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The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Benson raises over $3.5M in Michigan governor's bid
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's (D) gubernatorial campaign said it has raised over $3.5 million since its launch in January, according to figures first shared with The Hill on Thursday. Benson's campaign reported receiving over 27,000 individual contributions from the state's 83 counties during the period, with over 95 percent of them under $100. According to her campaign, Benson has over $2.4 million cash-on-hand. The fundraising haul is more than double the $1.5 million Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), raised at this point in 2017 after announcing her first gubernatorial bid in January of that year. The haul also puts Benson ahead of her opponents in the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist's (D) campaign said he raised over $750,000, while former Genesee County, Mich. Sheriff Chris Swanson (D) said his campaign has raised over $1 million. Gilchrist jumped into the primary in March, while Swanson announced his bid in February. 'The numbers make it clear: Jocelyn Benson is the best person to take on any candidate, Republican or Independent, in November 2026,' Benson's campaign manager Nikki Goldschein said in a statement. 'This record-breaking haul not only showcases the strength of this campaign, it tells the story of the movement we are building.' A poll commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber and released in May showed Benson leading the Democratic primary field with 59.3 percent support from registered Democratic voters. Gilchrist and Swanson trailed at 6.9 percent and 8.1 percent respective. Nearly 26 percent of registered Democrats said they were undecided. 2024 Election Coverage Republicans are also facing a crowded gubernatorial primary in the state. Rep. John James (R-Mich.), state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R ), former state House Speaker Tom Leonard (R ), and former state Attorney General Mike Cox (R ) are vying for the party's nomination. Cox, who jumped into the race in April, said his campaign has raised $2.4 million and has $1.9 million in the bank. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced earlier this year that he is running for governor as an Independent. Michigan's governor's race is slated to be one of the most competitive races in 2026. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a 'toss-up.'
Newsweek
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Democrats' Chances of Beating GOP's Leading Michigan Senate Candidate—Polls
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers of Michigan received positive news in a new poll about his chances in the 2026 midterm elections, possessing name recognition that trumps most candidates on both sides of the aisle. Why It Matters The race for the Senate seat in Michigan, which has been a swing "purple" state in recent elections, is accelerating after Democratic Senator Gary Peters announced earlier this year that he's not running for reelection. Rogers, a former congressman, has been in the race for months and could face competition within his party from Michigan Representative Bill Huizenga and Tudor Dixon, who lost by double digits to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2022. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers speaks at his election watch party with the MIGOP on November 5, 2024, in Novi, Michigan. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers speaks at his election watch party with the MIGOP on November 5, 2024, in Novi, To Know Rogers is the GOP front-runner, according to a poll commissioned by pro-crypto, pro-Republican group First Principles Digital. The poll was commissioned by Tony Fabrizio, a pollster for President Donald Trump. Rogers leads Huizenga in Fabrizio's poll, 48 percent to 20 percent, while 32 percent remain undecided. The poll, which surveyed 600 likely GOP primary voters June 17-19, has a margin of error of +/-4 percentage points and was published by Punchbowl News. Another poll in May conducted and released by Glengariff Group and the Detroit Regional Chamber showed Rogers in an even more commanding position to represent the Republican Party in 2026, leading Huizenga 61-17. Rogers spoke with Newsweek at Trump's rally on April 29 in Warren, Michigan, expressing his support for the president and his policies. He said the state, which voted for Trump in 2016 and 2024, "is moving to the right" and putting power back into the hand of Michigan workers. "The media and the left are screaming as loud as I've heard them scream for anything, and what they want is [Trump] to fail, which means America fails," Rogers said. "I've never seen anything quite like him. I get that you don't like his style, but I'm telling you this guy's doing the hardest work I've seen a president do to try to right the ship for the middle class of America. And Michiganders know that." The Detroit Regional Chamber poll also showed Rogers with roughly 77 percent name ID, vastly higher than the second-highest candidate on either side of the aisle, Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive who ran for governor in 2018. Other Democrats vying to replace Peters include Representative Haley Stevens and state Senator Mallory McMorrow. Stevens led Rogers by 6 points and Huizenga by 8.4 points among "definite voters," the chamber poll found. McMorrow led Rogers by 1.4 points and Huizenga by 4.7 points. Rogers held a 1.9-point