Michigan’s Democratic Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, announced on Wednesday that she will run for governor in 2026, aiming to succeed Gretchen Whitmer. This comes as the Democratic Party seeks to regain its strength after significant losses in the battleground state in November.
Benson, who served as the state’s chief elections officer during the 2020 and 2024 elections, is the first prominent Democrat to enter the race. She will need to win over voters who may be disillusioned with the Democratic Party, including those who voted for President Donald Trump in November.
Whitmer, who is term-limited and cannot run for re-election, has stated she will not endorse any candidate to succeed her. Benson gained national attention for her defense of the 2020 election results, which were frequently questioned by Trump and his supporters after his loss in Michigan to Joe Biden.
In a campaign video shared with The Associated Press before its official release, Jocelyn Benson addressed the backlash she faced for defending the 2020 election results. “Now, some people didn’t like that very much,” she said, as the video displayed news footage of protesters outside her home in December 2020. These protesters were upset over false claims of voter fraud that they believed led to Trump’s defeat.
Jocelyn Benson’s reelection in 2022 was part of a major wave of Democratic victories in Michigan, including control of both legislative chambers, the governor’s office, and the attorney general’s office. However, this winning streak was disrupted in November when Trump carried the state and Republicans regained control of the state House of Representatives.
As Secretary of State, Benson has focused on educating the public about Michigan’s voting process, expanding voter access, and overseeing the implementation of a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2022 that established an early voting period. Before her tenure in statewide office, Benson was an election law attorney and served as the dean of Wayne State University Law School.
Jocelyn Benson’s gubernatorial campaign focuses on her leadership as Michigan’s Secretary of State and her goals to improve education and reduce the cost of living, aiming to retain residents in the state. She also promised to challenge powerful figures like Trump and Elon Musk, with whom she has had previous disagreements over election misinformation. Musk, who donated $200 million to a super PAC supporting Trump, has developed a close relationship with the former president.
Benson is the first prominent Democrat to officially announce her candidacy for governor. However, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a long-time Democrat, complicated the race when he revealed last month that he would run as an independent. Benson has criticized Duggan’s decision, arguing that instead of abandoning the party, it’s crucial to stay and address its challenges.
Duggan’s decision allows him to avoid a primary race against other Democratic contenders. Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who relocated to Traverse City, Michigan, after his 2020 presidential campaign, has been receiving calls from Michigan Democrats urging him to run for governor.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is also considering a run for governor, along with Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who became well-known for marching with protesters after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
On the Republican side, state Senate leader Aric Nesbitt announced his candidacy for governor last week. He has voiced his support for Trump and criticized the lack of progress in Lansing. After gaining full control of the state government in 2022, Democrats passed a series of progressive laws, but their momentum slowed in 2024 due to fewer legislative sessions and stalled bills.