LANSING — Jocelyn Benson is poised to become Michigan’s 50th governor after soundly defeating Republican John James amid a surge of support for Democrats throughout Michigan.
The Associated Press called the race for Benson at 1:45 a.m. Roughly 20 percent of Michigan’s votes were still to be counted, but Benson was leading by nearly 10 percentage points.
Benson, who currently serves as secretary of state, declared victory at a Democratic watch party in Detroit and predicted she would enter the governor’s office with Democratic majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature, though not all legislative races had been called.
“In this election, from the western reaches of the Upper Peninsula to downtown Detroit, voters sent a clear message: they want leaders who will fight for them, fight to lower costs, fight to grow our economy, fight the corruption that too often protects the powerful and hurts the people,” Benson said in her victory speech.
“We showed the nation that in our democracy, the power of the people will always rule the day.” {read}