Michigan governor's race 2026
Our 21-day average puts John James at 43.9%, Jocelyn Benson at 51.4%, Aric Nesbitt at 4.3%, Mike Cox at 16.9%, based on 79 polls ending between 1/19/2025 and 10/27/2026. Dots on the chart are individual polls; the line is the rolling average. How to read these numbers.
Michigan governor's race 2026 over time
79 polls · 21-day rolling average · dots are individual polls
John James 43.9%
Jocelyn Benson 51.4%
Aric Nesbitt 4.3%
Mike Cox 16.9%
View data as table
| Choice | Latest average | Polls | Latest poll |
|---|---|---|---|
| John James | 43.9% | 63 | 10/27/2026 |
| Jocelyn Benson | 51.4% | 55 | 10/27/2026 |
| Aric Nesbitt | 4.3% | 23 | 7/27/2026 |
| Mike Cox | 16.9% | 23 | 7/27/2026 |
Average result
Unweighted mean across 79 matching polls
View data as table
| Choice | % |
|---|---|
| John James | 38.1% |
| Jocelyn Benson | 46.9% |
| Mike Cox | 12.4% |
| Aric Nesbitt | 7.9% |
| Perry Johnson | 21.4% |
| Mike Duggan | 21.9% |
| Tom Leonard | 4.3% |
| Chris Swanson | 7% |
Individual polls (79)
| End date | Pollster | Sample | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/6/2025 |
Target Insyght
for MIRS News Service |
344 RV |
Jocelyn Benson (D)
Dana Nessel (D)
Garlin Gilchrist (D)
Chris Swanson (D)
|
| 3/6/2025 |
Target Insyght
for MIRS News Service |
600 RV |
Jocelyn Benson (D)
John James (R)
Mike Duggan (R)
|
| 2/19/2025 |
National Research, Inc.
for GOPAC Election Fund |
600 LV |
John James (R)
Aric Nesbitt (R)
Mike Cox (R)
|
| 1/19/2025 |
OnMessage Inc.
for Harbor Strategic Public Affairs |
1,000 LV |
John James (R)
Aric Nesbitt (R)
Mike Cox (R)
Kevin Rinke (R)
Tom Leonard (R)
|