What Michigan voters are saying about Duggan, Benson for governor

Why Democratic voters are supporting Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (I) to replace Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2026.

(Left) Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan poses with supporter Ann Taylor in January. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson listens to a resident in Kalamazoo in December.

A full year and nine months will pass before Michigan voters elect the state’s 50th governor, but narratives that will inform how voters view each candidate are already taking shape.

Both Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson were expected to announce gubernatorial runs, but Duggan shocked the state by leaving the Democratic Party to campaign as an independent.

Duggan, who launched his campaign Dec. 4, has been endorsed by the Detroit Police Officers Association, the Detroit Police Lieutenants & Sergeants Association, and the Detroit Fire Fighters Association, which combined represent nearly 4,000 people across the city.

Benson, whose campaign was first reported by Detroit one million Jan. 21, has been endorsed by several Democratic state lawmakers and officials. She’s also received high-profile endorsements from national figures and organizations like Star Trek’s George Takei, as well as End Citizens United and EMILYs List, which calls itself as the nation’s largest resource for women in politics.

The audience in Kalamazoo on Dec. 16 for Benson’s listening session with state Sen. Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo. Photo: Samuel Robinson

I’ve been talking with Democratic voters about the 2026 gubernatorial election to get a feel for what people are thinking in the weeks since the state’s elections chief and her mayor declared bids.

Here’s what supporters of Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (I) said about each candidate: