe of undecided or independents who aren’t very attuned to politics who Rep. Slotkin is trying to bring into her camp," said Sellek

Sellek said he could see the larger campaign staff numbers becoming a more normal thing in future runs. “In part because the state finance system is broken and less valuable than it has ever been."

“The thing that I’m not surprised about but most disappointed in is the University’s argument that they are not tied to Conforth’s actions even though they did know of prior assault (allegations) against him and even though they did issue a Last Chance agreement, which concedes that they did know that he was a dangerous character,”

Guy and John talk about the 2nd and final debate of the Michigan race for governor.

“Among them was Andrea Jones' son, Griffen. He's now a senior at the high school and was in the hallway when the gunfire erupted, terrorizing the school and community. "It changes you it changes your life it’s never the same," Jones said. "It's terrorism on any level no matter how you look at it. Anyone in the building is a victim."

“Michigan ranks last in transparency for public officials. We do that for federal officials. They already do have to fill out forms so this essentially just says, ‘why don’t we have our state officials match our federal officials?’” said John Sellek

“My thoughts went to the facts, what is going to happen with the facts,” said Bourgeau. “We’ve been told by the school that we don’t need an investigation. The facts are going to come in the trial. If we don’t have a trial, then where do those facts go?”

“DePerno is absolutely benefitting from the fact that people don’t know who he is, personally. … The fact that his controversial background is not well known is helping him be a viable alternative to Nessel. Essentially, the election is a referendum on Nessel at this point,” Sellek said.

“It’s beyond frustrating,” Lori Bourgeau said. “I could understand if there were questionable things being told to us. But, honestly, the emails we’ve gotten are very basic. It seems as though their problem is that that’s being shared,” Lori Bourgeau said.

"The strategy Whitmer's team employed was to continue her $40 million advertising campaign in person, staying positive, claiming competence and countering a poor Democratic year by aiming to be the safer choice for independent and soft Republican voters," Sellek says. "Whitmer seemed handcuffed by that strategy once Dixon began a flow of attacks from start to finish."

Harris and Whitmer “have played well and supported each other,” said John Sellek, a Michigan-based Republican consultant who led Utah Sen. Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign in the state. “But I think Republicans feel it’s safe to say that if Biden didn’t run for reelection, or even if Biden serves a second term, that friendship will become secondary to pursuing the presidency.”

"This was not exactly the skilled political fighting Whitmer we are used to around Lansing. It appears she was trying to be the smiling, bipartisan — almost nonpartisan — problem solver from her TV ads who is acceptable to independents and lean Republicans in a bad Democrat year," Sellek said.

“The Republicans start off at a disadvantage but they counter that with the fact that they have an incumbent senator who's been for four years making a name for himself in Macomb,” said Sellek.”

John Sellek joined Michael Patrick Shiels to break down the first debate of the governor's race and discuss their support of the LA Dodgers.

“Sellek saw Dixon eek out a win in via “a thousand cuts. ‘Dixon took the fight to Whitmer and I’m not sure Team Whitmer was quite prepared for that. I think her plan was to stay above the fight and talk in the same positive tone as her ad campaign”

"Whitmer stuck to her front-runner strategy, using bipartisanship, positivity and claiming the mantle of competence for an audience that has propelled her into a lead. She refused to fully engage on attacks and risk giving up the image her team has spent millions building on."

"That's why Macomb is so vital because if the GOP were to win both of these, it could seal the deal for them to get to 20."

"Sellek also said Ms. Whitmer can't be too cautious or play for a tie. There's still a fairly large undecided vote in the public polls even with the most one-sided advertising campaign in Michigan gubernatorial campaign history, he said. If those voters have yet to make up their mind, there's something they are still waiting to hear, and this is Ms. Whitmer's chance to speak to them, he said."

“Just (Dixon’s) presence on stage on a statewide televised debate, where she carries herself in a gubernatorial way, and explains how she’s different than Whitmer — even without drawing blood, it’s gonna be a plus for Dixon,” said Sellek, the CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs.

Strategist John Sellek talks with 9&10 News about the stakes of the debate, and state of the race.

“You’re not only going to be face to face with your opponent, but you’re going to be out there on the circus stage with everybody watching you from a 360 vantage and one misstep and you fall off the rope and hit the net,” John Sellek from Harbor Strategic said.

“There’s lot about education and learning loss and what’s being taught in school and parental rights,” said Sellek, “What we continue to see in the polls, that’s most damaging to Democrats, is the economy.”

