Jocelyn Benson

Michigan voters head to the polls Nov. 3, with early voting running through Nov. 1. Top of the ballot: an open U.S. Senate seat pitting Democrat Abdul El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers, and a governor's race to succeed term-limited Gretchen Whitmer, featuring Democrat Jocelyn Benson against Republican John James. Down-ballot contests include attorney general (Eli Savit vs. Doug Lloyd) and secretary of state (Garlin Gilchrist II vs. Anthony Forlini), plus two statewide proposals — one on calling a constitutional convention, another limiting corporate political contributions.

Detroit voters also pick five school board members, and Wayne and Oakland counties weigh a museum funding millage.

Michigan's next governor will confront a steep decline in reading proficiency, with just 38.2% of third graders meeting English language arts standards in 2026, down from roughly half in 2015. Republican John James and Democrat Jocelyn Benson both cite Mississippi's reading gains as a model and support evidence-based, phonics-focused instruction, but diverge on execution. James says existing education funding is sufficient if administrative waste is cut and redirected to classrooms; he also backs school choice and a constitutional amendment making the state superintendent report to the governor, plus an A-F school grading system. Benson wants a weighted school funding model, a $60,000 minimum teacher salary, expanded early childhood education, and targeted support for struggling schools rather than a focus on blame.
James and Benson both back science-based reading fixes for Michigan's literacy crisis but split sharply on funding and accountability.

President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, said higher gas prices from the Iran conflict were "a small price to pay for keeping the world safe," adding that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego and calling it "a very small price to pay" that would be "over with very soon." The crowd cheered. The remark came roughly a month before the midterm elections.

California officials responded swiftly. Governor Gavin Newsom called the comment "dangerous -- if not treasonous," directed the State Threat Assessment Center to monitor for threats against California, and later escalated by calling Trump "mentally ill" and demanding invocation of the 25th Amendment. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told Trump to "keep LA out of your damn mouth," and gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra accused him of treating Californians' lives as "a punchline." San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other mayors, along with Rep. Derek Tran, condemned the remarks. The White House and allies countered that Trump's full remarks were being taken out of context, arguing he meant Iran could strike those cities only if it obtained nuclear weapons, not that the U.S. should allow such an attack.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) and Rep. John James (R-Mich.) met Tuesday night in their first general-election debate for governor, hosted by Nexstar's WOOD-TV. The two are vying to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as Republicans try to flip the seat in November.

Cook Political Report currently rates the race as leaning Democratic, and prediction-market averages give Benson roughly a three-in-four chance of winning, with James trailing. The debate marks an early test of how each candidate's messaging resonates with voters as the campaign heads toward Election Day, and it is likely to shape perceptions of the race's competitiveness ahead of further polling and market movement.

Michigan voters will choose between Democrat Jocelyn Benson, the secretary of state, and Republican John James, a U.S. House member, in the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election, with a televised debate set for Oct. 6. The two candidates diverge sharply across a wide range of policy areas, including health care, housing, energy costs, taxes and utility regulation. Benson has pledged an electricity cost freeze, a Prescription Drug Affordability Board and expanded housing tax credits, while James favors deregulation, increased utility competition and sweeping income tax cuts paired with a government spending audit.

The candidates also split on right-to-work repeal, Line 5 pipeline construction, tariffs on Canada, and their relationships with President Trump, who has endorsed James. On the 2020 election, Benson defends Michigan's results as secure while James has suggested he was "screwed" in his own Senate loss that year. Other flashpoints include transgender athletes in girls sports, abortion rights, data center moratoriums, gun policy, Flock camera regulations and expanding the state's Freedom of Information Act. If elected, Benson would extend Democratic control of the governorship, while James would become Michigan's first Black governor.

Michigan House Republicans have introduced House Bill 5968, which would require the deputy secretary of state to take over as "chief election officer" whenever the sitting secretary of state runs for an office other than reelection. The bill responds to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's campaign for governor; Benson, the Democratic nominee, voluntarily adopted a "firewall" policy in May recusing herself from election oversight tied to her race, delegating those duties to Elections Director Jonathan Brater while retaining final policy authority.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Wortz argued voluntary recusal isn't enough since Michigan law has no ethics provision requiring it, citing similar proposals in Arizona and Utah. The reassignment would exempt constitutionally required duties like election audits. Democratic Rep. Mai Xiong questioned why local clerks running for office weren't similarly addressed, while Rep. Matt Koleszar noted Michigan doesn't require a deputy secretary of state to be appointed at all. Benson faces U.S. Rep. John James in the November 3 general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf and the Michigan Department of State are publicly accusing each other of misconduct amid Leaf's ongoing investigation into claims that noncitizens are being automatically registered to vote when they change addresses. Leaf says a whistleblower prompted the inquiry, and he visited Secretary of State branch offices in Hastings and Ionia seeking information, but staff declined to cooperate, citing office policy against sharing law enforcement information on verbal request.

In a letter, Department of State Chief Legal Director Khyla Craine accused Leaf of asking inappropriate questions, demanding an employee's personal information without legal authority, and pressuring officials outside proper channels. She warned that harassment of staff would not be tolerated, citing a state law against intimidating public employees, though the office said it is not pursuing criminal charges "at this time." Leaf denies wrongdoing, calls the office's response obstruction, and says he has referred Craine and elections director Jonathan Brater to federal authorities. Leaf, who has probed election fraud claims since 2020, has never had a case result in charges.