lead over Abdul El-Sayed, while El-Sayed held a 2.5-point lead over Huizenga. Rogers also told Newsweek what he learned from his razor-thin defeat to current Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, who won by less than 1 percentage point last November to replace another outgoing Democratic senator, Debbie Stabenow. Rogers said that if Democrats run on some of the similar issues that led to widespread defeats in November, from the presidential level down to numerous House and Senate races, he believes he has a good chance to win. "It is continuing the optimism that we preached about making Michigan a manufacturing state," he said. "Our economy has been flat here for a decade. We're going to change that. Our education system has been in decline for a decade. We're going to help be a part of changing that. I'm very optimistic about what comes next." He also said that chaos surrounding tariffs and consumer sentiment will be "bumpy" but in the long run will allow Americans "to be a part of the equation and the conversation about what's good for America." "You start going down the list of these things. Guess what? We're winning," Rogers said. "Doesn't feel like it, but we're winning. Stocks will go back up. "But the difference is at the end of the day, an American worker will actually have a shot at a better middle-class life than they did before Donald Trump." What People Are Saying Andrew Mamo, Mallory McMorrow for Michigan spokesman, previously told Newsweek: "We're thrilled with where our campaign stands at the beginning of this race. She has a clear path to beating any Republican who comes out of their primary and is working every day to bring people together to get it done." The El-Sayed campaign previously told Newsweek: "This early poll reflects what we've seen on the trail: our movement for working people is gaining momentum. Unlike the career politicians, Abdul has never and will never take a cent of corporate PAC money—and his bold, honest positions reflect that. As Michiganders get to know Abdul, his record of government leadership, and his vision for an economy that puts people first, we know our movement will continue to grow." Haley Stevens campaign spokesperson Reeves Oyster previously told Newsweek: "This poll makes it clear that Haley Stevens is the only candidate in this race who can stand up to Donald Trump and Elon Musk's chaos agenda in the Senate to lower costs, grow Michigan's manufacturing economy and fight for Michigan families." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said when Rogers announced his candidacy: "Mike Rogers is the conservative leader that Michigan needs in the U.S. Senate. As an Army veteran and former special agent, Mike understands the importance of putting service before self. We need him in the U.S. Senate to help achieve President Trump's America First agenda and to bring manufacturing and good-paying jobs back to Michigan." What Happens Next Michigan's primary will be held in August 2026. The general election race is widely viewed as a toss-up.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Independent candidate emerges as wild card in Michigan governor's race
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is threatening to roil the race to replace Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) as he seeks to boost momentum for his independent campaign. Duggan surprised observers in December when he announced that he would run for governor as an independent instead of as a Democrat, which he had been for his entire life. Critics have argued Duggan's decision is about recognizing his potential struggles to win a Democratic primary and could risk the party's ability to hold on to the office in next year's election. But Duggan is pitching himself as the right candidate to break the mold of the two-party system and touting his early support from members of both parties. 'The support is far beyond anything I could have expected, going to farms in remote areas of the state, going to small towns, going to big cities,' Duggan told The Hill in an interview. 'In Michigan, in particular, people are really fed up with the toxic partisan environment,' he added. Early indicators show Duggan making some inroads. A February poll showed Duggan with a clear above-water net favorability rating, in the positive by 28 points. He also held his own in a hypothetical three-way gubernatorial match-up. A more recent poll from May also showed reasons for optimism for the three-term mayor. Pollsters found Duggan holds positive favorability ratings across the political spectrum, among those identifying as strongly Democratic, strongly Republican and independents. Duggan also received 20 percent or more of the vote in various hypothetical three-way match-ups with the current options that Democrats and Republicans have, denying any candidate a majority of the vote. And he took some support each from the Democratic and Republican candidates. Duggan has said his goal is to reach 40 percent support, the amount he feels he needs to clinch victory. After announcing his campaign, he initially said he would consider not continuing with his campaign if he didn't feel the support was there, but he said he's decided to go forward. 'I never thought I'd be in the 20s in the polling and have endorsements from a major union like the carpenters or 160 African American ministers or some of the police and fire unions,' he said. 