Jocelyn Benson talks 2026 Michigan gubernatorial campaign ahead of primary

Michigan's gubernatorial primary election day is Aug. 4, and Democrats will choose between Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

As part of CBS News Detroit's 2026 election coverage, we invited Secretary of State Benson to sit down with Rachelle Graham, CBS News Detroit anchor. 

Rachelle Graham: Our election coverage continues today for you as we are joined by Democratic primary candidate Secretary of State John Benson. Thanks for your time this afternoon.

Jocelyn Benson: Thanks for having me.

RG: How are you feeling just being in crunch time? We're five days out.

JB: Well, first of all, I'm really excited because over a million people have already voted in our primary this year, and we're on track to have the highest turnout primary in our state's history. What that shows is that voters are really engaged. They're paying attention. 

They want to be a part of choosing the next leaders of the state and defining our future, which is important to me as well. Not just as a candidate for governor, but also as a mom of a 10-year-old little boy, and knowing that everything we do over the next decade will define his future, and it will define his childhood. And so, for me, this moment — it's been an honor to be seeking the Democratic Party's nomination for governor with a vision of how we can reduce costs, grow our economy, protect people, and our rights and freedoms, while also preparing Michigan to be the best place in the nation for our loved ones to call home.

RG: Well, you're one of those candidates to some extent, we can kind of talk about your record thus far. This is your second term as Secretary of State. Looking back, what are some initiatives you're most proud of in that time?

JB: Well, you know, I feel like right now it does feel like often government showing up everywhere we don't want it and nowhere where we actually need it. And I've been really proud as Secretary of State to show that we can eliminate wait times. I mean, you know, I always say I run the DMV, so I'm very popular. But you know, we've been able to show that government can actually show up for you. It can save you time. It can save you money. It can make your life easier. And anyone who's gone to a Secretary of State office over the last several years has seen the change, has seen we can make government run well in a way that improves people's lives. And that, to me, is the goal. 

There's a lot of noise in politics and debates and on tax. At the end of the day, I just want to cut through all that and lead the state in a way that'll make people's lives better, driving down costs and growing our economy. As Secretary of State, I've done that while also expanding our democracy, taking our elections from being ranked 31st in the nation to number two, seeing back-to-back high turnout elections all throughout my tenure, while also standing up to some forces at the federal level that have tried to undermine that work. We've successfully defeated those efforts, protected our elections, while making government work for all.

RG: You just talked about driving down costs, and we always take into account what viewers want to hear from candidates. One of the big things this election: housing affordability. Any specifics that you think you could carry out to make it easier for people to move to Michigan, make a life here in our state?

JB: Yeah, exactly. We cannot grow our economy and retain our best and brightest if it's unaffordable to live here. And I've talked to teachers, farmers, nurses who want to move to communities and can't afford to live there. So our housing plan does three things. One, it increases supply of affordable homes by streamlining how homes are built, so that it's more effective and easier and efficient to ensure there's a large amount of homes to purchase in any community. 

But second, support. Support to first and second-time homeowners, but also those nurses and teachers and others who are moving to communities to work there. We want to provide them with support, down payment assistance and the like, so that they can buy a home in the community where they're working. 

And then finally, accountability. We have to take on out-of-state landlords who are buying up a lot of properties and driving up costs. I've talked to renters who have seen their rents triple after new owners come in — not even from the United States, from other countries — buying up properties and doubling or tripling rents. That is unacceptable, and you need a governor who's going to ensure we stop that from happening and hold bad actors accountable. That's how we drive down the cost of housing and ensure everyone can afford to live in whatever community they choose.

RG: I know this has taken up a lot of your time during your time in office. President Trump has drawn a lot of attention to election security across the nation, but also particularly specifically in Michigan, from citing alleged voter fraud in Muskegon to requesting the federal government access to voter rolls. What is your response to that? And also to see your Republicans — the Republican you'll potentially be running against in November — cite those same concerns. 

JB: Yeah, I mean, first of all, it's not lost on me that we are in the middle of a battle over the future of our democracy, but it's one that is really rooted in needing leaders. And the job of the next governor is going to have to be to stand up, even to the president of the United States, if he would try to interfere with our citizens' rights, freedoms, voices. 

I've done that as Secretary of State. The next governor is going to have to be prepared to do it as well, because I've seen, as the state's chief election officer, these last several years, how important it is to have the courage and strength to when the president tries to lie about our elections because he's mad that he lost one in 2020, to be able to stand up and say no, this is the truth and this is the law. When President Trump recently tried to, you know, pressure me to turn over the private voting data of Michigan citizens. I said no, and I'll see you in court. And we won. 

That's the backbone that you need from the leader of the state in this moment. Someone who will work with anyone to drive down costs and grow our economy, but who also will stand up to anyone, even the president of the United States, if he tries to interfere with that goal. 

RG: Alright, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, thank you for your time this afternoon. We appreciate it.

JB: Thanks for having me.