Truscott Rossman

Josh Paciorek has worked in the Michigan Governor's office, the White House, and Capitol Hill — and it all started with a job on a 2014 reelection campaign. In this episode, Josh traces his path from campaign staffer to Chief of Staff for Dick DeVos, sharing the lessons that shaped him along the way: why being a "sponge" early on matters more than having it all figured out, and why t...

America turns 250 this year — and Detroit turns 325 just days later, a city that predates the country itself by 75 years. Chris and Allie open with an honest look at the American founding story: its real contradictions, and why the honest version is harder (and more useful) than either the all-heroism or all-failure telling. Chris also shares what he learned retracing America 250 history through B...

Ashley Diersch has spent 20+ years raising money for missions she believes in — and the skill she credits most isn't a polished pitch. It's listening. In this episode, Ashley traces her path from a movie theater in Southgate, Michigan to competitive figure skating to leading fundraising and communications at Paws with the Cause, a national nonprofit that trains custom assistance dogs for p...

Before she was mayor, Rosalynn Bliss was working the counter at Taco Bell and waiting tables in Sault Ste. Marie. She'll tell you those jobs taught her more than she realized at the time. On this episode of My 1st Gig , Ryan Brown sits down with former Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss — now Assistant Dean and Chief External Relations Officer at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine...

Beyond Both Sides covers Michigan politics. But the World Cup is here — and we're taking a detour. Chris Moyer and guest host Ryan Gajewski are both former soccer players, and they made a deal a long time ago: if the World Cup came back to the U.S., they'd talk about it on whatever platform they had. This is that episode. Their guest is Darrius Barnes, President of AC Grand Rapids — West Michigan'...

Mike Duggan is out — and the Michigan governor's race just got a whole lot clearer. In this week's deep dive, Chris and Allie break down why Duggan's departure was the right call, what the numbers actually showed, and what a two-person race between Jocelyn Benson and the Republican primary winner really looks like. Is this Benson's race to lose? What does she need to say — and do — between now and...

Michigan's leaders are heading to Mackinac Island this week for Mackinac Policy Conference with an urgent message and a big question: can urgency and relationship-building happen at the same time? Chris and Allie break down what the Detroit Regional Chamber's "house is on fire" alarm actually demands of conference attendees, why the new format is a genuine improvement, and how to...

Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin and Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno just introduced legislation to ban Chinese connected vehicles from the American market — what Slotkin called "a driving surveillance package on wheels." The bill is bipartisan, the auto industry supports it, and Allie Walker calls it "a messaging bill with legs." But here's the question Chris Moyer and Allie dig...

Mallory McMorrow deleted 6,000 tweets before launching her U.S. Senate campaign. When CNN's KFile surfaced it, she defended herself by invoking authenticity — but the deletion itself was the opposite of authentic. Chris Moyer and Allie Walker unpack the contradiction: why the scrubbing is always the story now, why the old political consultant playbook is dangerously outdated, and the more hone...

In this episode of  Beyond Both Sides , we go on the road—recording live from the grand opening of a new Sheetz in Novi—to explore a bigger question:  what is the cost of saying no to development? Sheetz announced its Michigan expansion in 2022. It took years—and real resistance—to open its first locations. And that’s not unusual. From data centers to housing to retail, Michigan has developed a re...

In this episode of  Beyond Both Sides , we explore a growing challenge in modern politics:  the performance of authenticity . After Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear criticized the use of “advocacy language,” we dig into a deeper question—whether the problem is the words themselves or a broader  breakdown in trust  between politicians and the public. From “food insecurity” to “hunger,” does changing...

In this episode of  Beyond Both Sides , we unpack a striking moment in Michigan’s economic conversation: a Detroit developer saying to Grand Rapids,  “we want to be you.” It’s a shift in how the state thinks about growth—not as a competition between cities, but as a question of whether Michigan has  enough strong places to compete at all . We break down what Grand Rapids has done differently, from...

