ICYMI: New Poll Shows Jocelyn Benson with Five Point Lead in Governor’s Race
New polling commissioned by the Duggan-aligned Detroit Regional Chamber shows Jocelyn Benson with a commanding lead in the governor’s race. Meanwhile, Mike Duggan is faced with “warning signs for his campaign” and support for his candidacy has “plummeted.”
In the poll, Jocelyn leads the field with 34% of the vote, followed by John James at 29%, while Mike Duggan’s support has “eroded” to 23%. The poll also shows Benson decisively winning key groups of voters, including women, Black voters, and voters under 50.
In case you missed it…
In print:
Detroit Free Press: New poll shows Jocelyn Benson leading Michigan governor race
[Arpan Lobo, 5/12/2026]
A new poll in the race for Michigan governor shows Democratic frontrunner and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson leading potential Republican challengers and former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running as an independent.
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It's worth noting the Detroit Regional Chamber has endorsed Duggan, a former three-term mayor of Detroit who left the Democratic Party in 2024 to launch a bid as an independent.
But the survey results may actually show warning signs for the Duggan campaign — he's lost ground since the chamber's previous poll in February, when he had a slight lead in a hypothetical race over James and Benson. He's seven percentage points worse off in the May survey compared to the February edition.
Duggan's support in the most recent poll among leaning Democratic and independent voters has eroded compared to the February results: In February, he was backed by 49% of leaning Democratic responses and 48.2% of independents. In the May survey, he got support from 17% of leaning Democrats and 38.5% of independents.
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Crain’s Detroit Business: Benson tops new poll in governor’s race over James, Duggan
[David Eggert, 5/12/2026]
Democrat Jocelyn Benson now leads the Michigan governor’s race while independent Mike Duggan trails in third in a hypothetical matchup that includes Republican John James, according to new polling from the Detroit Regional Chamber.
In the May 3 poll, Benson climbed to 34.2% among likely general election voters (from 28%), James held steady at 29.2% (from 28.9%) and Duggan fell to 23% (from 30.1%).
“Mike Duggan is now hurting the Republican candidate more than the Democratic candidate by eight points. Benson’s consolidation of Democratic support since late January has moved her outside the margin of error into first place,” pollster Richard Czuba wrote in an analysis of the results.
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MLive: Democrat Jocelyn Benson takes the lead in governor’s race as support for Mike Duggan slips
[Matthew Miller, 5/12/2026]
Democrat Jocelyn Benson has taken the lead in the Michigan governor’s race as support slips for former Detroit mayor Mike Duggan, according to a Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce poll released today.
Benson, who is Michigan’s secretary of state and the all-but-certain Democratic nominee, has opened up a five-percentage-point lead over Republican Congressman John James in a three-way matchup, according to the statewide phone survey of 600 likely voters.
At the same time, support for Duggan, a former Democrat who is mounting an independent run, has plummeted among Democrats, the poll found.
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Detroit News: New poll finds big shift in Michigan governor's race
[Craig Mauger, 5/12/2026]
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Put Progress First, a nonprofit group backing Duggan, has spent millions of dollars on TV advertising since he launched his bid and broke from the Democratic Party in December 2024. The heavy spending has continued during the period between the two polls that showed Duggan's support dropping.
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Likewise, Duggan took more Republican-leaning support in the new survey than he did Democratic-leaning support in the new poll. Duggan got about 24% of the Republican voters but only 16% of Democratic voters, according to the survey's results.
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What they’re saying:
Chad Livengood [@ChadLivengood]: NEW POLL ALERT: @mikeeduggan's campaign for governor slips in new statewide general election poll paid for by his supporters.
David Eggert [@DavidEggert00]: 3 months ago, Detroit Regional Chamber polling showed a three-way dead heat in the governor's race. Now Democrat Jocelyn Benson leads the hypothetical matchup (34.2%), Republican John James is in second (29.2%) and independent Mike Duggan has slipped to third (23%). #migov
Steve Neavling [@MCmuckraker]: Mike Duggan's campaign for governor slips in new Detroit Chamber poll. He’s now in third place, trailing Jocelyn Benson, the leader, and Republican John James.
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