GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — A new debate was born after presidential candidates at the democratic debates referred to Michigan as a Midwestern state.
Some political writers on social media say our state is not part of the Midwest. Including a New York Times editor, whom has since deleted his tweet implying that it is not.
During day one of the democratic debate, Senator Amy Klobuchar referenced Michigan as a Midwest state. A short-while later, a Michigan Republican political consultant and travel writer tweeted, "Note to Klobuchar: #Detroit (and #Michigan) is not Midwest."
So, we want to VERIFY if Michigan is in fact part of the Midwest.
"That's what I was taught growing up and all the rest of the states around us are part of the Midwest," Sara Horn, a Michigander said.
In a tweet, a Lansing based political writer wrote, "If we're not Midwestern, what are we? South Canadians?"
"I don't think I've ever heard that," Horn said.
We found most people here in Michigan felt the same way as Horn.
"For one thing, [Michigan] follows all of the cultural aspects of the agriculture that makes up the Midwest, like the farming communities that are typically associated with all other Midwest states," Ryan Szarowicz, a Michigander said.
However one Michigander doesn't think so.
"I always thought we're just the north. We're Canada's neighbor, so I guess I don't think that way. So no, I don't think we're part of the Midwest," Stephanie Poll, another Michigander said.
The U.S. Census Bureau divides the country into four regions, Northeast, Midwest, South and West and they've been the same since 1950.
In 1984, the North Central Region was renamed the Midwest and Michigan falls in that category.
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