DDHQ forecasts Benson’s victory in Michigan governor election — The Hill
In the United States, Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) forecasts that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will defeat Republican U.S. House member John James in the gubernatorial election. According to The Hill, as of 10:45 p.m. Eastern Time, Benson had 55% of the vote compared with 44% for James, with 31% of ballots counted.
Whitmer’s successor
If the forecast is confirmed, Benson will succeed Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot run for another term because of term limits. Such a result would break a long-standing trend in Michigan in which, after one party had been in power for eight years, the governorship was won by the other party.
Benson was first elected secretary of state in 2018. In 2020, she gained nationwide prominence by defending the results of the presidential election in Michigan against Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the outcome of his defeat. As the state’s top election official, she faced threats and harassment, including armed protesters outside her home.
In 2022, Benson received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, and in 2023, the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal.
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Course of the campaign
During the campaign, Benson promised to reduce costs and protect abortion rights and access to voting. She linked James to Trump’s tariffs and criticized his work in Congress on healthcare.
James, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an Army veteran, focused his campaign on economic issues. He accused the Democrats running the state of rising costs and slow economic development. Trump’s endorsement in the Republican primary helped James defeat businessman Perry Johnson.
If DDHQ’s forecast is confirmed, it will be James’s third unsuccessful attempt to win statewide office. He previously lost U.S. Senate elections in 2018 and 2020, and later represented a competitive district in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms. According to The Hill, Benson’s position strengthened after independent candidate and former Detroit mayor Mike Duggan withdrew from the race in May.
