Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson won the Democratic nomination for governor on Tuesday, defeating Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the state's primary and advancing to a general election that will determine whether Democrats keep the governor's office in a crucial battleground state. Benson will face either Republican Rep. John James or multimillionaire businessman Perry Johnson, who were competing for the GOP nomination, in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The Associated Press called the Democratic race for Benson on Tuesday night. Michigan's top election official for the past eight years, Benson entered the primary with a large fundraising and polling advantage over Swanson, making her the clear front-runner in a contest that had become one of the most closely watched races on the state's primary ballot.
Benson first won statewide office in 2018, when she was elected secretary of state, and she won a second term four years later. Before entering politics, she served as dean of Wayne State University Law School. Her time as Michigan's chief election official put her in the national spotlight in 2020, when she defended the state's election systems and rejected Trump's unsubstantiated claims that massive voter fraud was responsible for his loss in Michigan to Joe Biden. Biden narrowly carried the state that year.
Benson's campaign for governor has centered on protecting democracy, lowering costs for families, expanding affordable housing, defending reproductive rights, and improving public education. She has also promoted her record in Lansing on election security and administrative efficiency as evidence of her readiness to lead the state.
Swanson, her primary challenger, built his public profile on a different path. The Genesee County sheriff first drew national attention in 2020, when he removed his body armor to march with protesters in Flint during nationwide demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. He was credited at the time with helping to keep the peace in the city. Four years later, Swanson spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a vocal supporter of Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
With Whitmer barred by term limits from seeking another four-year term, Michigan's open governor's seat has become one of the most heavily contested statewide offices in the country. The Great Lakes state is a major battleground, and both parties are expected to treat the governor's race as a top priority in November.
The Republican side of the race was still being decided as Benson's victory became clear. James, a congressman, and Johnson, a multimillionaire businessman, were competing for the GOP nomination. Republicans have made clear they intend to challenge for the seat, and Benson's campaign will now shift toward defending the Democratic hold on the governor's office.
Benson's victory sets up a fall campaign in which her record as the state's chief election officer will likely remain a defining feature. Her work defending Michigan's election results made her a prominent figure among Democrats, and her platform for governor builds on that identity while focusing on kitchen-table issues such as costs, housing, education, and reproductive rights. The November election will decide who controls Michigan's executive branch, with Benson positioned as the Democratic standard-bearer in a race closely tied to the state's broader political divide.
