Democratic
Jocelyn Benson
Major-party general-election nominee.
VotePredictor forecast
Jocelyn Benson favored
Safe D · predicted margin D+8.5
97%
chance to win
Poll-driven model · 13 matched polls. Full forecast history and methodology →
Republican
John James
Sitting U.S. Representative. Voting record and biography →
Other listed candidates
- Donna Brandenburg · U.S. Taxpayers
- Douglas Campbell · Green
- Anthony Hudson · Libertarian
Polls
| Pollster | Date | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| FiftyPlusOne | 2026-10-09 | D+7.7 |
| Z to A Research | 2026-10-01 | D+10.0 |
| Beacon Research/Shaw & Co. Research | 2026-09-28 | D+9.0 |
| FiftyPlusOne | 2026-09-28 | D+8.0 |
| FiftyPlusOne | 2026-09-23 | D+7.8 |
| co/efficient | 2026-09-23 | D+3.0 |
| The New York Times/Siena University | 2026-09-22 | D+5.0 |
| Cygnal/Beacon Research | 2026-09-21 | D+7.0 |
| Suffolk University | 2026-09-20 | D+17.0 |
| Emerson College | 2026-09-14 | D+6.7 |
| The Washington Post/George Mason University School of Policy and Government | 2026-09-14 | D+12.0 |
| EPIC-MRA | 2026-08-28 | D+4.0 |
| Michigan State University Institute for Public Policy and Social Research/YouGov | 2026-08-20 | D+9.0 |
Other forecasts
Cook
Lean D
as of Oct. 13, 2026
DDHQ
Likely D
as of Oct. 14, 2026
Fox
Lean D
as of Oct. 6, 2026
IE
Tilt D
as of Oct. 1, 2026
RCP
Lean D
as of Oct. 12, 2026
Sabato
Lean D
as of Oct. 6, 2026
Silver
Likely D
as of Oct. 13, 2026
Published ratings are categorical, not probabilities, and remain independent of VotePredictor. Sources and update dates ↗
Past results
Every Michigan election for governor we hold a result for.
YearWinnerMargin
Candidate news
Could this be the year Democrats close the 'governor gap' with Republicans?
When people talk about this year's midterms, they tend to focus on whether Democrats will end unified Republican control of Congress by winning the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives (or both). And that makes sense: Congress has the power to check Presid…
Yahoo Entertainment · Yesterday
MAGA candidate gets more than he bargained for in tense exchange with CNN's Dana Bash
CNN’s Dana Bash confronted a Republican congressman running for Michigan governor on Friday after he compared a Democratic Senate candidate to the extremists he fought during the Iraq War.MAGA Rep. John James, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, came u…
Raw Story · October 9, 2026
Obama to Campaign With El-Sayed
Barack Obama is heading to Detroit this month to give Michigan Democrats a marquee name on the campaign trail just as early voting gets underway. The state party said Monday that the former president will appear on Oct. 24 with Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed…
Newser · October 5, 2026
Obama to campaign for Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit for final stretch before midterms
Former President Barack Obama will campaign alongside Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit later this month, lending his support to the progressive nominee after a bruising Democratic primary exposed divisions within the party. Obama will appea…
Freerepublic.com · October 5, 2026
Barack Obama to Campaign with Abdul El-Sayed
“Former President Barack Obama will campaign with Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit later this month, the Michigan Senate hopeful announced on Monday,” the Washington Sun reports. “The rally will also feature Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson, …
Politicalwire.com · October 5, 2026
Michigan governor candidate John James campaigns in Grosse Pointe
Republican John James made a campaign stop in Grosse Pointe as the days toward the 2026 election dwindle into its final stretch.
FOX 2 Detroit · October 12, 2026
Michigan Congressman Proposes Using Tariff Revenue for Tariff Relief Fund
Rep. John James admits that Trump's tariffs are hurting Michigan businesses. His solution? Make them fill out more paperwork.
Reason · October 12, 2026
Trump-Endorsed Candidate Says on CNN That ‘President is Not Correct’ About Economy
Rep. John James (R-MI) flat-out said President Trump "is not correct" about the economy "booming" as he highlighted just how bad things are in Michigan. The post Trump-Endorsed Candidate Says on CNN That ‘President is Not Correct’ About Economy first appeared…
Mediaite · October 9, 2026