Republicans hitting at COVID restrictions are those trying to connect with people who were mad at Whitmer for the restrictions, people angry about their freedoms or economic failures, Sellek said.

Adrian Hemond, Partner and CEO at Grassroots Midwest and John Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Relations talks with Kevin and tom about what the 3 big issues in Michigan politics this week as we head into the election.

Regardless, major GOP donors seem to have taken “a wait-and-see position” because Dixon has never held public office, a Republican consultant with Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, John Sellek

“With Whitmer's huge financial advantages and strengthened poll numbers at the start of the general (election), many did not see a reason to jump in with their dollars.”

John Sellek talks about the bad economic news popping up daily & how President Biden's increased travel schedule is actually helping some Democrats by making clear most blame should be placed on him.

“While inflation is hard and stressful, crime is scary,” Sellek said. “That’s fear. And that’s why I suspect we’ll start to hear more about it, because it could have more of an emotional impact on some people.”

"Thus far, she is running a masterful campaign" by positioning herself as "a full-throated moderate, bordering on being a soft Republican."

“She’s part of a crew across the country that’s struggling despite the fact that they have the Trump endorsement,” said John Sellek

“In this ad, it’s practically like she’s running as a Republican for county prosecutor,”

“The Dixon campaign is seeking to get its name ID up and MAGA base fully engaged to close the polling gap and that is what they hope to gain from a Trump rally in Macomb County,” said John Sellek

“A Trump endorsement put an outsider over the top but then they started the general election without a funded and equipped campaign,” Sellek said.

"Slotkin has essentially gone four years without serious opposition, but her ads’ heavy emphasis on retelling her own story indicates both the need to address new voters she didn’t represent before redistricting and the headwinds Democrats face everywhere," said Sellek

"Her ads are addressing weaknesses like the economy, where she stands in front of cereal boxes saying she cares.'

Sellek, the Republican consultant, said that voters may not hold the economy against Whitmer if they think she’s “doing the best she can” given huge outside factors like COVID and national inflation.

"Whitmer's team has been working to solidify that weakness for months, knowing these attacks were coming but is only starting to take incoming fire recently as the Dixon campaign turns up the temperature with press conferences," Sellek said.

"Wednesday's announcement sent shockwaves through Michigan's capitol city, including with longtime political strategist John Sellek, who tweeted "I cannot recall something like this ever happening during my time in Lansing."

“Michigan's aggregates supply chain has been broken for years because of dark money-funded campaigns that scare local officials into inaction,” said Sellek. “Aggregates are the basic building blocks of all concrete and asphalt that people depend on every day of our lives. Unfortunately, they are only available where Mother Nature happened to deposit them.”

John Sellek, a Republican public relations consultant, said voters don't really care where politicians live, but this "stings" because it's the first time Slotkin's personal judgment has been called into question after building her brand around being a former Central Intelligence Agency officer who specializes in dealing with details.

"A GOP victory will depend on third party spending or a red wave,” a Michigan political communications consultant, John Sellek, told the Detroit Free Press.

Andrea Jones has two students in the district, one at the high school and one at the middle school. She is hoping that these two board members will speak out on what they know.

John Sellek, a Republican strategist in Michigan, says the fact that mainstream media outlets are no longer as dominant as they once were lessens the shame that used to be a concern if a candidate skipped a debate. According to Sellek, "campaigns can directly target the voters they want all day, every day, due to technological advances and that's all that matters to them."

A coalition of Oxford High School parents and students called #Change4Oxford applauded Donnelly’s decision, critiquing his lack of transparency in the aftermath of the shooting. The group also thanked Donnelly for “recognizing his limits and stepping down,” in a statement.

"After 10 long months without answers, it is my hope that his replacement will take an active lead in beginning the healing process this community so desperately deserves,” said Oxford parent Andrea Jones.

“Donnelly’s resignation brings some relief to parents and students looking to improve communications, and secure policies that improve safety as well as accountability from our district,” said Andrea Jones, an Oxford parent.

"A group of parents and students from Oxford Community Schools, #Change4Oxford, responded to Donnelly's resignation.

"Donnelly could have, Bourgeau said, insisted that qualified experts in school shootings were involved before reopening, not placed children back into the same classrooms and hallway, and stood up to the lawyers, who were only interested in protecting the administration"

“Considering that the GOP nominee for governor is desperately trying to change the media discussion back to inflation, education and crime and the congressional committees are running ads in multiple districts hitting Democrats on spending, Graham’s actions are practically inexplicable politically,” Sellek said.

