Ben Solis

Ben Solis

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Ben Solis is the senior reporter for Michigan Advance. Solis has covered state and local government for nearly a decade as a former staff writer with Gongwer News Service and multiple MLive newsrooms. He is an award-winning writer and editor and was a finalist for the Michigan Press Association Richard Milliman Journalist of the Year award in 2022 for his work covering Michigan's independent redistricting process.

UAW’s Shawn Fain: The 2026 election results were a case of the ‘many versus the mighty’
Michigan

UAW’s Shawn Fain: The 2026 election results were a case of the ‘many versus the mighty’

Nov 04, 2026
Ben Solis
DETROIT — The political outreach efforts of Michigan’s labor movement played a significant role in the 2026 elections as Democrats helped elect candidates who put the plight of working people first in their campaign messages and policy planks, said UAW...
Return of the trifecta: Michigan Democrats reclaim full control of state government
Michigan

Return of the trifecta: Michigan Democrats reclaim full control of state government

Nov 04, 2026
Ben Solis
DETROIT — Michigan will have a new Democratic Party majority in the state Legislature after Tuesday’s election, according to unofficial returns. The party and its top incumbent officials in the state Legislature declared victory on Wednesday morning after it became...
El-Sayed declares victory and storms into the US Senate
Michigan

El-Sayed declares victory and storms into the US Senate

Nov 04, 2026
Ben Solis
DETROIT — The progressive wave sweeping the nation reached its crest in Michigan early Wednesday as Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, declared victory Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers. “We just showed them that a movement of the...
Michigan Democrats rally behind El-Sayed as Stevens goes rogue to support Rogers
Michigan

Michigan Democrats rally behind El-Sayed as Stevens goes rogue to support Rogers

Nov 02, 2026
Ben Solis
DETROIT — Key Democrats said Sunday they would not let Haley Stevens’ endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers divide the party ahead of Tuesday’s election. Stevens, a sitting member of Congress, was all but formally exorcized by her party after she...
Stevens sets conditions for unity event with El-Sayed ahead of election
Michigan

Stevens sets conditions for unity event with El-Sayed ahead of election

Oct 30, 2026
Ben Solis
A reported joint rally ahead of the Nov. 3 election to unify supporters of Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham will more than likely be a visit to a Black church in Detroit...
Majority or bust: Michigan parties make final push for legislative control
Michigan

Majority or bust: Michigan parties make final push for legislative control

Oct 30, 2026
Ben Solis
Much of the 2026 election attention has been on Michigan’s must-watch U.S. Senate and congressional races, but the battle for control of the state Legislature has emerged as another major contest. In a highly favorable year for Michigan Democrats, the...
Vance makes final push for Rogers, James and Barrett in Michigan with continued attacks on El-Sayed
Michigan

Vance makes final push for Rogers, James and Barrett in Michigan with continued attacks on El-Sayed

Oct 27, 2026
Ben Solis
HOWELL — Vice President JD Vance was deployed once again to Michigan on Tuesday in a final push to boost the Republican Party ticket and to attack the Democratic ticket head-on, ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Both Vance...
Trump invokes anti-Muslim rhetoric to attack El-Sayed at Michigan rally supporting Rogers, James
Michigan

Trump invokes anti-Muslim rhetoric to attack El-Sayed at Michigan rally supporting Rogers, James

Oct 25, 2026
Ben Solis
PORT HURON — President Donald Trump on Sunday held a rally in Port Huron to energize Michigan Republicans, spending a considerable amount of time in his speech attacking Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, launching into anti-Muslim rhetoric against the...
Obama on attacks against El-Sayed: ‘We have seen this movie before. I starred in it.’
Michigan

Obama on attacks against El-Sayed: ‘We have seen this movie before. I starred in it.’

Oct 24, 2026
Ben Solis
DETROIT — As pundits and commentators question whether Michigan’s Democratic Party base is unified ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, the party brought one of its most formidable communicators — former President Barack Obama — into the Great Lakes...
Democratic divisions could hurt El-Sayed, but Trump’s economy may matter more
Michigan

Democratic divisions could hurt El-Sayed, but Trump’s economy may matter more

Oct 23, 2026
Ben Solis
With voters still up for grabs in the final weeks of the U.S. Senate race, Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers are campaigning in unlikely places as both candidates seek to chip away at the others’ bases. El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee...
Rogers, El-Sayed clash over Iran, healthcare and Muslim Brotherhood during second debate
Michigan

Rogers, El-Sayed clash over Iran, healthcare and Muslim Brotherhood during second debate

Oct 21, 2026
Ben Solis
SOUTHFIELD — In the wake of a fiery first debate that saw more punches thrown than policy points argued, Michigan’s U.S. Senate nominees, Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers, faced off once again on Wednesday evening during a forum hosted by...
McMorrow says fake polling ‘experiment’ hurt campaign, eroded voter trust
Michigan

McMorrow says fake polling ‘experiment’ hurt campaign, eroded voter trust

Oct 21, 2026
Ben Solis
Wedgewood Polls was among several firms that released data during the 2026 Democratic primary race for the U.S. Senate showing state Sen. Mallory McMorrow trailing her opponents by a wide margin and Abdul El-Sayed — the eventual nominee — well...