Overview
- Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist announced Monday he is suspending his 2026 gubernatorial campaign and running for Michigan secretary of state.
- He framed the move around protecting elections, safeguarding voter and motor-vehicle data, and modernizing licensing and registration services.
- Gilchrist’s exit leaves the Democratic governor primary as a matchup between Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
- He enters a Democratic secretary of state field with Barb Byrum, Aghogho Edevbie, Adam Hollier, and Suzanna Shkreli.
- The secretary of state nominee will be chosen at the April 19 Michigan Democratic Party convention, and Gilchrist says he will refuse corporate PAC money as he campaigns after trailing Benson in fundraising last fall.