Michigan News And Capitol Report, Week Ending Friday, November 6th, 2026

Benson Wins Governor’s Race, First Consecutive Democrat Run Since 1960

Democrat Jocelyn Benson won Michigan’s race for governor Tuesday, prevailing in a contest that spent much of the general election serving as the undercard to the far more expensive and nationally watched battle for the U.S. Senate.

Benson defeated Republican U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township), succeeding term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and extending Democratic control of the governor’s office for another four years.

That alone makes Benson’s win notable.

Michigan voters have spent decades showing a tendency to change parties when they change governors. Benson is the first Democrat elected to succeed another Democratic governor since John Swainson followed G. Mennen Williams in 1960.

More recently, the pattern has been even clearer: Democrat James Blanchard was followed by Republican John Engler, then Democrat Jennifer Granholm, Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Whitmer.

Yet the race that broke that pattern rarely commanded the same attention as the contest directly above it.

While spending surrounding Michigan’s U.S. Senate race climbed to a quarter of a billion dollars, the governor’s race didn't even break $100 million, remaining around $63 million entering the final week.

At one point in October, that disparity became even more glaring when the Republican Governors Association-backed Michigan Victory Fund dramatically scaled back its advertising for James. The group, which had averaged about $1.58 million a week between Aug. 18 and Sept. 29, put just $187,000 on the air the week of Oct. 6, though Republican spending picked back up later in the month.

Still, the campaign had its share of attacks.

Republicans worked to portray Benson as an extension of eight years of Democratic gubernatorial leadership, blaming that leadership for high costs, struggling schools and job losses.

They also targeted her record as secretary of state and her previous service from 2014 to 2018 on the board of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which was federally indicted this year over allegations involving payments to informants inside extremist organizations.

James called Benson the group's "star operative," although Benson was not named in the indictment and said she was unaware of the alleged payments while serving on the board.

Another frequent target was her husband's work for Related Companies, which played part in the controversial hyperscale data center in Saline Township. Republicans accused Benson’s family of profiting from the project, though the company and Benson said he received no commission tied to it.

But James faced his own attacks over data center connections. Benson pointed to his purchases of stock in technology companies involved in data centers and contributions he received from developers and others connected to the industry. Bridge Michigan's fact checks found James did own some related stocks, though there was no evidence that they were responsible for the millions in wealth growth Benson alleged.

Benson also repeatedly pointed to his votes in Congress and tied him to President Donald Trump, while portraying James as a politician more interested in increasing his own wealth than lowering costs for Michigan families.

The attacks at times overshadowed how much common ground the two candidates found on some of the problems facing the state.

Both talked about pausing new data center development, although James emphasized leaving those decisions to local governments rather than imposing a statewide block. Both talked constantly about lowering energy and gas costs. Both criticized how Michigan uses economic development incentives and argued that the state government needed to work better for residents and businesses.

Where they differed was often in how they proposed getting there.

James pledged to suspend Michigan’s gas tax and lower the state income tax “into the threes,” saying he could find $3 billion through cutting what he called pet projects, improper payments and unspent state money.

Benson instead proposed targeted tax breaks and a broader "wholesale" review of Michigan’s tax code. She called for suspending the federal gas tax and left the door open to reducing Michigan’s tax while repeatedly tying higher prices to Trump and the war in Iran.

Trump remained one disagreement the candidates could not escape.

After a reporter repeatedly asked James about his relationship with the president following the final debate, he complained that the media was suffering from “Trump myopia.”

“We’re losing our kids, and y’all are focusing on some dude in Washington, D.C. who’s going to be gone in two years,” James said.

But dismissing Trump as "some dude in Washington" came as the president remained deeply unpopular in Michigan, with some late polling putting his approval rating near historic lows in the state. Benson repeatedly sought to make James answer for his alignment with Trump, while James argued voters should instead judge him on what he could accomplish for Michigan.

In a governor’s race that spent much of the year fighting for attention, Benson benefited from tethering James to a president many Michigan voters resented.

And for the first time in more than six decades, Michigan voters elected a Democrat to follow another Democrat into the governor’s office.