“Attacking Secretary Buttigieg in that way is not only wrong and hurtful, but it is damaging politically to winning independent votes Republicans need..."

“What (Republicans are) counting on is that the issue of abortion has reached its peak,” Sellek said. “They’re going to attack this initiative as a Trojan horse and try to peel off those people who aren’t comfortable with second-term abortions or eliminating parental consent.”

"Data collection on this issue is an electoral bonanza for Democrats as they seek to both excite and turnout a base that was not terribly motivated prior to the Dobbs leak,"

“The Republicans were never going to match Gov. Whitmer’s fundraising,” he said. “It’s clear looking at today’s reports that the GOP is going to be dependent on the red wave actually happening or a third party entering Michigan.”

"It's become clear that the GOP, which went from establishment heavy at the top of the ticket in 2018 to outsider, activist heavy this year, will depend on third party spending or a red wave," said John Sellek,

"In 1998, (Republican Gov.) John Engler refused to debate (Democrat) Geoffrey Fieger after Fieger hurled a large number of insults toward Engler and his children," Sellek said. "Yes, politics is a rough and tumble industry but even today, there is a resistance to negativity in the middle that may decide this election."

John Sellek, founder and CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, and Adrian Hemond, CEO of Grassroots Midwest, will lead the discussion of state and national politics.

"Dixon has the ability to lead the ticket in that direction and the GOP is counting on it," said John Sellek

“They will encourage folks supporting Shane Hernandez to make sure they’re not texting, not looking up at the ceiling, not reading a book, that when it’s time to vote the volume is overwhelming,” says Sellek.

What I never foresaw was the lack of school accountability, transparency, and governmental oversight after that day, which left us in the dark about school safety even as the new school year begins. Eight months after the shootings, students and parents are still waiting for an unbiased, independent investigation. We need one, immediately.

"The No. 1 goal of selecting a running mate is no unforced errors," said Sellek.

"This appears to be a solid pick of someone both with a deep knowledge of the state budget and the GOP street cred of having come up from the grassroots of the party," Sellek said.

“A lieutenant governor can’t deliver a win, but they can deliver a loss,” he said. “So the most important thing here is to get the ball across the goal line without an unforced error.”

"This is a side effect of the GOP's shift to outsider, activist candidates who are not self-funders," Sellek said.

Democrats are counting on this to motivate a lot of votes to come their way. So they plan to use the abortion issue front and center to draw independent and soft Republican, especially females, on to the Dems' side.

"Democrats will try to make the election about abortion as a way of energizing their base, but they may not succeed."

"Democrats will try to make the election about abortion as a way of energizing their base, but they may not succeed."

“Governor Whitmer wants to be seen as her own candidate, and so does Tudor Dixon,” said Sellek, “I think we’ll see them try to do that and use Biden or Trump where it makes sense, and where it’s necessary.”

Dixon was always the wild card in the GOP primary field, said John Sellek

"The Democrats are the ones that made the difference there," said John Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs and a longtime GOP public relations advisor. "Gibbs wasn't able to run a full-scale Congressional-level campaign because of the lack of funding that he had."

“Some of these endorsements are for fundraising but are seen as toxic among the MAGA base,” said Sellek. “Because of the endorsements and the outside financing, right now, she would be primed to win the primary. But I think it’ll be very close.”

If Shapiro’s original ruling stands, it would invalidate the Raise the Wage proposal, which seeks to amend a law that would be repealed, Sellek argued.

"But with so little time before the Aug. 2 primary, it might make the long-awaited endorsement less than the seismic shift in the race it could’ve otherwise been."

In a race where no candidate has been able to take a lead that outmatches the percentage of undecided voters in most polls, Trump's endorsement would represent "a seismic change to the race and ultimately is likely to decide the winner," said John Sellek

Harbor's John Sellek joins Michael Patrick Shiels on Michigan's Big Show to break down the last GOP Gubernatorial Debate and the race to the August Primary.

"You can't seek to alter laws that no longer exist, even in today's insane political environment," Sellek said.

Harbor's John Sellek joins NPR's Zoe Clark & Rick Pluta to preview the primary election.

Sellek argues, however, the 2024 initiative would be moot if the adopt-and-amend overturning sticks, because, “You can’t seek to alter laws that no longer exist.”

John Sellek talks with Kevin and Tom about the House staffers that were arrested for protesting for climate change outside of Chuck Schumer's office.

