Applause rang out inside the Michigan Capital Building after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took a moment during her final State of the State address Wednesday night to offer thanks to a pair of law enforcement officers who help in the response to a mass killing at a Grand Blanc Township church.

The MIRS Monday pundit panel featured Harbor’s John Sellek:

"First, the attacks confirm that John James is leading the race. Next, we know Johnson has the marketing budget. What we don’t know is if he has the product. And it’s not like this product hasn’t been on the market before.”

“What, you ask, could have been so consequential that these otherwise warring parties came together to get done? It was a fix to a ticking time bomb of a law that, if left unchecked, would have spelled disaster for Michigan’s restaurant industry and harmed both workers as well as owners — not to mention customers.”

Harbor talked to the Detroit News about their new polling and President Trump’s visit to Detroit

“Sellek said Trump will be at his best Tuesday if he can acknowledge that things are tough, even if he completely blames President Biden’s time in office, and says, 'I’m working on it.'”

This week’s Off The Record featured commentary by Harbor’s John Sellek on voters “in the middle” who are waiting to be called back to their party, but right now are comfortable telling pollsters they are willing to vote independent. 

"'They think if this California dark money group brings a millionaire celebrity to Michigan, they win,' Save MI Tips’ John Sellek said.

'I don't know how they're going to get the signatures by March in the middle of the winter.'”

New Year, New Insights! Harbor's John Sellek joins Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta on Michigan Public’s It’s Just Politics, breaking down what’s ahead in this crazy election year.

Harbor’s John Sellek talks to Tim Skubick about rumors revolving around Lt. Gov. Gilchrist’s possible switch out of the race for governor. 

John Sellek of Harbor Strategic joins Kevin Dietz of WJR Radio to discuss why 2026 will be a pivotal election year for Michigan, with particular focus on the races for Secretary of State and Attorney General.

Michigan's four living former governors participated Wednesday in a panel discussion in downtown Lansing, where they spoke out against divisive rhetoric and called on candidates to attend debates in the state's top political races.

Michigan Advance’s Ben Solis asked John Sellek about the current state of the Democratic combination for governor.

"Sellek said that Benson would normally be feeling like she’s living the dream in the sense that her initial opponents never materialized and started backing off before the race really began. But like Johnson, the independent Duggan presents a serious challenge to the pool of voters she might expect to net in the general election." 

The Detroit News is out with new polling in Michigan’s US Senate race and they talked with Harbor's John Sellek about what it all means.  

“The poll is good news for Rogers, noted John Sellek, CEO of the firm Harbor Strategic Public Affairs.

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"We’re looking at a super close, purple state, open-seat election, and there is a long way to go yet. There's a lot of work the Democrats have to do, because none of them have ever been statewide office holders before, and none of them have held especially high-visibility positions."

The Detroit Free Press talked with Harbor’s John Sellek about the newly contested race for SOS.

“This race started a long time ago, when they started electing precinct delegates," explained Sellek. With the Michigan Democratic Party convention set for April 19, Gilchrist has just three months to rally delegates. 

"John Sellek said (OFW and Fonda) should leave Michigan’s 2025 law alone. 'To intentionally seek to disrupt a major compromise that was years in the making that took place between Democrats, Republicans, and the governor last February is incredibly selfish and self-serving.'"

“She isn't hoping she becomes an influencer or has her own media presence. She has already built one. She's already there," said Sellek, Chief Strategist of public relations and affairs agency Harbor Strategic.

John Sellek, from Harbor Strategic, is featured on MIRS News as a consultant to share his viewpoint on House Speaker Matt Hall’s push for property tax relief in the new year. 

MISTA’s John Sellek met with Shelley Irwin to talk about the Michigan Smart Trade Alliance and how to sign up and join the educational effort on smart, consistent trade policies. 

WJR legend Paul W. Smith & Harbor’s John Sellek talked about the many toss-up elections Michigan residents face in 2026. And what the end of the JOA between the Detroit News & Free Press means for citizens.