Michigan Lt. Gov. Gilchrist withdraws from gubernatorial race, announces run for Secretary of State Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist announces bid for Secretary of State in 2026 election
Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist announced he withdrew his name from the 2026 gubernatorial race. Instead, he’s running for Secretary of State.
In a video posted on Jan. 12, 2026, Gilchrist announced he is no longer running for governor but instead for secretary of state. It’s not immediately clear why he made the decision.
Michigan’s current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running in the 2026 gubernatorial race.
Gilchrist has worked alongside Governor Gretchen Whitmer since she was elected in 2019. Whitmer has reached her term limits, making her ineligible to run again.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
About the Author Samantha Sayles headshot
Samantha Sayles is an Oakland University alumna who’s been writing Michigan news since 2022. Before joining the ClickOnDetroit team, she wrote stories for WILX in Lansing and WEYI in Flint.
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