“In a lot of races, we’ll have to hold our breath until election night to see if fundraising can protect a candidate against nothing else but a Trump endorsement,” Sellek said. “I would not be surprised to see an upset on election night because a Trump endorsement.”

In several races where there’s a competitive Republican primary, incumbents have done little to question their conservative bonafides, but are still spending a lot of money to defend their records, said John Sellek

“The GOP faces a serious and perhaps deadly period in August as Whitmer can spend a half-million per week, while it's assured the DGA and related entities will firebomb the airwaves with negatives on the unknown GOP nominee as they struggle to raise funds,” said Sellek.

“Judging by the non-stop attacks leveled at Tudor Dixon, it’s safe to say she has moved to the front of the field for now,” Sellek said.

“The other campaigns know that a Trump endorsement comes, they could essentially be dead in the water,” said Sellek. “They are doing everything they can to sow seeds of doubt. Not only in the voters’ mind but, frankly, I think that ad from Rinke is meant for an audience of one, Donald Trump.”

"As the race closes, it's starting to follow the traditional pattern as whoever has the most money starts to move into the lead,"

John Sellek talks with Kevin and Tom about democrats distancing themselves from President Biden.

“The GOP race has been led by one group of people: undecided. The entire time,”

Kelley has polled at or near the top of several recent surveys of the GOP primary field. His arrest appears to have helped him with Republican voters who believe "that government isn't just incompetent, it's corrupt,"

“To win the GOP primary, you'd can't avoid it,” Sellek said of Trump’s lingering influence. "That's just how it works right now."

John Sellek breaks down last night’s GOP debate with Marie & Sean.

"I'd expect the Trump endorsement factor to be the elephant in the room, pushing candidates to play up to him because he would likely push one of the top four into a durable lead,"

John Sellek talks with Tom about  inflation and gas prices being the biggest concerns facing families right now.

The candidate is "playing the long game," hoping to be an electable nominee who can talk about issues that matter to Trump supporters at the base of the GOP, said John Sellek, who has previously worked for Michigan Republicans and is CEO of the consulting firm Harbor Strategic Public Affairs.

“they have been planning for this for a long time.” Sellek thinks the ruling has the potential to reframe the Republican gubernatorial primary, because until recently “it seemed like the only GOP battleground issue was whether the election was stolen and how loyal you are to Donald Trump.

John Sellek talks with Kevin and Tom about the New York Supreme Court striking down NYC's noncitizen voting law.

John Sellek talks with Kevin and Tom about what the President is saying about inflation.

“The secret to his sauce was the fact that he was even better known, and had a better personal brand in the southeast Michigan and Detroit media market than any of us really realized,”

"Even if Mayor [Mike] Duggan eventually steps aside, Craig's once-possible political career in Detroit is over, but he could likely win a Republican legislative seat should he decide to move,"

Sellek says President Joe Biden's low approval ratings, Whitmer's tight response to the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation are all leaving her vulnerable. Meanwhile, not having a political record to run on gives her challengers the leeway to present themselves however they feel

"Did they get taken advantage of? It certainly looks that way," Sellek said. "But whose fault is that in the end, whose responsibility is it? It's the candidate's."

The system worked," Sellek says. "Candidates that didn't have the organization or support to collect the signatures, didn't get onto the ballot, that's the cold, hard truth of the results, so there isn't a need for a fix."

It has been notable that Trump has yet to endorse a gubernatorial candidate yet, said Sellek.

Detroit News state government reporter Craig Mauger and Harbor Strategic CEO John Sellek talk with Guy Gordon about the Bureau of Elections finding that James Craig and Perry Johnson didn't submit enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot for Republican nomination for governor.

Sellek of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs said the removal of half of the candidates helped the Michigan Republican Party "hit the reset button on their primary." In that sense, he added, it was a "spectacular day" for Ms. Dixon.

In the end, Craig beat himself. 

“The bureau's findings represented a "reset" for the Michigan GOP primary race for governor and would benefit other candidates in the race, said John Sellek, a political consultant and the leader of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs.”

John Sellek, Founder and CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, talks with Guy Gordon about the DeVos family's endorsement of Tudor Dixon, and what's next for the GOP.

"John Sellek talks with Kevin and Tom about the the number of republicans that would like the president impeached after the midterms. 

"The collapse of the James Craig campaign ... likely is the greatest in Michigan history," said John Sellek.

