Setting the table for this year's Mackinac Policy Conference

• Politicians are also hustling with the Detroit mayoral and City Council races this year, plus the governor and U.S. Senate elections next year.

The conference lasts today through Thursday. Here are some agenda highlights Annalise will be watching while she's on the island:

• Panels tomorrow and Thursday about bringing the WNBA back to Detroit, and about housing as a social determinant of health.
• Mayor Mike Duggan's last Mackinac keynote as mayor tomorrow, and his chat with billionaire real estate mogul Dan Gilbert on Thursday.
• The Thursday night mayoral debate with five leading candidates.

Zoom out: It's an interesting year politically not just for Detroit, whose government will completely change in 2026, but for the state, too. Last conference, Democrats held a trifecta of the governorship and majorities in the House and Senate.

• Now, Republicans have control of the state House in an increasingly purple state that voted for President Trump.

Friction point: Often, leaders collaborate and make news there — for example, Mayor Mike Duggan announced a major proposed tax change in 2023.

• The event, known as a "swanky playground", has been seen historically by its critics as lacking attention to social and racial justice issues. Though, a Free Press columnist recently noted increasing equity talk.