Michigan's Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announces her candidacy for governor in a bid to replace Gretchen Whitmer.

Jocelyn Benson served as the state’s chief elections administrator in the 2020 and 2024 elections and is the first well-known candidate to enter the fray as a Democrat.

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

In Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson launched a Democratic gubernatorial candidacy, hoping to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot seek a third term. A variety of other prominent figures in the Wolverine State have expressed interest in the race,

Jocelyn Benson, currently Michigan's secretary of state, announced her campaign Wednesday for the state's governor in the 2026 election cycle. Current governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is facing a term limit situation and therefore unable to run again for that seat.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat who lives in Detroit, announced Wednesday that she's running for governor. The big picture: Benson is the second local candidate to throw their hat into the 2026 governor's race after Mayor Mike Duggan left the Democratic party to run as an independent.