Publisher’s Porch: And the Winner Is…

Welcome back to the porch.

When you saw this week’s headline, there’s a decent chance you assumed I was talking about the Bologna Festival King and Queen. After all, that would make sense given they were crowned this weekend. But that’s not actually the winner I had in mind.

As you read this Wednesday morning, we should have a pretty good idea who won Tuesday’s primary elections. The polls have closed, the ballots have been counted, and candidates across Michigan have either celebrated a hard-fought victory or begun reflecting on what comes next. While I don’t know the results as I write this on Monday, I do know one thing with certainty: the stage is now set for November.

For many races, Tuesday wasn’t the finish line. It was the starting line.

Over the next three months, you’ll see campaign signs pop up in more yards, mailboxes fill with campaign literature, and social media become even more crowded with opinions, endorsements, and, unfortunately, a fair amount of misinformation.

Here at the Expositor, our job is to make sure you have the accurate information you need to make an informed decision. We’ll continue introducing candidates, covering the issues that matter to our communities, reporting on local forums and debates, and asking the questions we think voters deserve to have answered.

Whether you’re thrilled with Tuesday’s outcome or disappointed by it, one thing hasn’t changed. Democracy doesn’t end after the primary. In many ways, it’s just getting started.

Congratulations to everyone who was willing to put their name on the ballot. Running for office is never easy, regardless of the outcome. It requires long evenings, difficult conversations, and a willingness to be judged in a very public way. Our communities are stronger because people continue to step forward and serve.

For today, enjoy watching your favorite shows without political ads sprinkled into every commercial break, because two things are definitely true: I’ll see you back here on the porch next week, and November will be here before we know it.