Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson took questions from reporters about her campaign for governor from inside a state office building she controls.

MICHIGAN — Michigan voters will choose a new governor in November 2026. Current Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited after serving back-to-back four year stints in Lansing. We are keeping track of candidates who throw their hats in the ring below.

LANSING — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson made her campaign for Michigan governor official Wednesday, kicking off what is already a hotly contested 2026 campaign. Benson’s campaign is so far light on specifics, but she has said she’ll prioritize reproductive rights, government transparency and investing in new state industries.

Jocelyn Benson is the first Democrat to announce her candidacy for governor in 2026 after the state voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

To almost no one’s surprise, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson made it official Wednesday that she is a candidate for Michigan governor in 2026. In a video posted to social media, the Detroit Democrat said she was running for the state’s top office to “truly make government work for everyone,

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that her focus if she’s elected governor in 2026 would be on “efficiency and transparency” in state government. Benson spoke to reporters in Lansing while filing paperwork to officially declare herself as a candidate for the Democratic nomination after announcing her campaign earlier in the day.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson officially joined the race for governor. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is already running as an independent and Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt is also in the race with more expected to follow considering election day is still 22 months away.

Jocelyn Benson, 47, of Detroit, said she wants to be known as "the governor who puts transparency and efficiency at the forefront."