In this episode of  Beyond Both Sides , we take a closer look at  Michigan’s travel and tourism industry —and ask a critical question: is it time to rethink  Pure Michigan ? Tourism drives more than  $25 billion in annual visitor spending  and supports over  200,000 jobs statewide , but the industry is entering a more uncertain phase. As  consumer confidence softens  and  international travel—espe...

In this episode of  Beyond Both Sides , we break down a stark warning about  Michigan’s economy : “the house is on fire.” The  Detroit Regional Chamber’s State of the Region report  argues that while headlines point to growth—new projects, stabilized population, and investment—Michigan is still  falling behind peer states  in job growth, income, and talent attraction. We explore what’s really driv...

In this episode of  Beyond Both Sides , we break down the  political shift in suburban America , focusing on  Oakland County, Michigan —once a Republican stronghold and now a key  battleground suburb  shaping elections. As  J.D. Vance  and others push national narratives about cultural change, we examine what’s actually happening: a suburb that is more  diverse, highly educated, and politically co...

This week on  Beyond Both Sides , a global conflict is getting closer to home. As the war with Iran enters its third week, the headlines focus on missiles, oil markets, and military strategy. But beneath the surface, the effects are already moving through Michigan’s economy — shaping everything from gas prices and auto demand to defense contracts, agriculture, and even cyberattacks on Michigan-bas...

Michigan’s tax system was built for a manufacturing economy. But today’s economy looks very different. In Episode 19 of  Beyond Both Sides , Chris Moyer and Allie Walker break down one of the biggest policy debates unfolding in Lansing: Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall’s proposal to restructure the state’s tax system by reducing property-related taxes while expanding the sales tax to include more...

Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered the final State of the State address of her tenure — outlining unfinished priorities and framing the legacy she hopes to leave behind. This week on  Beyond Both Sides , Chris and Allie break down the biggest themes from Whitmer’s speech, including Michigan’s struggling literacy rankings, the push for housing reform, medical debt protections, and the growing deba...

Two new polls paint two very different pictures of Michigan’s 2026 governor’s race. One shows a tight three-way contest. Another shows a candidate pulling ahead. In a volatile electorate, perception can shift fast. But the bigger disconnect may not be in the horse race — it’s in how Michigan sees itself. Voters rank the state squarely in the middle nationally on income, education, and competitiven...

This week on  Beyond Both Sides , big ambitions collide with political reality. Michigan’s latest literacy scores show just how far the state has to go to get more students reading at grade level — even as Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposes a $625 million investment in early reading. At the same time, GOP gubernatorial candidate John James offers a sharply different approach centered on parental r...

A race that usually flies under the radar is suddenly front and center in Michigan politics. This week on  Beyond Both Sides , we unpack why Michigan’s Secretary of State race has become one of the most consequential contests of the 2026 cycle. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist’s entry has dramatically raised the stakes, putting new attention on an office that oversees elections, voting access,...

Michigan’s political future is already taking shape as the 2026 election cycle begins to stir. While most voters remain tuned out, campaigns are ramping up early — testing messages around the economy, education, energy, and public trust. We also look at policy decisions landing closer to home, from proposed classroom cell phone limits to the growing tension between clean energy goals and the risin...

Big promises are easy. Delivering on them is harder. This week, Michigan finds itself caught between rising expectations and tightening constraints. State lawmakers are facing a billion-dollar revenue shortfall just as communities are asking for more investment, not less. Detroit is exploring new ways to fund essential services, only to run into constitutional limits and political reality. And lon...

Michigan takes center stage as power, politics, and industry collide. Chris Moyer and Allie Walker break down Lansing’s budget showdown, the Detroit Auto Show’s shift from spectacle to experience, and Microsoft’s controversial data center proposal. Plus, a deep dive into President Trump’s Detroit visit—and whether political theater helps or hurts Michigan’s economic story.

Chris Moyer, Allie Walker, and Ryan Gajewski share predictions on Michigan’s high-stakes 2026 elections, examining the open races for governor and U.S. Senate, the major candidates, and the policy questions that will shape the state’s future.  New episodes each week from the team at Truscott Rossman.