Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat who lives in Detroit, announced Wednesday that she's running for governor. The big picture: Benson is the second local candidate to throw their hat into the 2026 governor's race after Mayor Mike Duggan left the Democratic party to run as an independent.

LANSING — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson made her campaign for Michigan governor official Wednesday, kicking off what is already a hotly contested 2026 campaign. Benson’s campaign is so far light on specifics, but she has said she’ll prioritize reproductive rights, government transparency and investing in new state industries.

Jocelyn Benson, 47, of Detroit, said she wants to be known as "the governor who puts transparency and efficiency at the forefront."

Ms. Benson, a Democrat, jumped into a high-profile and potentially crowded race to lead one of the country’s top battleground states.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson becomes the first major Democratic candidate to launch a bid to be Michigan's next governor.

The secretary of state is the first Democrat to announce a run for the seat, joining a field of three official candidates running for Michigan governor so far.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has officially thrown her hat into the ring for Michigan’s 2026 gubernatorial race, setting the stage for what could be a defining moment in the state’s political future.

Benson said she's running for governor to "bring real solutions, not political games, conspiracy theories, or inaction" to Lansing.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that her focus if she’s elected governor in 2026 would be on “efficiency and transparency” in state government. Benson spoke to reporters in Lansing while filing paperwork to officially declare herself as a candidate for the Democratic nomination after announcing her campaign earlier in the day.

Benson, a Democrat, is among the well-known politicians who have announced plans for the governor race in recent weeks. Republican legislator Aric Nesbitt announced his campaign Jan. 14; Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced in December that he would run as an independent.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) announced she is running for governor on Wednesday, becoming the first major Democratic candidate to jump into the race. “I’m running for governor to truly make government truly work for everyone,