LANSING, Mich. — Michigan's Democratic secretary of state announced Wednesday that she is running to succeed Gretchen Whitmer as governor in 2026, as the party tries to find its footing after November's significant losses in the battleground state.
Jocelyn Benson served as the state's chief elections administrator in the 2020 and 2024 elections and is the first well-known candidate to enter the fray as a Democrat. She will have to appeal to voters seemingly disillusioned with Democrats who cast votes in November for President Donald Trump.
''We'll work to continue delivering and not just listening," Benson said in an interview with The Associated Press. ''Talking about economics and how to save people time and money.''
Whitmer, whose own statewide wins mirror Benson's in 2018 and 2022, is term limited and has said she does not plan to endorse anyone in the race to be her successor.
Benson gained nationwide recognition for defending the results of the 2020 election when they were repeatedly questioned by Trump and his allies after he lost the state to Joe Biden.
''Now, some people didn't like that very much,'' she said in a campaign video shared with AP before its public release. The video then showed news footage of protesters at her home in December 2020 who were angry about what they falsely claimed was voter fraud leading to Trump's loss.
Benson's own reelection in 2022 was part of a wave of overwhelming Democratic wins in Michigan, including both chambers of the legislature, the governor's office and the office of attorney general. The year was also notable for the number of women elected to the state legislature, legislative leadership and executive leadership. Three out of the four top executive offices in the state are led by women, including Benson.
''To elevate women's voices, and really all voices, that aren't being heard or aren't at the center of decision making circles in this moment is really important for me,'' Benson said. Her campaign has an all-female leadership team.
