By Elena Durnbaugh
Gongwer News Service
Lawmakers responded Thursday to President Donald Trump’s suggestion earlier this week that the federal government may act to “take over” election operations in several U.S. cities, including Detroit, ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Some officials, like Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesibtt, who is running for governor, welcomed federal involvement, while others, such as Rep. Stephen Wooden and Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, called it an attack on free and fair elections.
Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, used Trump’s statements as an opportunity to attack Benson. Nesbitt has previously asked the federal Department of Justice to oversee the state’s 2026 elections.
“President Trump is 100% right because Michigan voters cannot trust Jocelyn Benson,” he said. “She continues to fight against transparency and accountability, refuses to remove dead people from our state’s voter rolls and is
happy to let noncitizens vote in our elections. She’s the worst secretary of state in America and shouldn’t be running our elections without checks and balances.”
Benson and her department are currently investigating instances of noncitizen voting alleged to have occurred in Macomb County, brought forth last month by Clerk Anthony Forlini. Her office has previously investigated and tallied the number of suspected noncitizen votes in the 2024 election, which they put at 16.
At a press conference last week, Benson expressed frustration and concern regarding election misinformation.
“I am deeply concerned about the use of misinformation around the security of our elections being used as potentially an effort to not just sow seeds of doubt about the security of our elections, but also potentially try to interfere with our elections in the future,” she said. “And this is precisely why state secretaries of state, local clerks and other state officials are so crucial in this moment, because we are the guardrails.”
House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, was more noncommittal when asked about Trump’s statement during a press conference on Wednesday, though he said he was open to federal involvement.
“I’m definitely concerned about what’s going on the elections, and we’d certainly be open to involvement from the federal government to ensure that Michigan’s election is run fairly,” Hall said. “But I’d have to look at specifically what he (Trump) called for.”
Hall also said he did not trust Benson.
House Democrats, on the other hand, were enraged, especially after the House adopted
HR 244 on Thursday, which urges Congress to enact legislation requiring documentary proof of United States citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, such as the SAVE Act.
“The president is talking about sending ICE agents to polling locations,” Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, said. “There is a true threat to our elections. People are afraid we may not have free and fair elections. This is nothing but a blatant attempt to take away the right to vote from millions of American citizens.”
Wooden, D-Grand Rapids, said the SAVE Act and Trump’s comments were a response to backlash over the Republican agenda.
“They’re on their heels now,” he said. “They’re not looking forward to a free and fair election in 2026 because they know they’ll lose it. Because American citizens are tired of a trade war that’s jacking up their prices. They are tired of a president who says he wants housing prices to go up and ignore those who are unable to afford a home. They are sick and tired of folks who are interfering with their personal civil rights…they know they have their work cut out for them in 2026, and if you can’t win an election they might as well interfere with it.”
Gongwer News Service
Lawmakers responded Thursday to President Donald Trump’s suggestion earlier this week that the federal government may act to “take over” election operations in several U.S. cities, including Detroit, ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Some officials, like Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesibtt, who is running for governor, welcomed federal involvement, while others, such as Rep. Stephen Wooden and Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, called it an attack on free and fair elections.
Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, used Trump’s statements as an opportunity to attack Benson. Nesbitt has previously asked the federal Department of Justice to oversee the state’s 2026 elections.
“President Trump is 100% right because Michigan voters cannot trust Jocelyn Benson,” he said. “She continues to fight against transparency and accountability, refuses to remove dead people from our state’s voter rolls and is
happy to let noncitizens vote in our elections. She’s the worst secretary of state in America and shouldn’t be running our elections without checks and balances.”
Benson and her department are currently investigating instances of noncitizen voting alleged to have occurred in Macomb County, brought forth last month by Clerk Anthony Forlini. Her office has previously investigated and tallied the number of suspected noncitizen votes in the 2024 election, which they put at 16.
At a press conference last week, Benson expressed frustration and concern regarding election misinformation.
“I am deeply concerned about the use of misinformation around the security of our elections being used as potentially an effort to not just sow seeds of doubt about the security of our elections, but also potentially try to interfere with our elections in the future,” she said. “And this is precisely why state secretaries of state, local clerks and other state officials are so crucial in this moment, because we are the guardrails.”
House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, was more noncommittal when asked about Trump’s statement during a press conference on Wednesday, though he said he was open to federal involvement.
“I’m definitely concerned about what’s going on the elections, and we’d certainly be open to involvement from the federal government to ensure that Michigan’s election is run fairly,” Hall said. “But I’d have to look at specifically what he (Trump) called for.”
Hall also said he did not trust Benson.
House Democrats, on the other hand, were enraged, especially after the House adopted
HR 244 on Thursday, which urges Congress to enact legislation requiring documentary proof of United States citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, such as the SAVE Act.
“The president is talking about sending ICE agents to polling locations,” Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, said. “There is a true threat to our elections. People are afraid we may not have free and fair elections. This is nothing but a blatant attempt to take away the right to vote from millions of American citizens.”
Wooden, D-Grand Rapids, said the SAVE Act and Trump’s comments were a response to backlash over the Republican agenda.
“They’re on their heels now,” he said. “They’re not looking forward to a free and fair election in 2026 because they know they’ll lose it. Because American citizens are tired of a trade war that’s jacking up their prices. They are tired of a president who says he wants housing prices to go up and ignore those who are unable to afford a home. They are sick and tired of folks who are interfering with their personal civil rights…they know they have their work cut out for them in 2026, and if you can’t win an election they might as well interfere with it.”
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