Here are the candidates running for Michigan governor

Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is finishing her second term, which means a new face will take over after the 2026 midterm election.

The number of people announcing their candidacy grew to include high-profile names such as Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, U.S. Congressman John James and former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

In January 2026, Gilchrist dropped out of the gubernatorial race and announced he was running for Secretary of State. Gilchrist received the nomination for SOS from the Michigan Democratic Party.

Former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard announced in April 2026 that he was dropping out of the gubernatorial race.

Here's a list of candidates who announced they are running for governor.

Jocelyn Benson

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced in January 2025 that she would run for governor. Benson, elected in 2018, serves her second term overseeing the state's election processes and the motor vehicle department. She cited her achievements in that role, including decreasing wait times for in-person appointments and installing self-service motor vehicle stations across the state. 

Benson's campaign promises include bringing accountability and transparency to state government, and working on behalf of the state's families with a "progressive vision for Michigan's future." 

Mike Cox

Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox entered the campaign pool in April 2025, announcing that he is running for governor with the theme of "Make Michigan Great Again," and envisioning a future "where Florida and Texas look to us for ideas."

Cox won two terms as Michigan attorney general in 2002 and 2006, citing those elections in his campaign statements as proof that he can win a statewide race. His work included helping homeowners renegotiate or get new loans after the 2009 recession. He has also touted creating Michigan's statewide child support division to address unpaid child support for Michigan families, and the Michigan Senior Brigade to educate seniors and caregivers about avoiding financial scams.   

Cox then ran for governor in 2010, but lost in the Republican primary. After leaving office, he built up a private law practice. 

Mike Duggan

Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was among the first to announce that he was running for governor. After he announced in November 2024 that he was not seeking reelection, the Democratic mayor launched a gubernatorial campaign as an Independent. Duggan first took office in January 2014, and the city emerged from its historic bankruptcy in December of that year.

He is the second-longest-serving mayor in the city, following former Mayor Coleman Young. Former City Council President Mary Sheffield succeeds Duggan, becoming Detroit's first woman mayor.

Duggan served as CEO of the Detroit Medical Center from 2004 to 2013 before running for office on a successful write-in campaign, defeating former Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon. Duggan also spent three years as the Wayne County Prosecutor and another 14 as Wayne County's deputy county executive.

Anthony Hudson

Michigan resident Anthony Hudson joined the list of gubernatorial candidates in March 2025, describing himself as a "hardworking Michigan conservative." Hudson ran in the 2024 Republican primary for a U.S. House seat, but lost to Paul Junge. Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet eventually won the seat.

The Texas native moved to Michigan in 2012 to be near his children. Key ideas in his policy platform include eliminating state property and income taxes and replacing them with a county tax, controlled locally, to fund services at the local level. As part of the effort to redirect specific funding and responsibilities from state to local decision-making, he would eliminate the Michigan Department of Transportation. The intended money would instead go to the county road commissions. 

Hudson is also pushing for a "part-time legislature with part-time pay." The goal is to encourage Lansing's lawmakers to "stay connected to the real-world challenges of their communities." 

John James

U.S. Rep. John James, who was reelected to Congress in 2024, announced in April 2025 that he was running for governor. The Republican lawmaker, representing Michigan's 10th congressional district, said the decision came "after deep reflection, prayer, and conversations with my wife and family."

James served as an aviation officer in the U.S. Army for eight years and was president of a supply chain and logistics solutions group. He lost U.S. Senate races in 2018 and 2020 to incumbents Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters. He faced Democrat Carl Marlinga twice in the 2022 and 2024 elections, beating him in both.

Perry Johnson

Republican businessman Perry Johnson announced in January 2026 that he is running for governor.

He ran in 2022 for the Michigan governor's seat, but was disqualified over invalid petition signatures. Johnson was also a 2024 presidential candidate, but failed to qualify for the GOP presidential debate series.

"My business experience brought quality and efficiency to help save the auto industry. We can deliver better services at lower cost by running state government with efficiency, accountability, and a results-driven mindset," he said. 

Aric Nesbitt

Michigan state Sen. Aric Nesbitt announced his campaign for governor in January 2025, becoming the first Republican to launch his candidacy. Nesbitt previously served as Senate minority leader during the last legislative session in Lansing. He served in the state's House of Representatives before becoming a senator.

Nesbitt assisted Michigan conservatives in voter turnout efforts for the re-election of President Trump during the 2020 election cycle and presented the state's electoral votes on behalf of Mr. Trump in December. 

Ralph Rebandt

Longtime pastor Ralph Rebandt ran for governor in 2022, but lost in the Republican primary. 

Rebandt served as the senior pastor of Oakland Hills Community Church in Farmington Hills and as a chaplain of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, as well as several local police agencies. 

Chris Swanson

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson launched his Democratic bid for governor in February 2025. Swanson was elected sheriff of Michigan's fifth-largest county in 2020. The announcement marked his full leap into politics after gaining national attention for marching with protesters in 2020 and speaking at the Democratic National Convention last August.

Swanson prides himself on his unique approach to law enforcement, which he claims brought people together. Public safety is his expertise; he says voters have it on their minds. 

The sheriff's law enforcement approach first drew national headlines in May of 2020, days after a White Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, a Black man. At a protest in Flint, the largest city in Genesee County, Swanson removed his riot gear and marched alongside demonstrators. This month, Swanson said that police had planned for a different response, but "as I was walking up, I thought, there's got to be a better way."

Kim Thomas 

Battle Creek's Kim Thomas is a Democratic candidate for governor. According to Thomas' campaign site, she served 20 years in the U.S. Department of Defense and holds a federal auditing certification. 

Thomas said she's running to "move past the divisive rhetoric of career politicians and focus on what matters: state-level education reform, middle-class stability, and a Michigan that reflects the "good life" God intended for us all."

Note: The video above originally aired on Feb. 6, 2026.