Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Rep. John James are facing off to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as governor of Michigan.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a Democrat, ran for governor as an independent candidate but dropped out of the race on May 21. If elected, James would be the state’s first Black governor.
Michigan has long been a key swing state — and a pipeline for women leaders — where control of the governor’s office has switched between Democratic and Republican over the last 40 years. Former President Joe Biden won the state by 2.8 points in 2020. In 2024, Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin won her election to the U.S. Senate by just 0.3 points while President Donald Trump carried the state by 1.4 points.
The 19th thanks our sponsors. Become one.
In all, 36 governorships are up in 2026. Five Democratic-led states won by Trump in 2024 (Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) are holding elections for governor in 2026, while two Republican governors in states won by former Vice President Kamala Harris (New Hampshire and Vermont) are up for reelection.
