Michigan's Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announces her candidacy for governor in a bid to replace Gretchen Whitmer.

To almost no one’s surprise, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson made it official Wednesday that she is a candidate for Michigan governor in 2026. In a video posted to social media, the Detroit Democrat said she was running for the state’s top office to “truly make government work for everyone,

Candidates for Democratic National Committee leadership posts largely embraced President Joe Biden’s warnings of an oligarchy taking shape in America during a series of forums Thursday in Detroit that ran nearly eight hours.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announces her candidacy for Michigan governor in 2026. She went one-on-one with The Pulse host Roop Raj about her plans for Michigan and message for voters.

Jocelyn Benson, 47, of Detroit, said she wants to be known as "the governor who puts transparency and efficiency at the forefront."

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson becomes the first major Democratic candidate to launch a bid to be Michigan's next governor.

Catch up on the political news of the past week in the latest At the Races newsletter, including on abortion politics and 2026 updates.

The battlefield in Gaza also is changing. The first phase of the ceasefire allows Gaza’s nearly 2 million displaced people to leave crowded tent camps and return to what remains of their homes. This will allow Hamas to regroup in the midst of masses of civilians.

A co-op of ethnic German Hutterite farmers, who arrived in the 19th century, own the Dakota Provisions plant. But migrants from Venezuela, Thailand and other countries, earning around $14 per hour, perform the dangerous, back-breaking work.

Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state announced Wednesday she is running to succeed Gretchen Whitmer as governor in 2026, as the party tries to find its footing after November’s significant losses in the battleground state.

Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running for governor of the all-important swing state of Michigan (AP video: Mike Householder)