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Nestled between two large lakes, near the northwest tip of Michigan’s lower peninsula, you’ll find more than 1,000 acres of land dedicated to the performing arts.

The list of children who have spent time there and gone on to have distinguished careers is extensive. Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Grammy winner Norah Jones. Emmy winner Felicity Huffman. The backdrop where they rehearsed, befriended and dreamed of fame is lush and picturesque. Getting accepted into the Interlochen summer camp meant “you got it, kid.” Paying for the century-old school meant “you got money, kid.”

Or know someone who does.

This is one place where Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell hunted for victims, according to documents released by the Department of Justice. Epstein, who attended the school as a 14-year-old bassoonist in 1967, began making regular visits between 1994 and 2000. Using his wealth and power to present himself as a generous alumnus to administrators, Epstein lured children into his sex-trafficking operation by promising to pay for the next year’s tuition.

I could never vote for someone who hears the details of what happened to Epstein’s victims and chooses obstruction for political reasons. Justice for those survivors is a red line for me.

Everyone has a red-line issue. Some Americans draw the line at abortion access. For others, it’s gun policy.

During the 2024 Democratic presidential primary, for the more than 100,000 Michiganders who voted “uncommitted” rather than supporting President Biden, the red line was his handling of the war in Gaza. Polls show the war contributed to Vice President Harris’ defeat later that year as well. And here we are, two years later, and war in the Middle East again will be a deciding factor.

Only this time, it does not appear to be a question about the Democrats’ message so much as it is about the messenger. While it is true the Trump administration’s handling of the economy and wars in Iran and Gaza have made him unpopular — even among Republicans — it is also true the faith of Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, is a red line for some.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) recently posted on social media that “every single Muslim holding public office in America is a trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic”; President Trump said without evidence that the 41-year-old epidemiologist El-Sayed “hates Jews”; and his 2020-election-denying opponent, Mike Rogers, dropped an ad targeting Democrats who felt “hopeless because the person who won does not........

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