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Governor

Governor, Michigan

November 3, 2026 · 8 statements · 2026.09.23-addd8720

  • Not yet reviewed by a person.
  • The candidate list has not yet been checked against the certified state list.

Candidates

  • Jocelyn Benson

    Democratic

    Sourced positions on 4 of 8

    Limited data. Sourced positions on fewer than 60 percent of the statements.

  • John James

    Republican

    Sourced positions on 4 of 8

    Limited data. Sourced positions on fewer than 60 percent of the statements.

Also on the ballot

  • Donna Brandenburg Other party Not researched: below our published threshold
  • Douglas Campbell Green Not researched: below our published threshold
  • Anthony Hudson Libertarian Not researched: below our published threshold

We research every Democratic or Republican nominee, every incumbent, and anyone who raised at least $50,000 (per the FEC) or reached 5 percent in a public poll. Methodology

Statements and positions

AgreeDisagreeNo clear position Select a position to see the evidence behind it.

State statements

TaxesNo. 1/8

Michigan should phase out its state income tax.

Background

Michigan taxes personal income at a flat rate of about 4.25%, a major source of state revenue. Phasing it out would require replacing that revenue or cutting spending.

Jocelyn Benson No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
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John James Agree

We are eliminating the state income tax. Not someday. Not maybe. We are doing it.

Campaign or official site · Aug 15, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
High (0.85)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

EconomyNo. 2/8

Michigan should let cities set a minimum wage higher than the state's.

Background

A 2015 Michigan law bars local governments from setting their own minimum wage. This would let cities and counties set a higher local wage floor.

Jocelyn Benson No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

John James No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

EducationNo. 3/8

Michigan should opt into the federal tax credit for private school scholarship donations.

Background

A 2025 federal law offers a tax credit for donations to scholarship groups in states that choose to take part. Opting in would make Michigan residents eligible.

Jocelyn Benson Disagree

Donald Trump is not being transparent about where the money from this program will go or how it will improve educational outcomes. As governor, I can't commit taxpayer dollars to a program under Trump's control with zero transparency or assurance it will deliver for Michigan students.

Campaign or official site · Sep 10, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.70)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

John James Agree

Opt Michigan into the Federal K-12 Education Freedom Tax Credit, putting scholarship dollars directly in parents' hands

Campaign or official site · Aug 15, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

I want to make sure our parents have the resources they need and opting into the Education Freedom tax credit is priority one for me

Press quote · Sep 2, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
High (0.85)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Energy and climateNo. 4/8

Michigan should raise the 10% cap on customers who can buy power from competing electricity suppliers.

Background

Michigan law limits alternative electric suppliers to about 10% of each big utility's sales. Raising the cap would let more customers buy power from other providers.

Jocelyn Benson No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

John James Agree

Sometimes the best way to go at these things is with a scalpel rather than a chainsaw

Press quote · Sep 17, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

AbortionNo. 5/8

Michigan should keep abortion legal until fetal viability.

Background

A 2022 voter-approved amendment protects abortion in Michigan's constitution, allowing limits after viability. Keeping it would leave those protections unchanged.

Jocelyn Benson Agree

Michigan citizens may have enshrined these rights into law, but rights are only as strong as the leaders responsible for upholding them.

Campaign or official site · Jun 24, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.65)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

John James Disagree

I'm going to do everything to get the most conservative, most pro-life bill passed through the House and Senate that I possibly can.

Press quote · Aug 10, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

People in the state of Michigan already decided that no party, no person, no president would decide that for Michigan

Press quote · Apr 1, 2024 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Low (0.55)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

GunsNo. 6/8

Michigan should keep its law letting courts temporarily remove guns from people found to pose a risk to others.

Background

Michigan's 2023 extreme risk protection order law lets courts order a person's guns removed for a period. Keeping it would leave the law in place.

Jocelyn Benson Agree

There are times in which there are red flag laws that can be better enforced to ensure that weapons don't end up in the hands of abusers

Press quote · Aug 15, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

John James No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

ImmigrationNo. 7/8

Michigan should require county jails to honor federal immigration detainer requests.

Background

A detainer asks a local jail to hold someone so ICE can take custody. Michigan does not currently require jails to honor them.

Jocelyn Benson No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

John James No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

EducationNo. 8/8

Michigan should offer free public pre-K to all 3-year-olds.

Background

Michigan now offers free pre-K to all 4-year-olds. This would extend free public pre-K to 3-year-olds as well.

Jocelyn Benson Agree

ensure that high-quality pre-kindergarten is available to all 3- and 4-year-olds

Campaign or official site · May 29, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
High (0.80)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

John James No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.