2018 Michigan gubernatorial election

The 2018 Michigan gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Michigan, concurrently with the 2018 [United States Senate election in Michigan|election] of Michigan's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Snyder and Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley were term-limited and were unable to seek a third term in office. The filing deadline was April 24, 2018. The Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties chose their nominees in a partisan primary on August 7, 2018. 2018 was the first year the Libertarian Party held a gubernatorial primary alongside the two other major parties in the state of Michigan. The Working Class Party, U.S. Taxpayers Party, Green Party and Natural Law Party chose their nominees at state party conventions.
The race was not as close as expected, with Democrat Gretchen Whitmer was elected with 53.3% of the vote to Republican Bill Schuette's 43.8%. Schuette performed best in more sparsely populated areas, while Whitmer was supported by large margins in large and medium cities, such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing. Whitmer also performed well in the Detroit suburbs. Whitmer carried former Republican stronghold Kent County, the first Democratic candidate to do so since James Blanchard's landslide 1986 reelection. Democrats swept the statewide races by also holding onto the Senate seat that was up for re-election, and picking up the positions of secretary of state and attorney general. They also captured every state university trustee seat that was up for election as well as the State Board of Education.

Republican primary

Candidates

Polling

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Brian Calley	Jim Hines	Arlan Meekhof	Candice Miller	Bill Schuette	Undecided
Mitchell Research	May 31, 2017	435	± 4.7%	14%	1%	–	21%	18%	46%
Target-Insyght	February 2–4, 2016	400	± 5%	11%	–	3%	20%	21%	45%

Results

[Image:2018 MI gubernatorial GOP primary.svg|thumb|300px|Results by county
]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

Gretchen Whitmer, former Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney and former Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate

Eliminated in primary

Abdul El-Sayed, former executive director of the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion
Shri Thanedar, author and entrepreneur

Write-In

Bill C. Cobbs, businessman

Declined

John Austin, former president of the Michigan Board of Education
Mark Bernstein, member of University of Michigan Board of Regents
Mike Duggan, Mayor of Detroit
Geoffrey Fieger, attorney and nominee for governor in 1998
Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive
Dan Kildee, U.S. representative
Andy Levin, energy consultant and son of Congressman Sander Levin
Barbara McQuade, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
Gary Peters, U.S. senator
Matt Simoncini, CEO of Lear Corporation
Bart Stupak, former U.S. representative

Polling

Poll source

Date
administered

Sample
size

Margin
of error

Mike
Duggan

Abdul
El-Sayed

Geoffrey
Fieger

Mark
Hackel

Dan
Kildee

Andy
Levin

Shri
Thanedar

Gretchen
Whitmer

Undecided

Target-Insyght

November 1–6, 2017

400

± 5.0%

29%

–

43%

–

Target-Insyght

November 1–6, 2017

400

± 5.0%

–

28%

–

41%

–

Target-Insyght

November 1–6, 2017

400

± 5.0%

–

19%

–

42%

–

Target-Insyght

February 2–4, 2016

400

± 5%

20%

–

12%

–

16%

43%

Target-Insyght

July 25, 2017

377

± 5.4%

–

35%

–

35%

–

Marketing Resource Group

May 8–11, 2017

255

± 4.0%

–

26%

–

24%

41%

Results

[Image:2018 MI gubernatorial Dem primary.svg|thumb|300px|Results by county
]

Libertarian primary

The Libertarian Party is one of three parties that have a primary in Michigan.

Candidates

Nominated

Bill Gelineau

Eliminated in primary

John Tatar

Green Convention

The Green Party chose candidates for the 2018 ballot at its state convention on May 5, 2018, at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Candidates