"If you were following this polarizing issue, you probably already have a hero and villain assigned in this mess. Otherwise, especially for statewide suburban voters who swung from Trump to (President Joe) Biden but are again searching for stability and the best for their kids, it was another nasty political spat that keeps them off social media or from talking amongst friends for fear of a confrontation," Sellek said.

Kevin, Tom and John address the new UMass poll showing a majority of GOP voters would support a Biden impeachment but are more concerned about the economy. 

Inflation, Inflation, Inflation: The deciding factor in 2022 is the economy.

The Mother of All Election Cycles: In this Mother’s Day preview edition, we welcome Lansing insiders for an in-depth 2022 election preview & an equally important discussion on Detroit Pistons.

“Should all three be disqualified, national donors “will see Michigan's GOP primary as a complete and total disaster, sending their dollars to other states until, and if, a strong Republican candidate emerges from the ashes later in the year,” said Sellek”

“There is a sense the emperor has no clothes b/c I don't think we've ever seen someone be front-runner for a year yet struggle to run a campaign.’ If Craig doesn't win, it would mark ‘an epic collapse,” said Sellek.”

John, Kevin and Tom talk about GOP donors’ effort to protect GOP majorities in the state legislature.

"The institution they are conducting care and feeding for is Trump," Sellek said. "Trump has laid out the terms on which supporters are judged, and they have been successful at building a relationship with him. They understood the assignment."

"Every one of the candidates and their campaigns have to assume that this will be a battle for a plurality, and perhaps one as low as the 30s (% range) or high 20s, ” said John Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, a Republican public relations firm.

"Sellek said that the GOP gathering marked "the official date that the Trump lane of the party became the establishment. So every step going forward between now and Election Day — losses or wins — is on them. They are the establishment."

"They’re not judging themselves based on, ‘Do I have 30%? Do I have $1.5 million cash on hand?’” Sellek said. “They’re like, ‘I’m in the game and this is fun. And I get to wield some influence and I might actually have a base of support to do something fun with after this is over.’

"When Whitmer’s pollster tells Politico 2022 is the worst Democratic environment he has seen in 30 years you get a sense of the fear currently gripping Democratic consultants and electeds.”

"SOS and AG are typically low-info flow races for voters, at least until September, so despite the Twitter bubble that you, Elon MUSK and I live in, the general public doesn’t know anything about DePerno or Karamo, and not much more about Nessel and Benson.”

"The last minute Trump teletownhall and visits by MAGA surrogates indicate the possibility of a close race and one that will be fought until the voting is complete.”

"It's a huge milestone for the Michigan GOP, but it's most definitely a milestone for Trump because he made it a test of his influence," said Sellek.” 

"John Sellek of Harbor Strategic said that the missteps of President Joe Biden and Ms. Whitmer's own shortcomings have "created a discount," so to speak, in terms of how much the GOP candidates are going to need." 

"Michigan GOP officials probably did not anticipate “the sheer amount of infighting” in the party, and the convention could allow them to stop the "bloodletting” before fall elections, Sellek said. 

"Republicans can negate any picks from the April convention if 75% of delegates vote to overturn. It’s essentially a “smash-glass-in-case-of-emergency” lever, Sellek said.”

"(Craig’s) challenge has been to take that lead and build on top of it and that’s something he has not done so far and he’s had a pretty open window over almost a year to do it,” said Sellek.”

"Anybody and everybody wants to run for governor, and the fact that they can collect the signatures and get themselves on the ballot tells you just how much energy is floating around out there on the GOP side," Sellek said.”

"The energy is a dual-edged sword," said John Sellek, a longtime Michigan Republican political operative and CEO of the firm Harbor Strategic Public Affairs.

"Sellek, founder and CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, talks with Guy Gordon about the possibility of reforming the convention process in favor of primary elections.”

“It's a huge milestone internally for every one of these campaigns and they all want to sit back and pop some champagne from it and say, man, we got that done. And the thing is, no one cares,” laughed Sellek.

“You couldn’t devise a more insider, exclusive system than this one.”

“Parents of Oxford High School students and one survivor of the Nov. 30 mass shooting made emotional pleas on Thursday for improved safety measures inside the school.”

“Attorney General Dana Nessel is expected to meet with Oxford parents and students next week.” 

“Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic, a Lansing-based public relations firm, said that "it's very reasonable to think that Kristina Karamo has this thing locked up." GOP delegates who will decide the convention outcome are "becoming more and more and more Trump or nothing," he said.”

