Left of Lansing

Left of Lansing

An insight into Michigan's progressive political and pop cultural scene. Pat Johnston highlights how the progressive movement is helping shape Michigan's political landscape with opinion and interviews. It's time to make Michigan's political machine work for the people!

  1. 2h ago

    Progressives Win BIG in Michigan's Primary

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's Episode #190 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! 00:00-25:20: MI Progs Win Across State! LOL's Pat Johnston celebrates several of the working class progressives who won their Democratic Party Primary races this week, including Abdul El-Sayed, William Lawrence, Donavan McKinney, and many more. Pat especially focuses on William Lawrence's blow-out win in Michigan's 7th Congressional District, Donavan McKinney's upset win over incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar. Pat also thanks the progressive fighters who fell short in their campaigns, but helped push forward a strong working class message all across the state. 25:21-40:28: Dr. Abdul's Win Pat spends this time breaking-down Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's close victory against Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic Senate Primary. Make no mistake: the fact that El-Sayed won this race despite being MASSIVELY outspent by backers of Stevens, including the millions AIPAC threw away, makes this one of the most remarkable political victories not just in Michigan, but in the country. And, Pat illustrates how Dr. Abdul is the best candidate to slam-dunk on MAGA Republican Senate nominee, "Florida" Mike Rogers. 40:39-49:20: Last Call: Black Voters Are Not a Monolith! In the "Last Call," Pat takes issue with those political pundits arguing that black voters don't like progressives or Democratic Socialists. 49:21-51:49: Ending Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Vote on this week's LOL Poll!!!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES: "Abdul El-Sayed squeaks out win over Haley Stevens in hotly contested Democratic US Senate primary." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "Michigan progressives showed establishment Democrats the door." By Steve Neavling of The Detroit Metro Times "Conyers, Burton, Gilmer-Hill Highlight New Members to Detroit’s Legislative Caucus." By Sam Robinson of The Michigan Chronicle"Donavan McKinney ousts Shri Thanedar, vows to deliver for working people." By Bryce Huffman of Bridge Michigan "Benson amplifies affordability message after El-Sayed primary win." By Andrew Roth of Michigan Advance "How Abdul El-Sayed went from political oblivion to progressive breakthrough in Michigan Senate race." By Joey Cappelletti of The AP #podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #Election #Primary #DemocraticSocialism #Senate #AbdulElSayed #WorkingClass #unions #HaleyStevens #WilliamLawrence #DonavanMcKinney #Race #Minorities #DataCenters #TomBarrett #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #AIPAC #IranWar #Israel #CitizensUnited #GretchenWhitmer #CorporateClass #DemocraticSocialism #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Progressives Win BIG in Michigan's Primary
  2. 2d ago

    Monday Musing: How Will Establishment Democrats React If Progressives Win Michigan Primary?

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for August 3, 2026! We're one day from the Michigan Primary, and LOL's Pat Johnston wonders how the corporate-establishment Democratic Party will react if progressives score major victories on Tuesday. Will they acknowledge the political reality that the working class is in a populist mood, or will they take their ball and go running closer to MAGA Republicans? It's a serious question! Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Vote on this week's LOL Poll!!!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join#podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #Election #Primary #DemocraticSocialism #Senate #AbdulElSayed #WorkingClass #unions #HaleyStevens #AishaFarooqi #KelliVanGinhoven #KyleBlomquist #DataCenters #TomBarrett #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #AIPAC #IranWar #Israel #CitizensUnited #GretchenWhitmer #CorporateClass #DemocraticSocialism #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Monday Musing: How Will Establishment Democrats React If Progressives Win Michigan Primary?
  3. 6d ago

