Sept. 18, 2026 | This Week in Government: Detroit Chamber Sits Out Governor’s Race, Backs Rogers for US Senate, Gilchrist for SOS, Lloyd for AG
September 18, 2026
Detroit Regional Chamber Sits Out Governor’s Race, Backs Rogers for US Senate, Gilchrist for SOS, Lloyd for AG
The Detroit Regional Chamber announced Thursday it is backing Republican Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate but will not endorse a candidate for governor. The group is also supporting the Democratic candidate for secretary of state and Republican candidate for attorney general.
The Detroit Regional Chamber was an early endorser of Mike Duggan’s independent campaign for governor, but Duggan dropped out of the race in May. Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber, said in a statement that neither Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson, nor Republican nominee John James reached the necessary two-thirds majority support from members to secure an endorsement.
“While the PAC opted not to make a new endorsement in this high-profile race, we appreciate both candidates’ public service and desire to serve Michigan,” Baruah said in a statement. “The chamber has worked well with Secretary Benson and Congressman James, and the PAC has previously endorsed them both in other elections. Regardless of who wins, the chamber looks forward to collaborating with the new governor to move Michigan forward.”
In the U.S. Senate race, the group noted its PAC board raised concerns about Rogers’ previous comments on “election integrity” (Rogers has questioned the validity of his 2024 loss in that year’s U.S. Senate race) and views on tariffs but supports his other views on economic growth, housing affordability, and more.
“No candidate is perfect, and we won’t agree on every issue,” Baruah said. “But Mike Rogers impressively shared his vision for a stronger Michigan. We believe he will put the needs of Michigan and Michiganders above partisan politics and political rhetoric as he did in his previous service in Congress.”
The group announced it is backing Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II for secretary of state over Republican Macomb County Clerk Tony Forlini. It is also endorsing Republican Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd for attorney general over Democratic Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit for attorney general.
In several other key races, the group made a pick, including in the 10th U.S. House District being vacated by James. There, the chamber picked Republican Michael Bouchard over Democrat Christina Hines.
U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, also got the nod from the chamber over Republican Terri DeBoer of Grand Rapids in the 3rd U.S. House District. Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, also received the group’s endorsement in the 11th U.S. House District, which is not competitive in the general.
Previously, the group has endorsed the other incumbents for the U.S. House, except in the 12th and 13th U.S. House districts, held by U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, and U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit. Thanedar lost his primary in August and is not on the ballot in November. Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Detroit, will easily win that race.
In the state House, the chamber endorsed key House Republicans in competitive seats facing a challenge from the Democrats. It did not endorse in two key seats, including the open 54th House District that is being vacated by Rep. Donni Steele, R-Orion. Democrat Sarah Pounds and Republican Roman Gaskey are running there.
The Chamber also did not endorse in the 31st House District seat being vacated by Rep. Reggie Miller, D,Van Buren Township. Republican Laura Perry of Dundee and Democrat Milan City Councilmember Shannon Dare Wayne are running there.
Similarly in the Senate, the Chamber is backing incumbents in competitive contests, like the 30th, 12th and 9th Senate districts.
The Chamber did not endorse in the open 13th Senate District where Democrat Sean Carlson and Republican Ryan Berman are running.
It did make a pick in the 32nd Senate District, backing Republican Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole over Democrat Rebecca Amidon in the GOP-leaning seat Democrats are making a play in.
Benson, James Introduce Tariff Relief Plans, Cost Cutting Policy
Both gubernatorial candidates spoke to the Detroit Economic Club on Wednesday about some of the most pressing business issues facing the state, including how to run the economic development agency, data centers, and tariffs coming out of Canada.
Democratic candidate Jocelyn Benson and Republican candidate John James were asked about the same eight topics by the club. Both candidates were also allowed a closing statement, and both echoed a lot of the same overarching concerns facing the state including low rankings in income per capita and education, as well as the future of automotive industry and healthcare costs.
The first question concerned the tariff war with Canada, as Michigan is being uniquely hit by the effects from its neighbor.
