Michigan Governor Garlin Gilchrist II announced he would run for governor on Tuesday, joining a major field of competitive Democrats at the time of his swing state and subsequent party uncertainty.
Detroit software engineer Gilchrist has been Deputy Prime Minister for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over the past six years, leading the panel that studied racial disparities during the Covid-19 pandemic and signed the bill to the law.
Still, Gilchrist is not exactly famous, and more than a year before the 2026 primary, he must introduce more voters and compete with other prominent Democrats for his support and donors. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who emphasized voting rights and democracy, and Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson, who spoke at last year's Democratic National Convention, have already been in the race, and others have been able to follow. Ms Whitmer is prohibited by term restrictions from seeking reelection.
Michigan's ultimate Democratic candidate could face a difficult three-way race in the general election. Longtime Democrat, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, is independent for the governor. It's a move that some Democrats can give Republican candidates benefits. Michigan Senate Republican leader Arik Nesbitt is seeking his party's nomination, and other candidates can still take part in the race.
In an interview, Gilchrist, 42, refused to outline specific policy proposals, but said he plans to focus on housing and healthcare issues in the campaign trajectory. He also criticised President Trump's tariffs, but he said it could be “devastating for Michigan's industry,” explaining how he approaches governance with Trump.
“We need to defend ourselves to stop other teams scoring and hurting people, but we also recognize that sometimes the best defense is a good offense,” Gilchrist said. “And you have to understand when we can come out on the attack and really call out and push things back in the administration.”
Whitmer, who built a national profile after winning the competitive Democratic nomination contest in 2018, has shown to local reporters that he is not planning to support the candidate in next year's primary. After being involved in the conflict repeatedly with Trump during his first term, she tied his rhetoric into a plot to lure her in, this time taking a more reconciliatory approach and showing her willingness to work with the president in the field of agreement.
Michigan is a closely divided state in which voters have supported both Democrats and Republicans in recent years. Last year, Trump flipped states and Republicans over control of the Michigan House of Representatives, even if voters elected Democrat Elissa Slotkin to the US Senate.
In addition to the governor's choice, Michigan voters will choose a new senator next year. Democrat incumbent Gary Peters is not running for another term.
Gilchrist, who married three children and Michigan's first black governor, linked the party's defeat in 2024 to voters who “are upset about the status quo and inevitably didn't feel Democrats were fully in line with energy and fit that rage.” He said his candidacy would respond to that frustration.
“I'm the kind of person who's ready to get there and do something and get results and solve the problem,” he said.
