Ms. Benson, a Democrat, jumped into a high-profile and potentially crowded race to lead one of the country’s top battleground states.

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.

Michigan's Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announces her candidacy for governor in a bid to replace Gretchen Whitmer.

Democratic Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running for governor of the all-important swing state

The 47-year-old Democrat becomes the third major candidate to declare for the race to replace Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced in December that he would run as an independent and Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt said earlier this month he would seek the Republican nomination.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has officially thrown her hat into the ring for Michigan’s 2026 gubernatorial race, setting the stage for what could be a defining moment in the state’s political future.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has become the first Democrat to announce a run for governor in 2026. In announcing her run Wednesday, Jan. 22, Benson said she’s running because the state needs a leader who will save Michiganders time and money,

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.

In Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson launched a Democratic gubernatorial candidacy, hoping to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot seek a third term. A variety of other prominent figures in the Wolverine State have expressed interest in the race,