'The idea of an independent candidate, people are warming to it. At first, nobody in Michigan had seen this before and weren't sure what to make of it, but there's a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of momentum.' Duggan has recently notched some key endorsements, gaining the support of the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, which has more than 14,000 members in the state. He also seems to be drawing the attention of some business leaders, reportedly receiving widespread acclaim at a Detroit Regional Chamber convention. Duggan has touted his record as mayor overseeing Detroit, arguing he has the right experience for governor. He became mayor of the state's largest city in 2013 in the aftermath of the city declaring bankruptcy, struggling with high unemployment and crime. But since then, its prospects have turned around considerably. Crime has come down, the city's budgets have been balanced and the population grew for the first time in decades. But Duggan faces some structural barriers that make a successful independent campaign difficult. Voters often express frustration with both parties, which Duggan has tapped into, but other independent candidates who have run on a similar message have not performed as well as they hoped or even expected because of positive polling. A poll at one time showed independent candidate Greg Orman performing better than Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) against Republican Kris Kobach in the state's 2018 gubernatorial race, but Orman only finished with 6.5 percent support. In 2022, longtime Democratic state legislator Betsy Johnson ran as a moderate independent for governor of Oregon but finished with about 8.5 percent support, despite reaching 20 percent in some polls. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel Jr. predicted Duggan's current spot will be his 'high water mark,' arguing his numbers haven't seen significant movement since he launched his campaign. He noted that Duggan's campaign reposted Elon Musk asking his followers if there should be a new party representing Americans in the political middle. 'I think Elon Musk may be the most unpopular figure in America right now, and [Duggan's] going after that because he knows that he can't pull enough votes on the Democratic side,' Hertel told The Hill. He said he is pleased with the main options that Democrats have — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson — and trusts that whoever wins the primary will have the electoral strength to win. He said Democrats must make clear their record in response to some voters' feelings of frustration with their party and the system overall. 'My job is not to prognosticate, it's to win,' Hertel said about how much of a challenge Duggan's candidacy is for Democrats. 'I'm not spending my time worrying about anything other than doing what makes sense for a Democrat to win Michigan, and that's showing up everywhere and making sure that we have a strong team heading into 2026.' The Hill has reached out to the state GOP for comment. But in one early sign that Democrats are at least taking note of Duggan's support, the Democratic Governors Association launched a digital ad last month alleging corruption from his time as mayor. Duggan denied the allegations, arguing Democrats have widened their platform from hating President Trump and Republicans to hating him as well. Pollster Bernie Porn, the president of Epic MRA, said despite Duggan's current support, he believes the backing he has from Republicans is more potentially vulnerable once GOP attacks go after his Democratic background. He said Democrats may have more of a struggle particularly in southeast Michigan, home to a large group of Democratic voters in Detroit. He said Democrats will likely need to run a negative campaign against him to win back those voters currently open to him. 'If anybody can do it in terms of winning as an independent, [Duggan] probably would be among the likely folks, but independents have not fared well in terms of their prospects of winning a general election,' he said. Duggan points to his track record of defying the odds in the past, winning as a white write-in candidate in a majority-Black city to be first elected mayor in 2013. 'There was a lot of skepticism, and it was a very interesting thing,' he said. 'As I spent time in living rooms and people got to know me, the momentum built. We're certainly seeing the same thing here.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Independent candidate emerges as wild card in Michigan governor's race
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is threatening to roil the race to replace Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) as he seeks to boost momentum for his independent campaign. Duggan surprised observers in December when he announced that he would run for governor as an independent instead of as a Democrat, which he had been for his entire life. Critics have argued Duggan's decision is about recognizing his potential struggles to win a Democratic primary and could risk the party's ability to hold on to the office in next year's election. But Duggan is pitching himself as the right candidate to break the mold of the two-party system and touting his early support from members of both parties. 'The support is far beyond anything I could have expected, going to farms in remote areas of the state, going to small towns, going to big cities,' Duggan told The Hill in an interview. 