Updates About Elections

Both the Michigan Democratic and Republican nominating conventions went off with little or no drama. Both parties confirmed the candidates that were backed at the endorsement conventions earlier this year, and the candidates who had won their respective races in the August primary. Below is a full list of the nominees for the statewide races:

Gubernatorial (Governor / Lieutenant Governor)

Democrat — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson / Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks

Republican — Congressman John James / State Representative Jay DeBoyer

U.S. Senate

Democrat — Former Public Health Official Abdul El-Sayed

Republican — Former Congressman Mike Rogers

Secretary of State

Democrat — Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist III

Republican — Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini

Attorney General

Democrat — Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney Eli Savit

Republican — Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney Doug Lloyd

Michigan State Board of Education

Democrat — Incumbent Judith Pritchett

Democrat — Incumbent Tiffany Tilley

Republican — Grosse Pointe school board member Terence Collins

Republican — Child care provider Bree Moeggenberg

Michigan Supreme Court

Democrat — Incumbent Justice Megan Cavanagh

Democrat — Incumbent Justice Noah Hood

Republican — Oscoda County District Court Judge Casandra Morse-Bills

Republican — Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren

Michigan State University Board of Trustees

Democrat — Incumbent Brianna Scott

Democrat — Incumbent Kelly Tebay

Republican — State Sen. Roger Victory

Republican — Former Novi City Councilor Julie Maday

University of Michigan Board of Regents

Democrat — Incumbent Paul Brown

Democrat — Civil rights attorney Amir Makled

Republican — Oil executive Lena Epstein

Republican — Bloomfield Township Treasurer Michael Schostak

Wayne State University Board of Governors

Democrat — Civil rights attorney Shereef Akeel

Democrat — Attorney Richard Mack

Republican — Businesswoman Christa Murphy

Republican — Educator Andy Anuzis

The general election is Tuesday, November 3.

Former State Representative Pamela Hornberger has been appointed to run as the Republican nominee in the 63rd House District. The incumbent, Jay DeBoyer, vacated the ticket when he was selected as John James’ choice for lieutenant governor.

Hornbeger received six of the ten votes from the Republican Party executive committee members representing Macomb and St. Clair counties. The other four votes went to contractor, and friend of DeBoyer, Mike Grover.

The selection followed a legal dispute over who was eligible to participate in the nomination process. Earlier Wednesday, St. Clair County Circuit Judge Cynthia Lane rejected a request from the Michigan Republican Party to allow the full Macomb and St. Clair county executive committees to vote. The decision limited participation to executive committee members who reside within the 63rd District.

Hornberger previously served in the Michigan House from 2017 through 2022 and was speaker pro tempore during the 2021-2022 legislative session.

Below are key highlights from Michigan’s 2026 primary election that took place on August 4th.

Current Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, won the Democratic nomination for Governor in a landslide, beating Genesee County Sheriff, Chris Swanson. The Republican side of the Governor’s primary was a bit closer. Congressman John James clinched the nomination over Businessman Perry Johnson. James will now face off against Jocelyn Benson in the general election.

In the Democratic Primary for the U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive and former public health official, was victorious. El-Sayed edged out moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens and will now face Republican Mike Rogers in the highly anticipated general election. In the 2024 U.S. Senate election, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin defeated Rogers by a slim 19,000 vote margin.

The U.S. House election had numerous highlights. In MI-04, Democratic State Senator Sean McCann (Kalamazoo) won his primary and will face off against long-time Republican incumbent, Bill Huizenga (Zeeland). The general election is expected to be close. In MI-07, Will Lawrence (Lansing), a progressive activist, beat out two other more moderate candidates, to earn the Democratic nomination. He will now face Tom Barrett (Charlotte), the freshman Republican Congressman in a highly competitive general election. Democratic State Senator Jeremy Moss (Bloomfield Township) won his primary for the 11th district, the seat vacated by Haley Stevens. Republican candidate Thomas Smith ended up winning the primary in MI-08 despite dropping out of the race to support Trump-backed candidate Amir Haneef Hassan (Flint). In the MI-13 Democratic primary, the progressive State Representative Donovan McKinney (Detroit) toppled the moderate incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar (Detroit).

In the State Senate primary race, State Rep. Natalie Price (Berkley) won the Democratic primary for SD-10. Current State Rep. Erin Byrnes (Dearborn) lost the Democratic nomination for Michigan 2nd state Senate district (SD-2) to progressive organizer Abbas Alaweih (Dearborn). In an upset, MSU assistant professor Rashida Harrison (East Lansing) won the Democratic primary for SD-28. Harrison is a progressive and will face Republican Julia DeRose (Dewitt) in the general election. State Rep. Phil Skaggs (East Grand Rapids) lost his bid for the Democratic nominee in SD-29, where East Grand Rapids City Commissioner Abbie Groff-Blaszak (East Grand Rapids) came out on top. In a contentious three-way primary for the Republican nomination in SD-33, State Rep. Gina Johnsen (Portland) defeated Katie DeBoer (Cannon) and Rep. Joseph Fox (Fremont). Finally, State Rep. Dave Prestin (Cedar River) defeated former State Rep. Beau LaFave (Iron Mountain) in the GOP Primary for SD-38. In the general election, he will face Kelli Van Ginhoven (D-Escanaba) and former State Rep. Sara Cambensy (Marquette) who is running as an independent.

In the State House Primary, Democratic State Rep. Helena Scott (Detroit) lost her primary bid in the 8th House district (HD-8) to progressive challenger Chris Gilmer-Hill (Detroit). Former Republican State Rep. Lynn Afendoulis (Grand Rapids) won the GOP primary for HD-90. The seat is being vacated by Republican House Majority Floor Leader Bryan Posthumus (Rockford). Finally, Republican Rep. Steve Carra defended his seat from a more moderate primary challenger.

Full results can be viewed here.