In attendance Tuesday night at the Michigan Democratic Party's Detroit election night party was Keely Crimando, a mortgage banker in Birmingham. During her undergraduate studies at Wayne State University, Crimando was a field organizer for Benson's first-ever – and unsuccessful – Secretary of State campaign in 2010. 

"I think tonight, I feel like a hopeful romantic," Crimando said. "She gave me my first real job…to see women succeed at the highest level like that, it is very cool to see." 

As for issues, Crimando said the lack of attainable housing has become "absolutely terrible" over the past few years. 

"People used to be able to afford a house if they were a nurse or a teacher or just a normal person in a normal career," Crimando said. "You (now) have to have a family with money for you to have a down payment. I mean, people's bills are so high that they're financing everything. They're putting everything on debt."

Also in attendance was 33-year-old Nathan Hatton of Eastpointe. Hatton is a union operator for Amtrak, and was quite excited about Benson's candidacy. 

"She has direct control and has been campaigning on improving passenger rail and expanding passenger rail in our state," Hatton said. 

As for 2026 pains he saw motivating himself and others at the polls, Hatton pointed to gas prices. Benson has called for Congress to pursue a federal gas tax suspension, and fuel costs have become an Achilles heel for Republicans up and down the ballot. 

"I commute 90 miles to work, and definitely gas prices have forced me to purchase a new vehicle. I purchased a more fuel-efficient vehicle," Hatton said. "I was spending $100 pretty much every time I drove to and from work…that's just not sustainable." 

Money Out Of Politics Initiative Passes With Big Numbers

Utilities, state contractors and associated individuals and organizations connected to government affairs will face new restrictions on political contributions after Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved Proposal 2 Tuesday night.

Early returns showed the initiative passing with 84% support.

Championed by the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (MMOP) committee under the banner “Mop Up Michigan,” the initiative sought to curb corporate influence in state politics — a sentiment voters backed decisively at the ballot box.

The Taking Back Our Power coalition launched the MMOP ballot effort in 2025, bringing together groups including Voters Not Politicians, Clean Water Action and Michigan United to challenge the political influence of utilities and large government contractors.

The effort drew bipartisan support from Republican Rep. James DeSana (R-Carleton) and Democratic Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit), who argued that a ballot initiative was necessary because similar legislation lacked sufficient support in Lansing.

Organizers reported submitting 562,068 signatures. The Board of State Canvassers certified the petitions in late July.

At Tuesday night's victory party was 27-year-old Dylan Cherry, a commercial truck driver from Taylor. He said he personally collected about 500 signatures at punk rock concerts in Detroit and outside Republican campaign events.

“No matter who I talk to, it's a pretty universal experience for working people in Michigan that they have been screwed over by a utility company at some point,” Cherry said. “For my entire adult life, I've only seen costs ever go up as far as rent, groceries, gasoline, your utility bill, which is essential to survive in the 21st century…that's just another straw on top of the camel's back that's breaking the backs of a lot of working people.”

He said people have seen “time and time again” corporations “willing to go to any lengths to get their way, especially at the ballot box.” He viewed Tuesday night's success as a demonstration of resilience by everyday Michiganders.

Also in attendance was Mike McDermott, a Westland city council member since 2020. He said residents frequently complain about power outages involving DTE Energy's grid. Every time it storms, and sometimes when it doesn't, he receives calls from residents who have lost power.

“They're pissed off, and they're frustrated as hell at DTE's unreliable service, and the other thing they're mad about is not only that the power goes out, they're mad that they constantly pay more (for) their bill,” McDermott said.

McDermott “absolutely” hopes Tuesday night's passage puts pressure on the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, which protects independent political spending by corporations and unions.

“It is unconscionable to me that we…consider a corporation as much as a person as a child growing up in a working-class household. It's disgraceful,” he said.

He added that legislative campaigns have become so expensive that some politicians feel they cannot raise enough money without help from utilities and large businesses.

“They owe a debt to (them), and they're the ones writing the policy. That's why we don't have legislation like utility accountability and taking back our power. That's why we have to do things like Michiganders for Money Out of Politics in Proposal 2,” McDermott said.

