Top legislator is the first Republican to start a gubernatorial bid to succeed Michigan’s Whitmer

By Lucas

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Top legislator is the first Republican to start a gubernatorial bid to succeed Michigan's Whitmer

The high-profile 2026 gubernatorial race to replace term-limited Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is getting underway.

Republican state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt announced his candidacy on Tuesday, making him the first major-party candidate to run for governor.

“Michigan deserves so much better than what we’re getting out of Lansing right now,” Nesbitt said in a social media launch video. “I’m going to run a campaign focused on Michigan first, families first, and workers first. “I’m in the fight.”

Nesbitt emphasized his conservative philosophy, saying, “I trust families over the government.”

“I want to go ahead and empower the taxpayers instead of the tax-takers here in the state — and that’s part of this Michigan First agenda where you have to expect so much more out of Lansing and expect that there’s actually value for money,” according to him.

Furthermore, Nesbitt, who emphasized his “small town farm boy” heritage in his video, promised to “stand with President Trump to bring back a renaissance on manufacturing here in Michigan.”

Nesbit is the first Republican in Michigan to enter a race that is likely to draw a large field.

Former Republican state Attorney General Mike Cox has formed a committee to consider a gubernatorial run.

Rep. John James, former state House Speaker Tom Leonard, Oakland County businessman Kevin Rinke, 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon, and former gubernatorial and presidential candidate Perry Johnson are among the Republicans rumored to be interested in running.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who served as Transportation Secretary in President Biden’s administration for the past four years, and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow are among the Democrats considering running for governor.

Detroit’s Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan recently made headlines by announcing his independent bid for governor in 2026.

Michigan is an important general election battleground state.

President Biden won the state by a razor-thin margin in the 2020 election. President-elect Trump narrowly won the state in the November election, but Democrats retained a hotly contested open Senate seat.

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