Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s (D) gubernatorial campaign said it has raised over $3.5 million since its launch in January, according to figures first shared with The Hill on Thursday.
Benson’s campaign reported receiving over 27,000 individual contributions from the state’s 83 counties during the period, with over 95 percent of them under $100. According to her campaign, Benson has over $2.4 million cash-on-hand.
The fundraising haul is more than double the $1.5 million Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), raised at this point in 2017 after announcing her first gubernatorial bid in January of that year.
The haul also puts Benson ahead of her opponents in the state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist’s (D) campaign said he raised over $750,000, while former Genesee County, Mich. Sheriff Chris Swanson (D) said his campaign has raised over $1 million. Gilchrist jumped into the primary in March, while Swanson announced his bid in February.
“The numbers make it clear: Jocelyn Benson is the best person to take on any candidate, Republican or Independent, in November 2026,” Benson’s campaign manager Nikki Goldschein said in a statement. “This record-breaking haul not only showcases the strength of this campaign, it tells the story of the movement we are building.”
A poll commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber and released in May showed Benson leading the Democratic primary field with 59.3 percent support from registered Democratic voters. Gilchrist and Swanson trailed at 6.9 percent and 8.1 percent respective. Nearly 26 percent of registered Democrats said they were undecided.
Republicans are also facing a crowded gubernatorial primary in the state. Rep. John James (R-Mich.), state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R ), former state House Speaker Tom Leonard (R ), and former state Attorney General Mike Cox (R ) are vying for the party’s nomination. Cox, who jumped into the race in April, said his campaign has raised $2.4 million and has $1.9 million in the bank.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced earlier this year that he is running for governor as an Independent.
Michigan’s governor’s race is slated to be one of the most competitive races in 2026. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a “toss-up.”