Michigan Advance

The Michigan Advance is an online news outlet that focuses on government and political news coverage in Michigan as well as left-of-center commentary. 1 It is part of States Newsroom, (formerly called The Newsroom Network) a network of left-of-center media organizations in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. 2

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Fiscally Sponsored Project
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Website: www.michiganadvance.com
Editor-in-Chief:

Susan J. Demas

Location: Lansing, MI View on map

Contents

    States Newsroom was formed a project of the Hopewell Fund, a left-leaning nonprofit managed by the for-profit left-of-center advocacy philanthropic consulting firm Arabella Advisors, 3 though it is now an independent nonprofit.

    History and Funding

    The Michigan Advance is a left-of-center online news outlet that launched December 4, 2018. 4 5 It is part of States Newsroom, a network of left-of-center media organizations in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. 2

    As part of the States Newsroom, Michigan Advance is a project of, and funded, by the Hopewell Fund, a donor-backed nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. 6 The Hopewell Fund, in turn, is managed by Arabella Advisors, a for-profit philanthropy consulting firm that supports left-leaning causes including the New Venture Fund, the Windward Fund, and the Sixteen Thirty Fund. 3

    Editorial Leadership

    Michigan Advance’s ethics policy claims the publication is nonpartisan; however, the head of States Newsroom has said the editorial board is “on the liberal side” and is comparable to the New York Times. 2

    Michigan Advance adopts left-of-center diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) principles. 1 Michigan Advance directs readers to its sister publication, the Minnesota Reformer, another project of States Newsroom, which claims in its DEIJ statement that the news industry is influenced by systemic racism and must advance equity.  7

    The Michigan Advance also runs left-of-center commentary from a variety of writers. 8 Issue areas include health care, education, the environment, criminal justice, civil rights, business, labor, politics and government. 5

    The Michigan Advance is headed by editor-in-chief Susan Demas, a longtime, Michigan-based political journalist and Democratic strategist. 9 Demas contributes daily stories but also writes liberal commentary pieces often supportive of labor unions and Democrats as well as pieces critical of Republicans. 2

    The Michigan Advance is a member of the Michigan Press Association. 10

    Controversies and Notable Coverage

    Peter Lucido

    On January 15, 2020, the Michigan Advance posted a column by Allison Donahue, a 22-year-old female staff reporter, alleging that a Republican state senator made a sexually inappropriate remark to her when she sought an interview with him the previous day. 11 Donahue claimed that when she approached Sen. Peter Lucido (R-Macomb County) outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol building, he was with a group of male students from De La Salle Collegiate, an all-boys Catholic school in suburban Detroit, and that Lucido told her she “could have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you.” 12

    It was reported two days after the Michigan Advance posted Donahue’s story that legislative leaders asked the state’s nonpartisan Senate Business Office to open a sexual harassment investigation, the results of which are not subject to public release. 13

    A week after Donahue’s column, the Michigan Senate Business Office received a second sexual harassment complaint against Lucido by State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Oakland County) based on an incident that allegedly happened 14 months earlier. 14 On January 26, 2020, a third woman accused Lucido of sexual harassment at a conference in May 2019. Melisa Osborn, 40, a trade group regulatory affairs specialist, claimed McMorrow’s description of Lucido’s actions matched her own experience at a conference in May 2019, causing her to contact Crain’s Detroit Business and share her own story. 15

    Donahue’s post in the Michigan Advance prompted several other women to speak out on social media about their so-called #MeToo experiences at the Michigan Capitol in which men allegedly made comments toward them in the same vein as Lucido’s reported comments to Donahue. 16

    Lucido said McMorrow’s allegation is “completely untrue and politically motivated.” 16 Lucido is a Republican who chairs two powerful committees and has openly expressed interest in running for governor in 2022 against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) who won the seat in November 2018. 16

    Lavora Barnes

    In 2019, the Michigan Advance posted two commentaries written by Lavora Barnes that criticized then-President Donald Trump’s policies without identifying Barnes as the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. 2

    Darrell Ehrlick

    In 2023, Michigan Advance published a commentary by Darrell Erhrlick, editor-in-chief of States Newsroom’s Daily Montanan, that compared Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. 17 In another post, Erklick claimed that Jesus Christ is against gun ownership and claimed those who support gun ownership are not pro-life. 18

    People

    Susan J. Demas is Editor-in-Chief of The Michigan Advance. 5 Demas, a longtime journalist and political columnist, spent the previous two years as a vice president of Farough & Associates, a Lansing-based public relations firm founded by Daniel Farough, who also created the liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan. 19

    Jon King is a senior reporter for Michigan advance who covers education, elections, and LGBT issues. He is the past president of the Michigan Associated Press Media Editors Association and is an adjunct faculty member as Cleary University. 1

    Ken Coleman is a senior projects contributor for the Michigan Advance. Coleman previously worked as a spokesman for the Michigan Democratic Party, Detroit Public Schools, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI). 20 Before joining the Advance, he was a spokesman for the Detroit Federation of Teachers. 21

    Anna Liz Nichols is a reporter for Michigan Advance who covers criminal justice, environmental issues, education, and domestic and sexual violence. Nichols is a former state government reported for the Associated Press and was previously a reporter for the Detroit News. 1

