Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist is ending his run for governor and launching a campaign for secretary of state, saying concerns about democracy and election security drove his decision.
Gilchrist said he made the move after months of conversations with residents across the state.
“Well, Ty, I really appreciate all the people who supported me across Michigan and across the country to be the next governor of Michigan,” Gilchrist said. “And the time may come for me to serve in that office.”
Gilchrist said voters consistently raised concerns about the cost of living, childcare, and housing, but also shared deeper worries about elections and democracy.
“They talked about the fact that they were worried about President Trump and his allies’ threat to democracy, the damage and danger they pose to it, and the voting system, and not caring about voting rights,” Gilchrist said.
Gilchrist said those concerns led him to focus on the office he believes underpins all others.
“If our voting system doesn’t work, we can’t vote in people who are gonna hold corporations accountable. We can’t vote in people who are going to protect our water and our environment, our Great Lakes,” Gilchrist said. “And so it’s kind of the system that underlies all the systems.”
Gilchrist pointed to his background as an engineer and his first run for office as key reasons he believes he is suited for the job.
“I’m an engineer, I’m a problem solver and a system builder that makes systems work for people,” Gilchrist said. “And I just felt, after reflection, that that was the role I needed to play.”
Gilchrist emphasized that the decision was his alone and not influenced by political pressure or polling.
Despite serving as Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s running mate twice, Gilchrist had struggled to match fellow candidate, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s fundraising.
Gilchrist was trailing Benson by more than $2.6 million.
“This campaign pivot is about being the next secretary of state of Michigan,” Gilchrist said. “Nobody pressured me or leaned on me to make this choice.”
Gilchrist also highlighted data privacy and cybersecurity as central issues in the race.
“The secretary of state’s office has more personal data and information than any other department in state government,” Gilchrist said. “And the big tech companies and the Trump administration wanna data mine all that information.”
“As a technologist and a software engineer, I’m not gonna let that happen,” Gilchrist said. “I’m gonna stand tall and defend Michiganders’ privacy and data from this administration.”
Looking ahead, Gilchrist said voters would see continued modernization of services if he is elected.
“All of us have a relationship with the Secretary of State’s office, whether it’s through licensing and registration and going into the offices,” Gilchrist said. “I’m gonna build on the progress that’s been made.”
He said that includes expanding digital services statewide.
“I’ll work to make sure that we can digitize IDs in Michigan so we can have your ID on your phone,” Gilchrist said. “People lose their ID a lot more often than they lose their cell phone these days.”
Gilchrist said his goal is to modernize the department while keeping residents at the forefront.
“I’m about supporting the people, not only in this city, but across the state to have a 21st-century Secretary of State’s experience,” he said. “And I’m gonna deliver it.”
Gilchrist joins the Secretary of State’s race with a crowded lineup.
He will be going up against the Ingham County Clerk, the current Deputy Secretary of State, a former state senator, and the former Michigan State Lottery Commissioner.