James announced he would be dropping a bill in the U.S. House in the next few days for tariff relief, which would contradict the effects of executive orders from President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him in the race. He said the bill would use tariff revenue to reduce the “tariff-driven production costs.”
James also said he has told the Trump administration throughout tariff negotiations that Michigan would not be a “pawn” or “collateral damage.”
Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman called the bill “bullshit” saying James “could’ve fought to end the tariffs over the past several weeks” and instead was “dropping this bill as Congress leaves town, meaning it won’t go anywhere.”
Benson, in turn, directed all the vitriol at Trump, and said she is looking into ways they can carve out a subnational agreement to protect the state’s costs.
Benson also held a roundtable in Ferndale at a grocery store on Wednesday to discuss affordability. She told attendees that she called the rising prices “John James taxes” due to his support for Trump’s policies.
However, James said during the club forum he was the only one in the race who did not blame the other party for rising costs, saying there is “plenty of blame to go around.”
Benson also touched on data centers, touting guardrails and local control, an almost identical policy point to her opponent. Benson also put out a social media video recently saying she would put a moratorium on data centers until there are rules in place.
James responded to contradictions with Trump on data centers, who recently vouched for the tax incentives that come with the development, saying he “can agree with the president without worshiping him” and “disagree with the president without attacking him.”
Mission Michigan, the DeVos family PAC supporting James, put out an ad this week attacking Benson’s husband, Ryan Friedrichs, and his involvement in data center development. The ad claims the Saline data center started construction even after locals rejected it because of Friedrichs’ lobbying and his company, Related Digital, suing the city.
Benson told reporters on Wednesday that the ad was “lies, and (James) knows it.” She has said many times that her husband’s work did not change her stances, and Friedrichs has since moved into a national role, removing him from the company’s Michigan projects.
When asked at the club what to do with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation after years of not seeing jobs created as a result of the large grants and subsidies, Benson said she wants to ensure the agency is “more transparent and more accountable.” She compared the MEDC to the major successes of Jobs Ohio, a private nonprofit that has been a model of efficiency in pulling businesses to the state.
“Ohio and Indiana are eating our lunch here,” Benson said.
James also set his sights on competing with Indiana and Ohio, saying they need to focus on creating a competitive regulatory environment.
Benson also said she would be interested in building out a separate part of the agency for small business growth to diversify the state economy.
James also did not vow to get rid of the MEDC, instead saying there needs to be an overhaul of the culture, focusing on creating a more hospitable environment, including cutting taxes and focusing on retention instead of spending more money on trying to create jobs that don’t come to fruition.
“We cannot unilaterally disarm, and so we need to reform the MEDC to make it work best for you,” James said.
On healthcare, Benson focused on the effects of the federal budget bill, once again hitting James for siding with Republicans on cutting coverage through Medicare, as well as laying out her plans to create a prescription drug affordability board, investing in healthcare jobs, and launching community health centers. James focused on insurance reform, transparency on healthcare costs from hospitals, and maternal healthcare.
Benson told reporters after the roundtable that some would say costs were higher now due to the 2019 changes to auto insurance, signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, ending the requirement for unlimited medical coverage and introducing the tiered system. She said reform here was also a priority for her.
While James touted his idea to cut property taxes, Benson said that promise would have to come with remodeling how Michigan invests in its public schools.
For education, both candidates cited the Mississippi Miracle, wanting Michigan to have the same sort of renaissance.
To questions about the automotive industry, Benson called for a returned focus to battery development and electrification, which the federal government has completely divested in the last two years of the Trump administration, as well as investing in research and development.
Looking at the entire economic ecosystem, James said the state has a problem with “jerking left and right” and never proceeding forward.
“If there’s something in this administration that works, we’re going to keep it,” James said. “If it doesn’t work, we’re going to determine whether we fix it or throw it away. But if we determine to throw it away, are we going to use a scalpel or a chainsaw? Most likely, we’re going to be using a scalpel because there are people who rely on these things, and so we’re going to be working with constituencies all over the state to make sure that we can do this.”
