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

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson becomes the first major Democratic candidate to launch a bid to be Michigan's next governor.

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.

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

The secretary of state is the first Democrat to announce a run for the seat, joining a field of three official candidates running for Michigan governor so far.

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.

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

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.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced Wednesday that she is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for governor. The primary will take place in August of next year. We have more from Rick Pluta.

Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state announced Wednesday 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.