US EditionMichigan’s lieutenant governor drops gubernatorial bid and launches campaign for secretary of state
Gilchrist pledges to protect voter privacy, modernize services, and reject corporate PAC funds while competing in the August 4 primary for secretary of state.
- Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II announced Monday that he is suspending his campaign for governor and launching a bid for Michigan secretary of state in a video announcement.
- Facing fundraising and name-recognition gaps, Garlin Gilchrist II, Lieutenant Governor, cited his $378,000 cash on hand compared to Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State's $2.98 million.
- Refusing corporate PAC money, Garlin Gilchrist II, Lieutenant Governor, pledged to expose dark money and joins four other Democrats seeking the secretary of state nomination.
- With Gilchrist bowing out, Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State, gains a clearer path to the nomination ahead of the Michigan Democratic Party convention April 19 and the Aug. 4 primaries.
- Gilchrist didn't rule out a future gubernatorial bid and pledged to work for the Democratic nominee to address dark money and protect Michigan's elections.
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40 Articles
Lt. Gov. Gilchrist on Pivot to SOS Race: ‘This Was the Place for Me to Render the Most Effective Service to Fix the System’
Photo: David Rodriguez Munoz ~ USA TODAY NETWORK PODCAST: Jan. 13, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds spoke with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist. He discussed his shift from running for governor to secretary of state, aiming to protect elections and modernize systems.LANSING ~ Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist announced a major shift in political ambitions Monday, stating he would abandon his gubernatorial bid in favor of running f…
Garlin Gilchrist drops out of governor’s race — vows to repair current administration’s damage as SOS
After 10 months of campaigning for governor, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist is ditching that race to join four other Democrats vying for secretary of state in 2026. “I’m a public servant, an entrepreneur, a dad, a husband, and an engineer who spent a lot of my life making the government actually work for people. I’m not done with that, not by a long shot,” Gilchrist posted to X on Monday. “Today, I am declaring my candidacy for Secretary of State of …
Who’s running for Michigan governor: Garlin Gilchrist ends bid, runs for SOS
Last updated: Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at 8:10 am. This post will be updated with candidate and campaign announcements ahead of Michigan’s 2026 election.Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist has ended his bid for governor and is running for Secretary of State instead, he said Monday. This story also appeared in Bridge Michigan The Detroit Democrat announced his new campaign in a video. His departure from the governor’s rac…
Associated Press News
Michigan's lieutenant governor drops gubernatorial bid and launches campaign for secretary of state
Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is dropping his bid to become governor and launching a campaign for secretary of state in the battleground state.
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