LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum (D) wants to be Michigan’s next Secretary of State. However, it may be in her best interests to rein in the theatrics.

In an email to supporters on Monday, Byrum said President Donald Trump is “laying the groundwork to attempt to run for a third term.” Byrum also referenced the story in which Trump said he’s contemplating an executive order that would put the kibosh on mail-in ballots and voting machines as the nation moves into the 2026 midterm election cycle.

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On Aug. 10, the longtime politician played into Trump’s hand and posted about “safeguarding democracy” on X.

 

While sparring with political opponents is par for the course, Byrum would do better to focus on her own job. The Aug. 5 election, which oversaw local issues like candidate selection, school bonds, and community proposals, failed to have results in by 11 p.m. on election night. According to Ingham County Clerk records, only 24,817 voters cast ballots.

Michigan News Source reached out to Byrum after the election to ask why results took that long but did not receive a response. Others noticed the delay as well.

 

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Michigan News Source also reached out to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) on Monday after the news of Trump’s possible EO surfaced. She did not respond, but did issue a statement on X. In typical Democrat fashion, she tried to tie Trump to Putin for the now disproven claim that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Benson, who is running for governor, wrote, “Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump do not get to dictate how our democracy works.”

 

Democrats running for office in Michigan may want to brush up on history. Michigan voters sent a clear message last November about its feelings regarding a Democratic-led state. Despite Gov. Whitmer serving as Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign chairperson, she failed to deliver Michigan for the Democrats and instead saw the state overwhelmingly back Trump. Voters also flipped the Michigan House to Republican leadership, shattering the Democrat party’s stranglehold on both legislative chambers.

In addition, Byrum took a page out of Whitmer’s four-letter book.  In the email, Byrum wrote “We need a Secretary of State who will stand up and say HELL NO to Trump and who will not allow him to try to bully his way onto the Michigan ballot in 2028. This race is about picking a Secretary of State who is battle tested, who is ready to go to war to uphold the rule of law and the Michigan Constitution, and I am that person.”

Byrum then asked for a campaign donation.