Jocelyn Benson, John James face off to be Michigan's next governor
As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is ending her second four-year term, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Rep. John James, as well as third-party candidates Anthony Hudson (Libertarian Party), Donna Brandenburg (U.S. Taxpayers Party) and Douglas Campbell (Green Party), are competing to fill the position of the state's top job.
The candidates
Benson has served two terms as secretary of state since 2018 and announced in January 2025 that she would be running for governor. Winnie Brinks is Benson's running mate for lieutenant governor.
In August, Benson won the Michigan Democratic gubernatorial primary with 1,251,160 votes, compared to Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson's 252,236 votes.
In her role as secretary of state, Benson says her achievements include upgrades to online services, cutting the average wait time for in-person visits and creating self-service stations at branch offices and grocery stores.
James was reelected to Congress in 2024 and has represented Michigan's 10th congressional district. He announced in April 2025 that he was running for governor. Jay DeBoyer is James' running mate for lieutenant governor.
James lost U.S. Senate races in 2018 and 2020 to Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters. He faced Democrat Carl Marlinga twice in the 2022 and 2024 congressional races, winning both.
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.
Hudson joined the list of gubernatorial candidates in March 2025. 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.
Hudson was running as a Libertarian Party candidate with Beau Parmenter for lieutenant governor, but the party disavowed him on Sept. 27.
Brandenburg is running for governor of Michigan, with Robert Donald Cowper II as lieutenant governor.
Brandenburg ran for governor in 2022 as a Republican, but was kept off the Republican primary ballot after the state elections bureau found thousands of fraudulent signatures on petitions. However, there was no evidence that the candidates at the time were aware of the fraud.
Campbell is running for the seat, with Bobbie Clay as his lieutenant governor running mate.
Campbell ran for U.S. House in 2024, 2012, 2010 and 2008, and for governor in 2006 and 2002, but was not elected in any of the races.
Key issues
Benson's campaign promises to make Michigan more affordable, take public schools to the top 10 in the nation and make the government work for Michiganders.
James says in his campaign that his plans include supporting small businesses and skilled careers, elevating academic excellence and building safe communities.
Hudson says his plans include eliminating property and state income taxes, stopping "the data center and solar panel invasion of our state," and returning power to local communities.
Brandenburg's campaign focuses on eliminating property taxes and the state income tax, implementing a true Department of Government Efficiency "to slash waste and bureaucracy," and returning government to serve the people.
Campbell's campaign promises to focus on affordability, energy, civil rights and public safety.