Declared and nominated

Jennifer Kurland, president of the Redford Union School Board

U.S. Taxpayers Party

Candidates

Declared and nominated

Todd Schleiger

Natural Law Party

Candidates

Declared and nominated

Keith Butkovich

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Schuette	Gretchen Whitmer	Bill Gelineau	Other	Undecided
Mitchell Research	November 5, 2018	827	± 3.4%	41%	48%	–	5%	6%
Mitchell Research	November 4, 2018	701	± 3.7%	40%	54%	–	1%	1%
Change Research	November 2–4, 2018	880	–	43%	51%	2%	3%	–
Research Co.	November 1–3, 2018	450	± 4.6%	43%	47%	–	1%	9%
Glengariff Group	October 25–27, 2018	600	± 4.0%	38%	50%	2%	2%	9%
Emerson College	October 24–26, 2018	822	± 3.6%	41%	52%	–	3%	4%
Mitchell Research	October 25, 2018	400	± 5.0%	43%	48%	–	4%	4%
Target-Insyght	October 22–24, 2018	800	± 3.0%	44%	48%	1%	4%	4%
EPIC-MRA	October 18–23, 2018	600	± 4.0%	41%	46%	3%	3%	7%
Michigan State University	October 13–22, 2018	169	–	39%	47%	–	–	–
ALG Research	October 15–21, 2018	906	± 3.3%	36%	47%	4%	6%	11%
ALG Research	October 15–21, 2018	906	± 3.3%	38%	48%	–	–	13%
Marketing Resource Group	October 14–18, 2018	600	± 4.0%	36%	50%	2%	4%	7%
ALG Research	October 8–14, 2018	800	± 3.5%	36%	46%	3%	2%	13%
Mitchell Research	September 30 – October 7, 2018	654	± 3.8%	38%	46%	–	6%	10%
Glengariff Group	September 30 – October 2, 2018	600	± 4.0%	35%	47%	–	5%	13%
ALG Research	September 24–30, 2018	800	± 3.5%	37%	49%	2%	2%	10%
EPIC-MRA	September 21–25, 2018	600	± 4.0%	37%	45%	2%	5%	11%
Ipsos	September 14–24, 2018	1,150	± 3.0%	39%	52%	–	4%	6%
Target-Insyght	September 10–14, 2018	800	± 3.0%	41%	50%	–	–	–
Mitchell Research	September 12–13, 2018	1,009	± 3.0%	38%	48%	–	5%	9%
ALG Research	September 8–13, 2018	798	± 3.5%	38%	45%	3%	3%	11%
Strategic National	September 8–9, 2018	1,000	± 3.1%	39%	49%	–	–	12%
Glengariff Group	September 5–7, 2018	600	± 4.0%	36%	50%	2%	4%	10%
Gravis Marketing	August 14–16, 2018	647	± 3.9%	37%	52%	–	–	11%
Strategic National	August 13–14, 2018	700	± 3.7%	36%	45%	–	2%	17%
Emerson College	July 19–21, 2018	600	± 4.3%	36%	43%	–	9%	12%
Marist College	July 15–19, 2018	886	± 3.9%	38%	47%	–	1%	14%
Target-Insyght	June 24–26, 2018	800	± 3.0%	37%	42%	–	–	20%
NMB Research	June 18–21, 2018	800	± 3.5%	39%	40%	–	–	20%
EPIC-MRA	April 30 – May 3, 2018	600	± 4.0%	38%	43%	–	–	19%
Glengariff Group	January 16–19, 2018	600	± 4.0%	33%	40%	–	–	25%
Michigan State University	September 14, 2017 – January 18, 2018	963	± 3.2%	35%	41%	–	–	24%
EPIC-MRA	December 9–13, 2017	600	± 4.0%	38%	35%	–	–	27%
Target-Insyght	November 1–6, 2017	1,000	± 3.6%	40%	41%	–	–	19%
EPIC-MRA	August 27 – September 1, 2017	600	± 4.0%	37%	37%	–	–	26%

with Bill Schuette and Abdul El-Sayed

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Schuette	Abdul El-Sayed	Other	Undecided
Emerson College	July 19–21, 2018	600	± 4.3%	38%	33%	12%	17%
Glengariff Group	January 16–19, 2018	600	± 4.0%	38%	34%	–	27%

with Bill Schuette and Shri Thanedar

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Schuette	Shri Thanedar	Other	Undecided
Emerson College	July 19–21, 2018	600	± 4.3%	35%	38%	12%	15%
Target-Insyght	June 24–26, 2018	800	± 3.0%	37%	40%	–	22%
NMB Research	June 18–21, 2018	800	± 3.5%	40%	40%	–	19%
EPIC-MRA	April 30 – May 3, 2018	600	± 4.0%	38%	44%	–	18%

with Brian Calley and Gretchen Whitmer

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Brian Calley	Gretchen Whitmer	Other	Undecided
Emerson College	July 19–21, 2018	600	± 4.3%	33%	44%	8%	16%
Michigan State University	September 14, 2017 – January 18, 2018	963	± 3.2%	34%	42%	–	24%

with Brian Calley and Shri Thanedar

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Brian Calley	Shri Thanedar	Other	Undecided
Emerson College	July 19–21, 2018	600	± 4.3%	38%	36%	12%	14%

with Bill Schuette and Geoffrey Fieger

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Schuette	Geoffrey Fieger	Undecided
Target-Insyght	November 1–6, 2017	1,000	± 3.6%	42%	35%	23%
EPIC-MRA	August 27 – September 1, 2017	600	± 4%	43%	33%	24%

with Bill Schuette and Mike Duggan

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Schuette	Mike Duggan	Undecided
Target-Insyght	November 1–6, 2017	1,000	± 3.6%	32%	47%	21%

Debates

Two televised debates between Schuette and Whitmer were scheduled. The first debate was held on Friday, October 12, and hosted by Grand Rapids television station WOOD-TV. That debate mainly concentrated on issues and there were no surprises or major errors from either candidate. The second debate was hosted by Detroit television station WDIV and was held on Wednesday, October 24. The two again clashed on various issues, but Schuette made a gaffe when he mixed up Whitmer's name with that of former governor Jennifer Granholm.

Campaign

While Whitmer's Democratic primary opponents publicly endorsed Whitmer in the general election, Republican nominee Schuette left the party split after the acrimonious battle with lieutenant governor Calley, with outgoing governor Rick Snyder refusing to endorse Schuette. Schuette also tried to hide his endorsement by Donald Trump from the primary in the general election. His actions as attorney general also came back to haunt him. Whitmer held consistent leads in polls over Schuette over the entire year.

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

Whitmer won seven of Michigan's 14 congressional districts. The seven districts she won all elected Democrats to Congress, and the seven that Schuette won all elected Republicans, though he won the district that elected Justin Amash by a very narrow margin of 0.4% and the district that elected Fred Upton by an even thinner 0.2%.

District	Schuette	Whitmer	Representative
	53%	44%	Jack Bergman
	53%	44%	Bill Huizenga
	49%	48%	Justin Amash
	55%	42%	John Moolenaar
	40%	57%	Dan Kildee
	48.4%	48.2%	Fred Upton
	51%	46%	Tim Walberg
	46%	51%	Mike Bishop
	46%	51%	Elissa Slotkin
	38%	59%	Sander Levin
	38%	59%	Andy Levin
	57%	41%	-
	57%	41%	Paul Mitchell
	46%	52%	Dave Trott
	46%	52%	Haley Stevens
	30%	67%	Debbie Dingell
	16%	81%	Brenda Jones
	16%	81%	Rashida Tlaib
	18%	80%	Brenda Lawrence