Benson Wins Michigan Governor Race Over James
Democrats swept Michigan's top statewide offices and won gains across nearly every county in the 2026 midterm election.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Elections
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Jocelyn Benson won Michigan's 2026 gubernatorial election over John James, while Democratic vote share rose in every county compared with the 2024 presidential results. Benson carried 18 of Michigan's 83 counties, up from nine for Kamala Harris in 2024.
Why it matters
The results show a broad shift toward Democrats across Michigan's counties, including Republican-leaning areas, and extend Democratic control of state offices. The county-level comparison offers a measure of where voter preferences moved between the two election cycles.
Democrats won Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, retook the state House, held the state Senate, and won nine of the state's 13 U.S. House seats. Results remain unofficial until certification.
The players
Jocelyn Benson
Benson is a Michigan Democrat who won the 2026 gubernatorial election, having previously served as Michigan's secretary of state.
John James
James is a Michigan Republican who lost the 2026 gubernatorial race and had previously run for the U.S. Senate.
The details
Benson outperformed Harris in every county, while James underperformed Trump in every county. All but two of Michigan's 83 counties shifted at least 3 percentage points toward Democrats, with Wayne County showing the largest shift at 9.2 points and Macomb County flipping from red to blue with an 8.8-point shift.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Michigan voters cast ballots in the midterm and gubernatorial election.
2024: Presidential election results served as the baseline for county-level comparisons.
Political Context
Comparing 2026 gubernatorial results with the 2024 presidential vote gives a county-by-county measure of voter shifts in Michigan. The Democratic gains across Republican-leaning counties such as Oscoda and Macomb mark a departure from the 2024 pattern.
Democrats now hold the governorship, the open U.S. Senate seat, and majorities in both chambers of the Michigan Legislature, which shapes state policy decisions. The unofficial results could change slightly before certification.
The takeaway
County-level shifts show that Democratic support rose across Michigan's geography, not only in urban centers. Readers tracking state politics can compare these results with certified totals once they are finalized.
Further reading
Explore more on Michigan elections for context on how state voting patterns have changed since 2024.
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