2026 Michigan gubernatorial election
The 2026 Michigan gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Michigan. The primary elections will take place on August 4, 2026. Incumbent Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited and cannot seek election to a third term. This will be one of five Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2026 in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican U.S. Representative John James are the frontrunners for their respective nominations. Independent Mike Duggan's bid for governor is expected to make the race more competitive after Democrats' strong victories in the 2018 and 2022 Michigan elections.
Background
Michigan is a purple state in the heart of the Great Lakes and Rust Belt which consistently elected Democrat for president since 1992 until Republican nominee Donald Trump narrowly flipped the state in 2016. In 2020, Democratic nominee Joe Biden won Michigan by 2.78%. In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump won Michigan by 1.42% which was attributed to President Biden's unpopularity and rightward shifts in working-class and Arab American voters.Since the 2018 Michigan elections, Democrats occupied all statewide offices in Michigan. Since 2022, Democrats held the narrow majority in the State Senate while Republicans held the moderate majority in the Michigan House of Representatives since 2024. According to the Morning Consult, which measures the popularity of governors across the country, Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer has a net +21 approval rating in Michigan.
In 2018, Gretchen Whitmer and her running mate Garlin Gilchrist won by 9.56%. In 2022, Whitmer and Gilchrist won by 10.53%.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State
- Marni Sawicki, former mayor of Cape Coral, Florida
- Chris Swanson, Genesee County Sheriff
Withdrawn
Declined
- Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and candidate for president in 2020
- Dan Kildee, former U.S. representative from
- Mallory McMorrow, state senator from the 8th district
- Gary Peters, U.S. senator
Polling
Aggregate polls| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Jocelyn Benson | Garlin Gilchrist | Chris Swanson | Undecided | Margin |
| 270toWin | October 23-November 21, 2025 | January 1, 2026 | 53.0% | 13.5% | 5.5% | 28.0% | Benson +39.5% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Garlin Gilchrist | Chris Swanson | Undecided |
| Mitchell Research | November 18–21, 2025 | 261 | ± 6.1% | 48% | 12% | 5% | 35% |
| Rosetta Stone Communications | October 23–25, 2025 | 287 | ± 5.8% | 58% | 15% | 6% | 21% |
| Impact Research | September 30 – October 6, 2025 | 453 | ± 4.6% | 56% | 17% | 5% | 22% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 59% | 7% | 8% | 26% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 65% | 10% | 5% | 20% |
| Mitchell Research | March 13, 2025 | 303 | ± 5.6% | 46% | 13% | 11% | 30% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Garlin Gilchrist | Dana Nessel | Chris Swanson | Undecided |
| Target Insyght | March 3–6, 2025 | 344 | ± 5.7% | 55% | 12% | 12% | 3% | 19% |
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Mike Cox, former Michigan Attorney General and candidate for governor in 2010
- Anthony Hudson, truck driver and candidate for in 2024
- John James, U.S. representative from and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020
- Perry Johnson, businessman, disqualified candidate for governor in 2022, and candidate for president in 2024
- Tom Leonard, former speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 93rd district, nominee for attorney general in 2018 and candidate in 2022
- Aric Nesbitt, Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate from the 20th district
- William Null, construction manager and alleged conspirator in the Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot
- Ralph Rebandt, pastor and candidate for governor in 2022
- Karla Wagner, political organizer
Publicly expressed interest
- Kevin Rinke, former car dealer and candidate for governor in 2022
Declined
- Tudor Dixon, conservative media personality and nominee for governor in 2022
Polling
Aggregate polls| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Mike Cox | John James | Tom Leonard | Aric Nesbitt | Undecided | Margin |
| 270toWin | October 23-November 21, 2025 | January 1, 2026 | 12% | 46% | 4% | 4% | 34% | James +34% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mike Cox | John James | Tom Leonard | Aric Nesbitt | Other | Undecided |
| Mitchell Research | November 18–21, 2025 | 255 | ± 6.1% | 11% | 48% | 5% | 2% | 1% | 33% |
| Rosetta Stone Communications | October 23–25, 2025 | 252 | ± 6.2% | 13% | 44% | 3% | 6% | 9% | 25% |
| Plymouth Union Public | October 8−9, 2025 | 200 | ± 4.0% | 7% | 41% | <5% | <5% | – | – |
| Target Insyght | March 3–6, 2025 | 336 | ± 5.7% | 5% | 57% | – | 13% | 1% | 23% |