The campaign drew criticism for accepting substantial funding from nonprofits that do not disclose their donors. Protect MI Free Speech, an opposition committee funded in part by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and CMS Energy, also argued the proposal would restrict political participation. Consumers Energy said it would shift influence away from Michigan companies and toward wealthy national donors.

An analysis by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan (CRC) questioned whether the restrictions extend too broadly to survive First Amendment scrutiny, including their application to certain executives, owners and family members.

Courts would consider whether the restrictions address the risk of contributions being exchanged for government favors and whether they restrict more political speech than necessary, according to the analysis.

The initiative includes a severability clause designed to ensure remaining transparency and disclosure rules survive even if specific donor bans are struck down.

The CRC also reported that the contractor contribution prohibitions will not become enforceable until 18 months after the law takes effect. The utility restrictions, however, take effect with the law.

The law bars regulated electric and gas utilities, such as DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, along with their executives, board members, key owners and immediate family members, from contributing to state candidates, party committees or the Public Service Commission members who regulate them.

The law also prohibits companies holding or seeking more than $250,000 annually in state or local government contracts from contributing to candidates in those jurisdictions.

The law also applies mandatory “paid for by” disclaimers to internet and streaming ads. It requires certain people and organizations to report their spending and identify donors who contributed more than $100 toward those communications.

Michigan law already requires sponsor identification on political advertising in print and on radio and television, but it does not explicitly extend those requirements to internet ads, according to the CRC.

Proposal 2 closes that gap by expressly covering political communications placed or promoted for a fee on websites and other digital advertising platforms. It also replaces references to “radio or television” with “audio or video,” extending the language to advertising on streaming services and social media.

The change establishes legal requirements for covered online ads, helping voters identify who is behind the messaging, but it does not cap advertising spending.

Lawrence: Win Shows Appetite For Rejecting Corporate Money, Reining In Big Tech

U.S. Rep.-Elect Will Lawrence said Wednesday his victory over incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett shows candidates can win competitive congressional districts while rejecting corporate PAC money, opposing wars and calling for restrictions on Big Tech.

Lawrence won the 7th Congressional District race Tuesday by 13,175 votes, receiving 51% to Barrett’s 47.8% in one of the country's most expensive races. Wednesday, he outlined first-term priorities that include constituent services, quarterly town halls, stopping arms shipments to Israel and seeking a pause on new data centers and advanced artificial intelligence development.

“We showed that you can beat an incumbent Republican in a hotly contested frontline race without taking a dime of corporate PAC money,” Lawrence said.

He credited a volunteer operation that he said knocked on more than 250,000 doors during the general election after knocking on another 100,000 during the primary. Well over 1,000 people participated in door-knocking, he said, with some volunteers returning day after day.

Lawrence described the election nationally as a rebuke of President Donald Trump and a mandate for Democrats to address costs and corruption.

“People are tired of the out-of-control cost of living. They're tired of this war in Iran and seeing our national priorities misplaced,” he said. “And we have got to take immediate action in the House and the Senate to deliver on the mandate that the American people have given us.”

Asked what he wants from the next House speaker, Lawrence said he plans to support Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

“I'm looking for someone who can get to 218 votes to take the speaker's gavel away from Mike Johnson,” Lawrence said, referring to Speaker Mike Johnson. “And as I've said over the home stretch of the campaign, that person is Hakeem Jeffries. And I look forward to voting for him for speaker.”

His immediate transition priorities include hiring a chief of staff and district director. Lawrence said conversations with candidates are underway, with the goal of moving “deliberately but also swiftly” to establish the office.

He pledged an accessible district operation to help residents navigate Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and other federal resources, alongside quarterly town hall meetings.

On foreign policy, Lawrence said he would work to stop what he described as endless wars, end U.S. arms shipments to Israel and reduce military spending to redirect resources toward domestic needs.

He also pledged to hold technology companies accountable and push for a pause on new data centers and advanced AI development.

“We have to keep humanity at the center of the story, and we cannot trust Big Tech to write the future of our society and our economy,” Lawrence said.

