John James Wins GOP Nod for Michigan GovernorAugust 5, 2026Associated Press / news@whmi.comIn Michigan's GOP gubernatorial primary, U.S. Rep. John James, who was backed by President Donald Trump, beat businessperson Perry Johnson. In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson defeated Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Before his primary win, James, a second-term congressman, ran twice unsuccessfully for Senate. The primary turned uglier than Republicans hoped, with Johnson spending big sums of money on ads targeting James. On the Democratic side of the race, Benson has served as Michigan's secretary of state since 2019 after winning statewide elections in 2018 and 2022.