Michigan Lt. Gov. Gilchrist withdraws from gubernatorial race, announces run for Secretary of State

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.