Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist launches a run for governor, setting up a major 2026 race
Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is running for governor, he announced Tuesday, setting up a Democratic primary clash that includes two prominent statewide officeholders in one of the most tightly divided states.
Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is running for governor, he announced Tuesday, setting up a Democratic primary clash that includes two prominent statewide officeholders in one of the most tightly divided states.
Gilchrist is the latest prominent politician to dive into the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited, months after Michigan narrowly voted for both President Donald Trump and a Democratic senator, Elissa Slotkin. The state promises to be one of the most important battlegrounds in the country once again in the midterm elections in 2026, when it will also elect another new senator in an open-seat race.
In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Gilchrist leaned heavily on his record in Lansing and framed himself as a proven problem-solver in private business, as well as public office. If he is elected, he would be Michigan’s first Black governor (and one of just a handful in American history).
"Michiganders are going to need to be able to trust someone to be able to work with them and on their behalf, to have their interests at heart and to solve the problems that they articulate are the most important," he said.
“I've built that trust, have that record, I have that vision, and I’m the only candidate in that race for which all three of those things are true,” he added.
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