    Friday Short: Whitmer Abandons Planned Parenthood, and Legacy

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for July 31, 2026! Planned Parenthood of Michigan announced three more clinic closures in the state on Thursday, making it a total of 14 closures in the last couple of years. While The Trump Regime and the MAGA Republican Congress are to blame for their massive cuts to Planned Parenthood (since punishing women is one of the hallmarks of the White Christian Nationalist agenda), Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer shares some of the blame as well. Whitmer refused to "Fight like Hell" to keep those clinics opened as she refused Planned Parenthood of Michigan's request to unleash emergency funding. It's just another in the long line of betrayal from the former "Big Gretch," who's now just called, Gretchen. Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Vote on this week's LOL Poll!!!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join#podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #Election #Primary #DemocraticSocialism #Senate #AbdulElSayed #WorkingClass #unions #HaleyStevens # AbortionRights #PlannedParenthood #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #GretchenWhitmer #CorporateClass #DemocraticSocialism #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Friday Short: Whitmer Abandons Planned Parenthood, and Legacy
  4. Jul 30

    Michigan Primary Primer: Will Progressives Score Major Victories Across the State?

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's Episode #189 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! 00:00-19:05: AIPAC, DTE, & Data Centers Pat Johnston discusses why working class Michiganders have turned more populist, and why accepting AIPAC, or DTE, or other corporate PAC money is hurting several candidates in different races. Also, working class Michiganders are irate over the rush to build hyper-scale A.I. data centers, and specific Democrats are being rewarded for opposing the Big Tech Bros' data centers.  19:05-31:40: Working Class-America First Populism Progressive candidates, like Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Aisha Farooqi, Kyle Blomquist, Diop Harris II, Donovan McKinney, Ivan Diaz, or Kelli Van Ginhoven, are resonating with voters in different areas across Michigan because they present a strong, working class and America First agenda. It's an agenda that pushes to revitalize a forgotten working class by focusing on a people-centered over a profit-centered campaign. It's an agenda that aims to strengthen unions, expand opportunities, make housing affordable, advocating for our farmers, Abolishing ICE, taxing the rich, ending costly wars, making the Epstein Class face more accountability, and fighting back against The Trump Regime.  31:41-39:10: Electability If Abdul El-Sayed, and other Michigan progressive candidates, win the primary, and then goes on to win the general election, doesn't that end the corporate-establishment Democratic Party argument that progressives can only win in blue cities? 39:11-43:43: Quicksand Ending Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Vote on this week's LOL Poll!!! Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES: "Three licks and a question: Who is Gretchen Whitmer governing for?" By Jon King of Michigan Advance "Quicksand: How Gen X Was Right All Along." By Sarah Kendzior in Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter "Fact check: Ads take El-Sayed out of context to claim he ‘disrespects women.’" By Lauren Gibbons of Bridge Michigan "State canvassers finds Michigan’s ‘Money out of Politics’ effort has sufficient valid signatures." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "New report slams Michigan for slowest power restoration nationwide." By WDIV-Channel 4 News in Detroit #podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #Election #Primary #DemocraticSocialism #Senate #AbdulElSayed #WorkingClass #unions #HaleyStevens #AishaFarooqi #KelliVanGinhoven #KyleBlomquist #DataCenters #TomBarrett #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #AIPAC #IranWar #Israel #CitizensUnited #Line5 #FossilFuels #GretchenWhitmer #CorporateClass #DemocraticSocialism #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Michigan Primary Primer: Will Progressives Score Major Victories Across the State?
  5. Jul 24

    Friday Short: Vote Blue No Matter Who...Unless Progressives Win?

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for July 24, 2026. A couple of Michigan Democratic Party establishment members either announced they can't support a more progressive nominee, or that a progressive candidate is misogynist.  LOL's Pat Johnston illustrates how Democratic "centrist" Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, and former Democratic Attorney General candidate, Karen McDonald, are showing all of us that the entire "Vote Blue No Matter Who" mantra was completely one-sided.  To hear the complete episode featuring LOL's "Show Voice" Jessica Shepherd:https://audioboom.com/posts/8931343-pat-johnston-w-the-lol-show-voice-jessica-shepherd Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES: "Michigan Democrat Refuses to Say She’ll Support El-Sayed If He Wins His Primary In Blistering Interview." By Alex Griffing of Mediaite "Karen McDonald sounds off state Democratic Party, needs clearer understanding of where party is heading." By Charlie Langton & Jack Nisson of Fox 2 Detroit News #podcast #politics #progressive #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #PeteHegseth #Election #Senate #AbdulElSayed #WorkingClass #unions #JessicaShepherd #HaleyStevens #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #AIPAC #IranWar #Israel #EliSavit#CitizensUnited #Line5  #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Friday Short: Vote Blue No Matter Who...Unless Progressives Win?
  6. Jul 23

    Pat Johnston w/ The LOL "Show Voice" Jessica Shepherd!

