Michigan Governor Election 2026
Gretchen Whitmer (D) is term-limited. Rating: Lean D.
Status: upcoming. Election day is November 3, 2026.
Candidates
| Candidate | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jocelyn Benson | Democratic | Secretary of state |
| John James | Republican | U.S. Representative |
Polls
| Date | Pollster | Jocelyn Benson | John James |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 4, 2026 | YouGov | 48% | 45% |
| October 1, 2026 | Mitchell Research | 46% | 39% |
| October 1, 2026 | Z to A (D) | 50% | 40% |
| September 28, 2026 | Fox News | 54% | 45% |
| September 27, 2026 | Marist | 53% | 41% |
| September 27, 2026 | Guidant (R) | 50% | 45% |
| September 23, 2026 | co/efficient (R) | 47% | 44% |
| September 22, 2026 | NYT/Siena | 48% | 43% |
| September 21, 2026 | Cygnal (R)/Beacon (D) | 45% | 38% |
Average of the 9 most recent polls: Jocelyn Benson 49%, John James 42.2%. Polls are snapshots, not predictions.
Where the candidates stand
Jocelyn Benson (D)
- Opposes overturning Roe and supported Michigan's abortion-rights amendment. (2026-10) source
- Supported Michigan's red-flag, universal background check and safe-storage laws. (2026-10) source
- Supports Michigan's goal of 100% clean electricity by 2040. (2026-10) source
- Opposes policies that drain neighborhood public schools. (2026-10) source
- Says she will always defend the right to organize, including strike protections. (2026-10) source
- Opposed efforts to overturn same-sex marriage. (2026-10) source
- Would not raise middle-class taxes and would cut government costs instead. (2026) source
- Opposes sending federal ICE agents into communities; supported driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants in 2019. (2026-10) source
John James (R)
- Calls himself pro-life; now supports rape and incest exceptions and says voters settled the question in 2022. (2024) source
- Sponsored interstate concealed carry. (2026-10) source
- Called Michigan's 100% renewable law "insane" and voted to end clean energy tax credits. (2025) source
- Would opt Michigan into federal private-school scholarship tax credits on day one. (2026-10) source
- Says fixing health care means less government; voted against extending ACA subsidies. (2026) source
- Voted for a border wall, asylum limits, E-Verify and more ICE funding. (2025) source
- Wants to eliminate the state income tax. (2026-10) source
- Supports right-to-work laws. (2026-10) source
- Voted to make gender-transition care for minors a federal crime. (2025) source
- Voted to bar transgender students from girls' and women's sports. (2025) source
Sources
- 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Gubernatorial Race Overview (Brownstein, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Latest governor polls (RealClearPolling)
- 2026 election polls (Political.org)
- Cook Political Report governor ratings
- The Green Papers: 2026 candidates by state
- Amid Ad Uproar, Ohio Governor’s Race Moves From Toss Up to Lean Democrat (Cook Political Report, Oct. 23, 2026)
- Midterm Elections in Ohio, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
- Midterm Elections in Michigan, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
Ratings, candidates and polls last updated October 24, 2026. Ratings are expert forecasts, not results.