Primary
Primary election: Tuesday, August 4, 2026 in 6 days
Full calendar and every race: Michigan primary guide
Race Overview
General Election Polling Trend
PollingSource average — trailing average of all polls from the last 30 days.
Candidates
Chris Swanson
DemocratJocelyn Benson
DemocratJohn James
RepublicanPerry Johnson
RepublicanAnthony Hudson
LibertarianGeneral Election Polling Average
Average reflects all polls from the last 90 days; table shows the most recent 30 days or the newest 3 polls, whichever is more — subscribe for the full history. How accurate is each pollster? →
| Pollster | Date | Sample | MoE | Dem | Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glengariff Group | 2026-07-24 | 600 LV | ±4.00 | Jocelyn Benson 44.00% | John James 39.00% |
| Mitchell Research | 2026-06-13 | 827 LV | ±3.40 | Jocelyn Benson 48.00% | Mike Cox 41.00% |
| TIPP Insights (R) partisan·R ±2.5 | 2026-05-23 | 1456 RV | ±2.70 | Jocelyn Benson 46.00% | John James 35.00% |
Questions About This Race
Who is winning the 2026 Michigan governor's race?
Jocelyn Benson leads John James 41.4% to 32.8% in the PollingSource polling average — a D+8.6 margin based on 7 polls from the last 90 days.
Is the 2026 Michigan governor's race competitive?
It is not considered a top-tier battleground: the PollingSource polling average rates it Likely D, meaning Democrats are clearly favored but an upset is not impossible.
What does the latest poll of the 2026 Michigan governor's race say?
The most recent public poll, from Glengariff Group (completed July 24, 2026), found Jocelyn Benson (D) at 44% and John James (R) at 39%.
When is the 2026 Michigan governor's race decided?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
How is the PollingSource average calculated?
The PollingSource average is the unweighted mean of every scientific public poll of the race from the last 30 days — we do not exclude pollsters. Each race page lists the individual polls behind the average with pollster, field dates, sample size, and margin of error. Full details: pollingsource.com/methodology.
Race Notes
Term-limited, open seat