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's Episode #188 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! 00:00-9:48: Low "T" MAGA/MI Dem Won't Back Nominee Left of Lansing's Pat Johnston opens the show with Secretary of Defense...er... sorry... Secretary of WAR, Pete Hegseth, wants more testosterone in the military. But Pat thought we were against gender-affirming care? Also, Pat laments how a member of the Michigan Democratic Party Establishment refuses to endorse a Democrat! Karen McDonald lost against the more progressive Eli Savit in the Michigan Democratic Party's Attorney General nominee. But McDonald refuses to support Savit's campaign. What happened to Vote Blue No Matter Who? 9:49-47:00: Show Voice Jessica Shepherd Left of Lansing's "Show Voice," Jessica Shepherd, is in Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast's luxurious studio in Pat's mid-Michigan attic! Jessica and Pat talk about her decision to volunteer for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's U.S. Senate campaign in Michigan's Democratic Primary race. They talk about what led to her decision to lend her hand in the campaign, why she believes Dr. Abdul could truly represent the working class in the Senate, and why he is the more electable choice to take on MAGA Republican "Florida" Mike Rogers in the general election. https://abdulforsenate.com/ 48:30-53:35: Last Call--Whitmer's Line 5 Betrayal Pat goes-off on Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer's latest betrayal, which is allowing a tunnel to be constructed around the Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.  53:36-55:54: Ending Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES: "Three licks and a question: Who is Gretchen Whitmer governing for?" By Jon King of Michigan Advance "Tribes, environmental advocates decry Michigan’s approval of Line 5 permits." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "Canadian hockey sticks, wine and cement subject to new Trump tariffs." By Ashley Murray of Michigan Advance "Hegseth directs troops over 30 to have testosterone checked." By Steven Beynon & Sony Salzman of ABC News "Karen McDonald sounds off state Democratic Party, needs clearer understanding of where party is heading." By Charlie Langton & Jack Nisson of Fox 2 Detroit News #podcast #politics #progressive #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #PeteHegseth #Election #Senate #AbdulElSayed #WorkingClass #unions #JessicaShepherd #HaleyStevens #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #AIPAC #IranWar #Israel #EliSavit#CitizensUnited #Line5 #FossilFuels #GretchenWhitmer #CorporateClass #DemocraticSocialism #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Pat Johnston w/ The LOL "Show Voice" Jessica Shepherd!
  7. Jul 20

    Monday Musing: Dem Leaders Endorse Crypto & AIPAC Congressman Shri Thanedar

    Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for July 20, 2026. Democratic Party leaders in the U.S. House endorsed cryptocurrency & AIPAC Congressman Shri Thanedar of Detroit over his working class progressive candidate, State Rep. Donovan McKinney. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries claims that Rep. Thanedar will fight for the affordability of all Michiganders, and take-on the Trump Regime. Yet, all evidence points to the contrary when it comes to Thanedar's record. Pat Johnston explains why this endorsement shows how Democratic Party leaders still are not getting the working class anger spreading across Michigan, and the country. Click here to help State Rep. Donovan McKinney's campaign!!! Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES: "Two-Thirds of Shri Thanedar’s Campaign Cash Came Through AIPAC as He Lost Over $600K." By Akela Lacy of The Intercept #podcast #politics #progressive #WorkingClass #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Michigan #ShriThanedar #DonovanMcKinney #Cypytocurrency #Trump #Israel #WarPowers #Detroit #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #HakeemJeffries #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Democracy #LeftofLansing #MondayMusing

    Monday Musing: Dem Leaders Endorse Crypto & AIPAC Congressman Shri Thanedar

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

An insight into Michigan's progressive political and pop cultural scene. Pat Johnston highlights how the progressive movement is helping shape Michigan's political landscape with opinion and interviews. It's time to make Michigan's political machine work for the people!

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