'In Michigan, in particular, people are really fed up with the toxic partisan environment,' he added. Early indicators show Duggan making some inroads. A February poll showed Duggan with a clear above-water net favorability rating, in the positive by 28 points. He also held his own in a hypothetical three-way gubernatorial match-up. A more recent poll from May also showed reasons for optimism for the three-term mayor. Pollsters found Duggan holds positive favorability ratings across the political spectrum, among those identifying as strongly Democratic, strongly Republican and independents. Duggan also received 20 percent or more of the vote in various hypothetical three-way match-ups with the current options that Democrats and Republicans have, denying any candidate a majority of the vote. And he took some support each from the Democratic and Republican candidates. Duggan has said his goal is to reach 40 percent support, the amount he feels he needs to clinch victory. After announcing his campaign, he initially said he would consider not continuing with his campaign if he didn't feel the support was there, but he said he's decided to go forward. 'I never thought I'd be in the 20s in the polling and have endorsements from a major union like the carpenters or 160 African American ministers or some of the police and fire unions,' he said. 'The idea of an independent candidate, people are warming to it. At first, nobody in Michigan had seen this before and weren't sure what to make of it, but there's a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of momentum.' Duggan has recently notched some key endorsements, gaining the support of the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, which has more than 14,000 members in the state. He also seems to be drawing the attention of some business leaders, reportedly receiving widespread acclaim at a Detroit Regional Chamber convention. Duggan has touted his record as mayor overseeing Detroit, arguing he has the right experience for governor. He became mayor of the state's largest city in 2013 in the aftermath of the city declaring bankruptcy, struggling with high unemployment and crime. But since then, its prospects have turned around considerably. Crime has come down, the city's budgets have been balanced and the population grew for the first time in decades. But Duggan faces some structural barriers that make a successful independent campaign difficult. Voters often express frustration with both parties, which Duggan has tapped into, but other independent candidates who have run on a similar message have not performed as well as they hoped or even expected because of positive polling. A poll at one time showed independent candidate Greg Orman performing better than Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) against Republican Kris Kobach in the state's 2018 gubernatorial race, but Orman only finished with 6.5 percent support. In 2022, longtime Democratic state legislator Betsy Johnson ran as a moderate independent for governor of Oregon but finished with about 8.5 percent support, despite reaching 20 percent in some polls. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel Jr. predicted Duggan's current spot will be his 'high water mark,' arguing his numbers haven't seen significant movement since he launched his campaign. He noted that Duggan's campaign reposted Elon Musk asking his followers if there should be a new party representing Americans in the political middle. 'I think Elon Musk may be the most unpopular figure in America right now, and [Duggan's] going after that because he knows that he can't pull enough votes on the Democratic side,' Hertel told The Hill. He said he is pleased with the main options that Democrats have — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson — and trusts that whoever wins the primary will have the electoral strength to win. He said Democrats must make clear their record in response to some voters' feelings of frustration with their party and the system overall. 'My job is not to prognosticate, it's to win,' Hertel said about how much of a challenge Duggan's candidacy is for Democrats. 'I'm not spending my time worrying about anything other than doing what makes sense for a Democrat to win Michigan, and that's showing up everywhere and making sure that we have a strong team heading into 2026.' The Hill has reached out to the state GOP for comment. But in one early sign that Democrats are at least taking note of Duggan's support, the Democratic Governors Association launched a digital ad last month alleging corruption from his time as mayor. Duggan denied the allegations, arguing Democrats have widened their platform from hating President Trump and Republicans to hating him as well. Pollster Bernie Porn, the president of Epic MRA, said despite Duggan's current support, he believes the backing he has from Republicans is more potentially vulnerable once GOP attacks go after his Democratic background. He said Democrats may have more of a struggle particularly in southeast Michigan, home to a large group of Democratic voters in Detroit. He said Democrats will likely need to run a negative campaign against him to win back those voters currently open to him. 'If anybody can do it in terms of winning as an independent, [Duggan] probably would be among the likely folks, but independents have not fared well in terms of their prospects of winning a general election,' he said. Duggan points to his track record of defying the odds in the past, winning as a white write-in candidate in a majority-Black city to be first elected mayor in 2013. 'There was a lot of skepticism, and it was a very interesting thing,' he said. 'As I spent time in living rooms and people got to know me, the momentum built. We're certainly seeing the same thing here.'
