Biography
Jocelyn Benson is Michigan's 43rd Secretary of State and the Democratic nominee for governor, with running mate Winnie Brinks. A former Wayne State University law dean, she was elected secretary of state in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Her campaign emphasizes housing, health-care costs, child care and education, and she has said she would pass gun-safety legislation.[1][2][3][4][5]
Benson was raised in Pittsburgh. She earned a B.A. from Wellesley College, a master's degree as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.[4]
She began teaching at Wayne State University Law School in 2005. In 2012, at age 36, she was appointed its dean, a post she held until 2016; the Department of State says she was then the youngest woman in U.S. history to lead a top-100, accredited law school.[4][5] She founded the school's Levin Center with former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and continues as vice chair of its advisory board.[5] From 2016 to 2018 she led the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality.[4]
Benson lost her first race for secretary of state, in 2010. She won the office in 2018, and was re-elected in 2022.[4]
- 1.2026 Michigan gubernatorial election · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 2.Housing · Benson for Governor campaign · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 3.Benson Campaigns with Reproductive Freedom for All President Mini Timmaraju · Benson for Governor campaign · 2026-03-16 Candidate's own words
- 4.Jocelyn Benson · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 5.Jocelyn Benson - Michigan Secretary of State · Michigan Department of State Official record
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
On the ballot
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