| National Research | February 17–19, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 10% | 38% | – | 17% | 8% | 27% |
| OnMessage Inc. | January 17–19, 2025 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 4% | 46% | 1% | 6% | 9% | 35% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mike Cox | Tudor Dixon | John James | Perry Johnson | Tom Leonard | Aric Nesbitt | Undecided |
| Rosetta Stone Communications | October 23–25, 2025 | 252 | ± 6.2% | 10% | 33% | 25% | – | – | – | – |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 11% | 20% | 42% | – | – | 5% | 22% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 10% | 24% | 44% | – | – | 4% | 18% |
| Mitchell Research | March 13, 2025 | 281 | ± 5.8% | 10% | 30% | 31% | 8% | 1% | 5% | 15% |
Independents
Candidates
Declared
General election
Polling
Jocelyn Benson vs. John James vs. Mike Duggan| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | John James | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | January 2–6, 2026 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 32% | 34% | 26% | 8% |
| Glengariff Group | January 2–6, 2026 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 47% | 45% | – | 9% |
| Mitchell Research | November 18–21, 2025 | 616 | ± 3.7% | 31% | 37% | 18% | 14% |
| EPIC-MRA | November 6–11, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 33% | 34% | 20% | 13% |
| Rosetta Stone Communications | October 23–25, 2025 | 637 | ± 3.9% | 34% | 39% | 18% | 9% |
| Schoen Cooperman Research | October 9−14, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 30% | 29% | 26% | 15% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 34% | 22% | 9% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 33% | 21% | 8% |
| Mitchell Research | March 13, 2025 | 688 | ± 3.7% | 37% | 34% | 16% | 13% |
| Target Insyght | February 3–8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 30% | 21% | 7% |
Jocelyn Benson vs. Mike Cox vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Mike Cox | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | January 2–6, 2026 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 34% | 28% | 31% | 7% |
| Rosetta Stone Communications | October 23–25, 2025 | 637 | ± 3.9% | 37% | 33% | 19% | 11% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 27% | 25% | 13% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 39% | 26% | 25% | 10% |
| Mitchell Research | March 13, 2025 | 688 | ± 3.7% | 37% | 35% | 16% | 12% |
Jocelyn Benson vs. Aric Nesbitt vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Aric Nesbitt | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | January 2–6, 2026 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 24% | 32% | 9% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 36% | 26% | 25% | 13% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 40% | 26% | 25% | 9% |
Jocelyn Benson vs. Tom Leonard vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Tom Leonard | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | January 2–6, 2026 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 34% | 24% | 33% | 8% |
Chris Swanson vs. John James vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Swanson | John James | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 30% | 35% | 25% | 10% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 33% | 34% | 26% | 7% |
Jocelyn Benson vs. Dick DeVos vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Dick DeVos | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| EPIC-MRA | February 3–8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 31% | 31% | 23% | 15% |
Jocelyn Benson vs. Tudor Dixon vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jocelyn Benson | Tudor Dixon | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Rosetta Stone Communications | October 23–25, 2025 | 637 | ± 3.9% | 35% | 38% | 18% | 9% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 31% | 24% | 10% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 40% | 31% | 23% | 6% |
| Mitchell Research | March 13, 2025 | 688 | ± 3.7% | 38% | 36% | 16% | 10% |
Garlin Gilchrist vs. John James vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Garlin Gilchrist | John James | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 29% | 35% | 25% | 11% |
| Glengariff Group | May 5−8, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 33% | 34% | 25% | 8% |
Generic Democrat vs. John James vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Generic Democrat | John James | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Plymouth Union Public | October 8−9, 2025 | 600 | – | 31% | 35% | 12% | 12% |
Generic Democrat vs. Mike Cox vs. Mike Duggan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Generic Democrat | Mike Cox | Mike Duggan | Undecided |
| Plymouth Union Public | October 8−9, 2025 | 600 | – | 31% | 28% | 15% | 26% |