2018 Michigan Attorney General election
The 2018 Michigan Attorney General election took place on November 6, 2018, alongside elections to elect Michigan's governor, Class I United States Senator, Secretary of State, Michigan's 14 seats in the United States House of Representatives, all 38 seats in the Michigan Senate, and all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette was prohibited from seeking a third term due to term limits, and unsuccessfully ran for governor of Michigan instead. The Michigan GOP was unsuccessful in winning its 5th straight attorney general election. Along with the offices of lieutenant governor and secretary of sftate, the nominees for attorney general were chosen by party delegates at their respective party conventions.
Nessel defeated Leonard by 115,000 votes, becoming the first Democratic attorney general of Michigan since 2003, when Jennifer Granholm left office to become governor.
Republican Party
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated at convention
Declined
- Mary Beth Kelly, former associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Democratic Party
Candidates
Nominee
- Dana Nessel, civil rights attorney
Eliminated at convention
- Patrick Miles Jr., former United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan
- William Noakes, former Wayne County Deputy Corporation Counsel
Declined
- Steve Bieda, state senator
- Tim Greimel, state representative and former minority leader of the Michigan House of Representatives
- Eric Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Tom Leonard | Dana Nessel | Other | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | October 25–27, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 34% | 45% | 5% | 17% |
| EPIC-MRA | October 18–23, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 39% | 39% | 9% | 13% |
| Michigan State University | October 13–22, 2018 | 169 | – | 40% | 37% | – | – |
| Marketing Resource Group | October 14–18, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 34% | 39% | 10% | 16% |
| Glengariff Group | September 30 – October 2, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 32% | 39% | 6% | 24% |
| EPIC-MRA | September 21–25, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 32% | 38% | 11% | 19% |
| Glengariff Group | September 5–7, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 29% | 42% | 5% | 24% |
Results
By congressional district
Despite losing the state, Leonard won nine of 14 congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.| District | Leonard | Nessel | Representative |
| 56% | 39% | Jack Bergman | |
| 56% | 39% | Bill Huizenga | |
| 52% | 43% | Justin Amash | |
| 58% | 36% | John Moolenaar | |
| 44% | 51% | Dan Kildee | |
| 51% | 44% | Fred Upton | |
| 53% | 42% | Tim Walberg | |
| 49% | 46% | Mike Bishop | |
| 49% | 46% | Elissa Slotkin | |
| 40% | 55% | Sander Levin | |
| 40% | 55% | Andy Levin | |
| 60% | 36% | - | |
| 60% | 36% | Paul Mitchell | |
| 48.3% | 48.0% | Dave Trott | |
| 48.3% | 48.0% | Haley Stevens | |
| 32% | 64% | Debbie Dingell | |
| 17% | 79% | Brenda Jones | |
| 17% | 79% | Rashida Tlaib | |
| 19% | 78% | Brenda Lawrence |