Chicago Tribune
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Bill Ford says he has no plans to leave the family business
At a time of great uncertainty for the automotive industry, one thing is certain: Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Co., says he plans to stay in his role for 'a while.' 'Everybody has a sell-by date,' Ford told reporters after a panel at the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference. 'But I also feel like, in many ways, I'm hitting my stride. I feel like I have the right combination of experience and energy to help provide leadership for the company for some time. 'Will the day come when I won't feel that way?' he continued. 'Yes, of course, and I have no idea when that is, but I'm not planning on it. It's not there yet.' The comments from the 68-year-old great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford comes amid a historic transformation for the Blue Oval. It's seeking to balance continued demand for gas-powered vehicles and an electrified future, to transform its products into software-driven machines and to navigate a shifting environment when it comes to trade, regulations and incentives. Some might argue that such upheaval could demand new leadership, but Ford, who's been with the company since 1979 and has been executive chairman since 1999, underscored the importance of persisting values of the company, a familiar name and face for the corporation, and the intentionality behind long-term partnerships like Ford's 1977 joint venture in Turkey with Koç Holding with original relations dating to 1928. 'We're not going to take golden parachutes and ride off into the sunset. We're here through thick and thin, and I feel like I've proven that over the last 25 years,' Ford said. 'It's really setting an intention for the future of where this company needs to go.' But there are many obstacles in the way. The latest is the 'big beautiful' budget bill that could remove production tax credits for electric vehicle battery manufacturers that were established in the Inflation Reduction Act that former President Joe Biden signed in 2022. Bill Ford confirmed losing that could imperil the $3 billion battery plant Ford is building in south-central Michigan's Marshall and the 1,700 jobs it's expected to create. 'It needs to be kept in place, the production tax credit, that we have built the business case on Marshall around that,' Ford said. 'Politicians can agree or disagree on whether those kind of things are desirable, and that's fine, but don't change the rules once you've already made the investment, because that, to me, is just a question of fairness, and that's unfair.' He added: 'If it goes away, it really puts in peril the plant and the jobs in Michigan.' Ford called for greater stability on policies in general from Washington, D.C., as the automotive industry has longer lead times to build product than political terms. He said the same is true in states like Michigan and voiced support for Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running as an independent for governor, because he 'understands businesses and the decisions we face.' Ford also noted the Ford family meets quarterly to discuss the company. Daughter Alexandra Ford English is a member of Ford's board and said she is in frequent contact with her father about the company's future. 'We are always focused on the future,' English said during the panel. 'A lot of people think about family involvement as being protectors of the past, and that is absolutely not how we view our role. A lot of that stems from Dad and how he thinks about the company. But we just have such a rich opportunity set ahead of us. The industry is changing so rapidly, and so I'm really focused on everything that's going to come for our company.' One example she pointed to when she came to the company in 2017 was texting her father pictures and videos of aging office buildings that needed repairs. The automaker has been investing in improvements to its buildings in Dearborn, including a new production development center slated to open later this year, as well as its $940 million advanced mobility campus in Corktown anchored by the restored Michigan Central Station. The company this week will announce the hotel brand that will occupy the top floors of the once-derelict, 1913-built former train depot. Already a Detroit destination ahead of the first anniversary of its reopening party on June 6, the station has become a hotspot for weddings, other events and visits by more than 300,000 people. 'And there's really not much to see yet,' Ford said. 'We're going to announce the hotel next week.' Michigan Central Innovation District LLC, the wholly owned subsidiary of Ford charged with running the campus, had sought zoning approval from the city for a hotel to occupy the never-used top floors. A year ago, the selection process had been down to a few finalist brands with the goal of a special hospitality solution for the landmark whose rooms wouldn't be inaccessible in price. Limited retail so far has opened in the station, including a location of the east-side coffee shop Yellow Light and Neighbor x Folk, a creation of Rohani Foulkes behind Detroit's James Beard-nominated cafe Folk. There also a souvenir shop for the station. Additionally, the depot in the fall became the headquarters of Ford's Model e electric vehicle division and occupied by Integrated Services software employees. The first occupant was a lab for Code Next, a computer science education program from Alphabet Inc.'s Google LLC for Detroit high school students. 'People love working down there,' English said. 'It's just a much more urban feel than you get in some of our other buildings. And people coming from other cities want that.'
