Benson wins Michigan Democratic primary for governor, will face James

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is projected to win the Democratic primary for governor, CBS News reported. Unofficial returns as of 9 p.m. Tuesday showed Benson leading Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson 211,877 votes to 38,439, with 17% of the vote counted at that point.

Benson will face Republican Congressman John James, who won his party's primary, in the general election.

Benson, first elected secretary of state in 2018, oversees Michigan's elections and motor vehicle department, and has cited shorter in-person wait times and new self-service vehicle stations as achievements. Her campaign has emphasized government transparency and accountability along with housing costs, health care, childcare and energy costs, including regulation of data centers that have drawn resident protests in southeast Michigan. She has faced legal scrutiny in recent months, including a January lawsuit from four Black employees alleging racial discrimination and a May 2025 determination by the state attorney general that she violated law by holding a campaign press conference in a state building lobby.

Swanson, elected Genesee County sheriff in 2020, drew national attention for marching with protesters after the death of George Floyd and for speaking at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. His campaign centered on cannabis and pet protection plans, expansion of an in-jail education program he launched in 2020, and increased funding for school security infrastructure.

Read the full story at cbsnews.com.