Upon the launch of her gubernatorial run, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson faces a campaign finance complaint. Her campaign denies any wrongdoing.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson accidentally let it slip on social media Tuesday night that she’s running for governor. After quickly deleting the post, the Democrat officially announced her candidacy for governor at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announces her bid for governor, emphasizing service and efficiency.

Jocelyn Benson, currently Michigan's secretary of state, announced her campaign Wednesday for the state's governor in the 2026 election cycle. Current governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is facing a term limit situation and therefore unable to run again for that seat.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson officially joined the race for governor. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is already running as an independent and Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt is also in the race with more expected to follow considering election day is still 22 months away.

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

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D), in a brief turn as acting governor, signed a bill Dec. 1, 2023, to allow voters to request an absentee ballot through a state portal, a policy first adopted during the early days of COVID-19.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) announced she is running for governor on Wednesday, becoming the first major Democratic candidate to jump into the race. “I’m running for

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, announced Wednesday that she is launching a campaign for governor.

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

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson became the first Democrat to announce her candidacy for governor in 2026 to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI). Benson announced her bid Wednesday morning,