Democrat Mark Totten launches campaign for Michigan attorney general
'Michigan needs a fearless attorney general who will fight for justice, fairness, and the rule of law, and that's exactly what I will do,' Totten said in a news release.
'We are in turbulent times and need leaders determined to protect our state, our rights, and our safety.'
Nessel, a Democrat first elected in 2018, can't run again in 2026 due to constitutional term limits.
Totten, of Kalamazoo, is the first candidate from either major party to announce his candidacy.
He said his priorities will include fighting violent crime, protecting children from online predators, protecting seniors from fraud, and protecting civil rights and democracy more broadly.
Totten served as U.S. attorney for the western district of Michigan from May 2022 to January 2025.
Before that, he was chief legal counsel to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from 2019 to 2022 and taught criminal law at Michigan State University School of Law from 2009 to 2018.
A 2006 graduate of Yale Law School, Totten began his career at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where he served as a staff attorney in the appellate division.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Democrat Mark Totten launches campaign for Michigan attorney general
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