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

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

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 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,

Benson said she's running for governor to "bring real solutions, not political games, conspiracy theories, or inaction" to Lansing.

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

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) announced she is running for governor on Wednesday, becoming the first major Democratic candidate to jump into the race. “I’m running for governor to truly make government truly work for everyone,

Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running for governor of the all-important swing state of Michigan (AP video: Mike Householder)

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.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D), in a brief turn as acting governor, signed a bill Dec. 1, 2023, to allow voters to request an absentee ballot through a state portal, a policy first adopted during the early days of COVID-19.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, announced Wednesday that she is launching a campaign for governor.