Democrat Benson wins race to succeed Whitmer in Michigan

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) is projected to defeat Republican Rep. John James in the state’s gubernatorial race, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Benson was leading by 11 percentage points — 55 percent to 44 percent — with 31 percent of the vote reported by DDHQ as of 10:45 p.m. EST.

Benson, who was first elected secretary of state in 2018, will succeed outgoing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who is term limited. Benson’s victory breaks Michigan’s decades-long pattern of switching parties in the governor’s office after eight years.

Benson gained national attention in 2020 for defending Michigan’s presidential election results against President Trump’s efforts to overturn his loss.

As the state’s chief election official, she also faced threats and harassment, including armed protesters who gathered outside her home to demand the results be overturned. Her actions earned her the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2022 and the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2023.

A former law school dean and civil rights activist, Benson campaigned on lowering costs and protecting abortion rights and voting access. She sought to tie James to Trump’s tariffs and attacked his congressional record on healthcare.

James, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, campaigned on economic issues, blaming Democratic leadership in the state for higher costs and slow growth. He secured Trump’s endorsement in the GOP primary, which helped him defeat businessman Perry Johnson, who spent nearly $33 million of his own money on the campaign, according to Cook Political Report.

The result marks James’s third unsuccessful statewide bid in recent years. He lost Senate races to former Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) in 2018 and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in 2020. He subsequently ran for a competitive House seat and served two terms before running for governor.

Benson entered the final days of the campaign as the favorite, with DDHQ rating the race “likely Democrat” and giving Benson a 78 percent chance of winning as of Friday. The election handicapper’s polling average also showed Benson leading James, 49.8 percent to 42 percent.

The contest shifted in Benson’s favor once former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, an independent candidate, dropped out in May. His withdrawal from the race led Cook Political Report to move the race from toss-up to “lean Democrat.”

On the campaign trail, Benson faced scrutiny over her husband’s work for a data center developer. She called for a statewide moratorium on the developments, while James pushed for local governments to have the power to block them.