Asked about his campaign’s description of the district as a bellwether for the 2028 presidential race, Lawrence said his focus is on getting oriented in Washington and continuing to organize at home.

Lawrence said Barrett called shortly after 2 a.m. to congratulate him and concede. He described Barrett as gracious and a fierce campaigner who made the race difficult despite an unfavorable political environment for Republicans.

Lawrence thanked Barrett for his military and congressional service and expressed a desire to cooperate in the transition.

He also pledged to represent residents regardless of whom they supported.

“I'm here to represent and serve you,” Lawrence said. “I look forward to getting out there and continuing to widen the circle of the movement that we built and the service that we're able to deliver.”

Incoming Leader Camilleri Pledges 'Most Productive Session In MI History'

Michigan Incoming Senate Majority Leader Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) pledged Thursday to pursue the most productive legislative session in Michigan history, saying the incoming Democratic trifecta could get more bills signed into law than in any previous two-year term.

Camilleri made the remarks after Senate Democrats selected him to lead their expanded 23-member majority next year. Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) was selected to be Senate Majority Floor Leader. 

"We want to be … the most productive legislative session in Michigan history, and that's something that I think will require us to work a lot here in this building, and I think that we'll have a chance to do that," Camilleri said. "During the last trifecta (2023-24) we left over 240-something pieces of legislation on the table. We believe that we'll get more bills signed into law during this two-year term than at any other time." 

Camilleri's oath to have a historically productive session comes after MIRS found that the average number of active session days in a year since 2019 – which was 73 days – was smaller than the average between 1947 and 1964 (85 days) when the Legislature was part-time and adjourned by June.

In 2026 so far, there have been 114 bills signed into law, and before that there were 74 for 2025, the fewest number of public acts produced by a regular session since the 1837 founding of the state.

As for policy, he said there's a very good chance that his prescription drug affordability board (PDAB) legislation – which would create a board to review and impose price caps on drugs made and sold in Michigan – will be a "centerpiece of our conversation." 

He added that the Legislature should tackle the data center regulation bills that Senate Democrats introduced in June. 

The bills featured a ban on public officials signing nondisclosure agreements regarding data center projects, a 10-year permit for those using more than 550,000 gallons of water daily and mandating projects pay prevailing wages and host registered apprenticeships.

"We, again, were sent here with a mandate to lower the cost of living or rein in costs for our residents. We believe that the economy and affordability are the reason that we are in an historic 23-member Democratic majority caucus," Camilleri said. 

He said the caucus will be centered around "economic issues," but it's not the only thing on their minds and, with a diverse group moving in next year, "We are able to multitask." 

Camilleri was first elected to the Legislature in 2016, flipping a Republican House seat in the Downriver area by 323 votes. Since winning his Senate seat in 2022, Camilleri – a forceful door-knocker and fundraiser – has served as Michigan Senate Democrats' campaign co-chair. 

He is expected to be Michigan's first Latino and Maltese Senate leader, as well as the second youngest in the state's history as a 34-year-old legislator. Additionally, he will be the first majority leader from Wayne County in more than 40 years. 

There was some interest from others, including outgoing Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), who decided in early March not to seek re-election, and Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), who instead stayed on the path of likely becoming a two-term appropriations chair, managing the state's budget-making process. 

In June, all current Senate Democrats who are returning next year, as well as Reps. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) and Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), who won their own Senate races Tuesday night, co-hosted a leadership lunch for Camilleri, confirming their support behind him.

The majority floor leader race also was contested this fall between Hertel, the son of a previous House speaker, and Sen. John Cherry (D-Flint), whose father was a past lieutenant governor.

Hertel was selected among his peers after winning re-election in one of Michigan's most competitive races, the 12th Senate District along the Lake Saint Clair shoreline. He defeated Republican challenger John Goldwater, a past minister, 53.5% to 46.5%. 

"I think we want to make sure that everybody's voice is being heard. … We want to make sure with this diverse caucus that everybody's ideas are on the table, that every voice is being heard and that we are being extremely productive," Hertel said. "That's the role of the floor leader, to make sure everything is moving in a smooth fashion, that the caucus is getting the information that they need."