By Simon D. Schuster
Bridge Michigan
This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com
Clear frontrunners have emerged in Michigan’s gubernatorial primaries — at least when it comes to fundraising, according to new campaign finance disclosures analyzed by Bridge Michigan.
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James each pulled away from their competition in attracting donors during the final reporting period of 2025. Benson, who currently serves as secretary of state but is term limited, raised nearly $1 million from Oct. 20 through the end of the year. James, a second-term member of the US House, raised about $839,000.
But independent candidate Mike Duggan, the former mayor of Detroit, wasn’t far behind. He raised about $644,000. And Duggan, who launched his campaign in late 2024 with a bombshell announcement he was leaving the Democratic Party, received the most money of any candidate from donors in the first year of his campaign — a little less than $5 million.
Benson’s campaign touted taking in the most money through 2025, a total of $5.7 million, but $1.2 million of that was transferred from her secretary of state campaign committee and raised in prior years. Her total fundraising for the year was closer to $4.5 million and nearly neck-and-neck with James.
In terms of raw money taken in, former attorney general Mike Cox wasn’t far behind Benson. Cox has run a largely self-funded campaign, and his personal loans make up more than half of the $5.1 million his campaign had raised through the end of the year.
He brought in about $286,000 from other donors in the last filing period. That left Cox with the most cash on hand of any candidate, more than $4.1 million.
Republican businessman Perry Johnson announced his campaign after the reporting period ended but has said he’s prepared to spend $9 million of his own money in the first 60 days of his candidacy.
The disclosure reports filed Friday provide one of the last looks at the campaigns’ finances before Michigan’s Aug. 4 primary. Gubernatorial hopefuls won’t have to detail donors and spending again for nearly six months, until July 27 — eight days before the election.
Unlike federal candidates, Michigan’s campaign finance law doesn’t require candidates to file a campaign finance disclosure in the spring.
—————
Who’s donating?
While Benson raised more money than James at the end of 2025, James received money from nearly twice as many donors, about 8,000 to Benson’s roughly 4,400, according to a Bridge analysis. He also raised more money from more donors within Michigan.
James received donations from members of prominent wealthy Grand Rapids-area families, including the Van Andels, Secchias and Haworths — all prolific Republican donors.
Bridge Michigan
This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com
Clear frontrunners have emerged in Michigan’s gubernatorial primaries — at least when it comes to fundraising, according to new campaign finance disclosures analyzed by Bridge Michigan.
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James each pulled away from their competition in attracting donors during the final reporting period of 2025. Benson, who currently serves as secretary of state but is term limited, raised nearly $1 million from Oct. 20 through the end of the year. James, a second-term member of the US House, raised about $839,000.
But independent candidate Mike Duggan, the former mayor of Detroit, wasn’t far behind. He raised about $644,000. And Duggan, who launched his campaign in late 2024 with a bombshell announcement he was leaving the Democratic Party, received the most money of any candidate from donors in the first year of his campaign — a little less than $5 million.
Benson’s campaign touted taking in the most money through 2025, a total of $5.7 million, but $1.2 million of that was transferred from her secretary of state campaign committee and raised in prior years. Her total fundraising for the year was closer to $4.5 million and nearly neck-and-neck with James.
In terms of raw money taken in, former attorney general Mike Cox wasn’t far behind Benson. Cox has run a largely self-funded campaign, and his personal loans make up more than half of the $5.1 million his campaign had raised through the end of the year.
He brought in about $286,000 from other donors in the last filing period. That left Cox with the most cash on hand of any candidate, more than $4.1 million.
Republican businessman Perry Johnson announced his campaign after the reporting period ended but has said he’s prepared to spend $9 million of his own money in the first 60 days of his candidacy.
The disclosure reports filed Friday provide one of the last looks at the campaigns’ finances before Michigan’s Aug. 4 primary. Gubernatorial hopefuls won’t have to detail donors and spending again for nearly six months, until July 27 — eight days before the election.
Unlike federal candidates, Michigan’s campaign finance law doesn’t require candidates to file a campaign finance disclosure in the spring.
—————
Who’s donating?
While Benson raised more money than James at the end of 2025, James received money from nearly twice as many donors, about 8,000 to Benson’s roughly 4,400, according to a Bridge analysis. He also raised more money from more donors within Michigan.
James received donations from members of prominent wealthy Grand Rapids-area families, including the Van Andels, Secchias and Haworths — all prolific Republican donors.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
