Secretary of State and Democratic candidate for governor Jocelyn Benson is touting an endorsement from several Black mayors across the state.
“Jocelyn Benson has shown time and again that she will always protect Michiganders and fight to ensure we have the resources we need to thrive,” said City of Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad, the president of Black Mayors of Michigan. “As a student of the civil rights movement, she knows economic prosperity and equity go hand in hand. We look forward to collaborating with her as governor to continue the work of building a more affordable, equitable, and fair society.”
Benson said at the heart of her campaign is a vision to build a state that everyone can afford, which means investing in the state’s Black communities.
“I am honored to have the support and endorsement of the Black Mayors of Michigan to be the next governor of Michigan,” Benson said in a statement. “At the heart of our people-powered campaign is a vision to build a Michigan that everyone can afford and where anyone can thrive, and I am proud to join with this statewide collective of local executives who lead that fight every day.”
The Black Mayors of Michigan are the latest to join a growing coalition of state and local leaders, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations supporting Benson to be our next governor.
Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad; Ferndale Mayor Raylon Leaks-May; Harper Woods Mayor Valerie Kindle; Highland Park Mayor Glenda McDonald; Inkster Mayor Byron Nolen; Jackson Mayor Daniel Mahoney; Pleasant Ridge Mayor Bret Scott; Saginaw Mayor Brenda Moore, River Rouge Mayor William Campbell; Ypsilanti Mayor Nicole Brown; and Lathrup Village Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Garrett.
The race for to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer governor has begun— candidates shared the stage for the first time last week for a forum on the state of Michigan’s public education.
Benson, viewed as the Democratic front runner, will face Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the August primary. Republican candidates include former attorney general Mike Cox, former Lt. Gov. Tom Leonard, U.S. Rep. John James and state Sen. Aric Nesbitt.
Duggan, an independent, turned heads last year when he won the support of Detroit branch NAACP President Rev. Wendell Anthony, and dozens of Black faith leaders across the state.
Benson’s campaign has made efforts to engage with Black residents, saying the next governor has a moral duty to address Black maternal care. In a press conference last week in Flint, Benson suggested the creation of an independent prescription drug affordability panel and requiring hospitals to show costs upfront.
A full list of endorsements can be found here. Other Black elected officials to endorse the Democratic candidate who lives in Detroit include:
- Tonya Myers-Philips, State Representative
- Jimmie Wilson, State Representative
- Morgan Forman, State Representative
- Chokwe Pitchford, Berrien County Commissioner
- Rev. Horace Sheffield
- Danielle Atkinson, Mothering Justice
- Brenda Lawrence, former Congresswoman
- Hill Harper, actor
- Marshall Kilgore, Grand Rapids Commissioner