    Kyle Davidson is a reporter for Michigan Advance who covers health care, business, the environment, and state government.  He previously worked at the Lansing State Journal, Detroit Free Press, and Capital News Service. 1

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About.” Michigan Advance. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://michiganadvance.com/about/
    2. Barrett, Malachi. “News Websites with Political Ties Spread across Michigan before 2020 Election.” mlive, November 8, 2019. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/11/news-websites-with-political-ties-spread-across-michigan-before-2020-election.html.
    3. Barrett, Malachi. “Left-Leaning ‘Dark Money’ Network Poured Millions into Michigan Elections.” mlive, November 27, 2019. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/11/left-leaning-dark-money-network-poured-millions-into-michigan-elections.html.
    4. “Assistant Editor/Reporter.” Michigan Press Association, January 7, 2020. https://michiganpress.org/job/assistant-editor-reporter/.
    5. Frank, Annalise. “Veteran Journalists Join Michigan Advance News Site.” Crain’s Detroit Business, November 30, 2018. https://www.crainsdetroit.com/media/veteran-journalists-join-michigan-advance-news-site.
    6. Frank, Annalise. “D.C. Nonprofit-Backed Michigan News Site to Launch with Demas at Helm.” Crain’s Detroit Business, November 16, 2018. https://www.crainsdetroit.com/media/dc-nonprofit-backed-michigan-news-site-launch-demas-helm.
    7. “Deij Policy.” Minnesota Reformer, March 13, 2023. https://minnesotareformer.com/deij-policy/.
    8. Demas, Susan. “Introducing the Michigan Advance!” Susan J. Demas. Susan J. Demas, November 30, 2018. http://www.susanjdemas.com/blog/2018/11/30/introducing-the-michigan-advance.
    9. Demas, Susan J. “Farewell to Tony Trupiano, a Liberal Lion.” Eclectablog, April 11, 2018. https://www.eclectablog.com/2018/04/farewell-to-tony-trupiano-a-liberal-lion.html.
    10. Raymer, Marjory. “Rapid Growth and Issue Media Group Join Michigan Press Association.” Rapid Growth, February 14, 2019. https://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/features/Rapid_Growth_Michigan_Press_Association.aspx.
    11. “Lawmaker in Hot Water over Comments to Young Female Reporter.” CBS News. CBS Interactive, January 16, 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peter-lucido-allison-donahue-michigan-lawmaker-hot-water-comments-young-female-reporter/.
    12. Egan, Paul. “Michigan Lawmaker to Female Reporter: High School Boys Could ‘Have a Lot of Fun’ with You.” USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, January 16, 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/15/peter-lucido-comments-michigan-senator-reporter/4476402002/.
    13. Eggert, David. “Michigan Senate May Not Release Details of Harassment Probe.” U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, January 16, 2020. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/michigan/articles/2020-01-16/michigan-senate-may-not-release-results-of-probe-of-comments.
    14. Livengood, Chad. “Michigan Senator Lodges New Sexual Harassment Complaint against Lucido.” Crain’s Detroit Business, January 21, 2020. https://www.crainsdetroit.com/government/michigan-senator-lodges-new-sexual-harassment-complaint-against-lucido.
    15. Livengood, Chad. “Third Woman Accuses Lucido of Sexual Harassment, Unwanted Touching.” Crain’s Detroit Business, January 26, 2020. https://www.crainsdetroit.com/news/third-woman-accuses-lucido-sexual-harassment-unwanted-touching.
    16. Oosting, Jonathan. “Senator Accuses Lucido of Harassment as #MeToo Reckoning Hits Michigan Capitol.” Fellow senator accuses Michigan Sen. Peter Lucido of sexual harassment | Bridge Magazine, January 22, 2020. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/senator-accuses-lucido-harassment-metoo-reckoning-hits-michigan-capitol.
    17. Ehrlick, Darrell. “Column: Democracy is on fire. Consider this your wake-up call.” Michigan Advance. November 26, 2023. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://michiganadvance.com/2023/11/26/democracy-is-on-fire-consider-this-your-wake-up-call/.
    18. Eherlick, Darrell. “Column: Politicians attempt to make us believe that God wants you to have guns.” July 21, 2023. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://michiganadvance.com/2023/07/21/politicians-attempt-to-make-us-believe-that-god-wants-you-to-have-guns/
    19. Frank, Annalise. “Demas Sells ‘Inside Michigan Politics’ in Shift to Advocacy.” Crain’s Detroit Business, March 13, 2018. https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180313/news/655091/demas-sells-inside-michigan-politics-in-shift-to-advocacy.
    20. “Local News in Detroit: Race, Distrust, and Disconnection – PEN America %.” PEN America, December 18, 2019. https://pen.org/event/localnews-detroit/.
    21. The Associated Press. “Sault Ste. Marie Evening News – Sault Ste. Marie, MI.” News. Sault Ste. Marie Evening News – Sault Ste. Marie, MI, September 5, 2018. https://www.sooeveningnews.com/zz/news/20180904/bad-water-detroit-swaps-school-drinking-fountains-with-bottled-water-coolers?template=ampart.