“Sellek, a former staffer for former Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette, told Bridge Michigan that while Trump’s attacks on Upton may have played a role in his retirement, it wasn’t the deciding factor.”

“DePerno appears to be locked in an "incredibly close” convention race with former House Speaker Tom Leonard and, if he loses, "the national media will pick up on that quickly as a sign that (Trump's) influence is waning," Sellek told Bridge.”

“What does it take to make sure Michigan farmers are well represented in politics? A panel of election experts — Kyle Melinn, co-owner of MIRS News; John Sellek of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs; and Adrian Hemond, CEO of Grassroots Midwest — will offer commentary on all thing’s election 2022.

“What does it take to make sure Michigan farmers are well represented in politics? A panel of election experts — Kyle Melinn, co-owner of MIRS News; John Sellek of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs; and Adrian Hemond, CEO of Grassroots Midwest — will offer commentary on all thing’s election 2022.

“Why would we “fix” a part of government that is already working for us? While some claim it will save a few bucks, that is unlikely and will result in negative side effects that you should know about."

“Brourman said Coleman and the University were aware of former Provost Martin Philbert’s previous sexual misconduct allegations when he was made dean of the School of Public Health."

“There’s that old saying about how everybody has a plan until you get hit the face,” Sellek said. “We haven’t really seen significant hits of any kind landed inside the GOP primary."

“He and others point to Republican Glenn Youngkin’s victory in the Virginia gubernatorial election in November, which analysts say is largely because independents were upset over school closures from COVID. “They (the Whitmer administration) look really smart from a political science perspective right now,” Sellek said. “She is making moves to the middle with every move she makes.”

“Sellek, Founder and CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, talks with Guy Gordon about San Francisco voters ousting three members of the Board of Education, and what it means for the midterm elections."

“Sellek, CEO of Lansing-based Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, said one risk of airing Super Bowl ads is that "you're competing with the world's best ads," and if the ad does not make a strong impression, "people are going to throw their Doritos" at their screens.

“She has done this methodically by winning the Trump consultant sweepstakes, then holding a Mar-a-Lago event with Trump and now adding a second pro-Trump congressional endorsement," the consultant added."

“It might seem odd that Craig is more visible to a national audience, but it’s all strategy “Every time you see him go on Fox News, they fundraise off it,” said John Sellek, CEO of the Michigan consulting firm Harbor Strategic Public Affairs."

“She said, ‘Hey I hear you, schools should be open,’ but she didn’t say a school‘s must be open,” said Sellek. “She doesn’t have that control but she only touched on the issue without actually using her bully pulpit.”

Dave Akerly and John Sellek weighed in on Governor Whitmer's State of the State Address.

“She is laying claim to the independent voters who have now abandoned President Biden.”

Hosted by Michigan Radio's Rick Pluta, it also includes analysis  by John Sellek (CEO, Harbor Strategic Public Affairs).

John Sellek talks with Guy about polling numbers showing Governor Whitmer's lead over former Detroit Police Chief James Craig.

Sellek, Founder and CEO Harbor Strategic Public Relations, discusses the interesting names Democrats are floating as candidates for the newly drawn 10th district in Macomb County.

“Having General Motors standing next to her is worth its weight in gold, and she will amplify it in her speech on Wednesday,” Sellek said. Unlike GM, Ford and partner SK Innovation picked Kentucky and Tennessee for a total $11.4 billion investment.

John Sellek talks with Kevin and Tom about about President Biden's press conference.

“WilmerHale found at least 20 occasions when a student, athlete or other individual spoke with university staff about Anderson."

“The University of Michigan has agreed to a $490 million settlement with more than 1,000 people who say they were sexually assaulted by Dr. Robert Anderson during his nearly four-decade career at the school"

“This is a Dr. Frankenstein and these are the kinds of things that went on that you don’t know about because this university will not commit to transparency,” said Robert Stone, a survivor

“With this mandate, what we really were voicing concerns about were the unintended consequences associated with it,” said Wendy Block of Listen To MI Businesses. “Just the logistical challenges that went along with this.”

“They may not want to vote for him, but he retains the ability to be a voice of their frustrations, even if they are afloat at sea on a partisan basis," Sellek said."

“Where to live is the toughest choice if you fear the maps will change due to a VRA suit or other issues,” he said."

“Pollsters join pundits Adrian Hemond and John Sellek along with Tim Skubick to look ahead at what to expect from Michigan politics in the new year."