Portia Roberson, vice chair of Michigan’s Democratic Party, stumbled through a land acknowledgment at Sunday’s nominating convention after mispronouncing Anishinaabe and Potawatomi, drawing shouted corrections from the audience.
Roberson stopped midremarks, asked a woman in the crowd to repeat the correct pronunciation, then apologized, saying she had rushed and failed to rehearse before taking the stage.
The awkward opening came at a Lansing convention that was only about half-full and featured statewide Democratic nominees delivering brief speeches to supporters.
Abdul El-Sayed was the event’s biggest draw as the party showcased its 2026 ticket in a must-win state, with several candidates attacking Donald Trump, JD Vance and Republicans over economic and voting issues.