1-minute voter guide: Michigan governor
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Jocelyn Benson in Lansing this year. Photo: Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images; John James in Sterling Heights. Photo: Nic Antaya/Getty Images
Michigan voters will elect their first new governor in eight years, choosing between Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James.
Why it matters: The winner will inherit a state confronting economic headwinds, from an uncertain auto industry and a shrinking workforce to an ongoing trade war with Canada.
Meet the candidates:
- Benson, Michigan's secretary of state since 2019, seeks to keep the office in Democratic hands. Term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Benson after the primary.
- James, a second-term congressman from Shelby Township, is an Army veteran, businessman and two-time U.S. Senate nominee. A longtime Trump ally, he secured the president's endorsement during the GOP primary.
Reality check: Many of their biggest proposals would require support from the Legislature, where control of both chambers is also at stake this fall.
The fine print: Three other candidates are on the ballot: Libertarian Anthony Hudson, U.S. Taxpayers candidate Donna Brandenburg and Green Party candidate Douglas Campbell.
What's next: Election Day is Nov. 3. Absentee voting has already begun.