Poll Shows Majority of MI Residents Trust Election Results, Process
Michigan’s electoral process and election results are trusted by strong bipartisan majorities, but more work is needed to address concerns that some residents consistently raise.
Those were the key takeaways from a recent poll released Wednesday by the Democracy Defense Foundation focused on Michigan residents’ trust in elections and results. Leaders of the group discussed the poll inside the Hannah Administration Building at Michigan State University.
Seventy-four percent of those polled were confident in the fairness and accuracy of the upcoming November election. This was down from more than 79% of those polled in June 2025, and 77% polled in September 2024.
Of those polled, 85% said they trust their local elections. That figure dropped sharply when asked about election results in other counties, down to 48%.
Majorities of those polled were also supportive of secure ballot drop boxes (74%) and opposed the elimination of no-reason absentee voting (73%).
Those satisfied with Michigan’s election system fell over the past year, from 71% in 2025 to 66% in the most recent poll. Those who believed major changes in the system were needed grew from 22% in 2025 to 26% in the latest poll.
Those who were polled who are not concerned about noncitizen voting rose from 40% in 2025 to more than 51% in the latest poll. Those concerned fell over the same period, from nearly 57% concerned in 2025 to 46% in the new poll.
Fifty-two percent of those polled said a secretary of state candidate does not need to recuse themselves from election oversight while about 40% said the secretary should be required to recuse themselves.
In the poll, more than 76% of respondents were confident in the November elections being fair and accurately conducted even after being reminded that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running for governor.
Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop said there are legitimate concerns about elections raised by members of the public that should not be dismissed but instead addressed as best possible.
Bishop said clerks regularly hear concerns over ensuring the voter rolls are updated regularly. He said the small number of people who have illegally voted is also a concern.
Those he has spoken to in the Legislature, he added, have been open to working on solutions, but the problem is letting politics get in the way.
“My big issue is, instead of all the hyperbole that’s being pushed out there to scare people about the elections, if we could just focus on what their concerns are, address them and dismiss them if they’re not an issue, or resolve them if there is,” Bishop said.
Former Gov. John Engler, also a Republican, said he believed that with same-day voter registration has eliminated any excuse for not keeping voter rolls closely up to date. He used the example of the percentage of MSU students who have graduated and moved elsewhere who may still be on the rolls at that address, possibly for years.
“When you’ve got more registered voters than citizens eligible to vote, that’s a problem. We got to clean it up,” Engler said. “Those are little things, but they all help restore and strengthen the confidence in the system.”
Former Gov. Jim Blanchard, a Democrat, said when he first ran for office, it never occurred to him that there might be any reason to question the results and administration of elections.
“I think they’ve always been extremely well run,” Blanchard said. “Clearly, there’s some pessimism out there among some, but we’re going to have to deal with that, and the best way is to speak the truth to our fellow citizens and work together.”
Whitmer Announces First Road Funding Disbursement; Treasury Pulls in $71M in First Half of Year From Marijuana Tax
Although the first road funding disbursement has been sent out to road commissions for projects on neighborhood roads, the Department of Treasury is not hitting halfway targets for the newly implemented wholesale marijuana tax.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer championed the beginnings of the funding disbursement process in a statement on Monday.
“Fixing the damn roads means less wear on your car, a smoother drive, and safer travel for every Michigander,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I ran on fixing the damn roads, and I am proud to keep my promise and get it done with last year’s balanced, bipartisan budget. We’re making a historic investment of nearly $2 billion to fix state and local roads, creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and lowering costs for drivers across Michigan. Today’s disbursement will build on the progress we have made to fix the damn roads and create a stronger Michigan.”
Since the $2 million road funding plan passed last October alongside the 2026 budget, details about exact funding have remained shrouded as to when, and if, the tax revenue would equate to the amount the Legislature was hoping for.
One revenue stream in question is the 24% wholesale marijuana tax. Although the Legislature had projected $420 million would be generated annually, others were doubtful it would reach that point. The legality of the tax has also been fraught, with a court battle still active between the state and the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association.
The Department of Treasury told Gongwer News Service that in the first half of the year, about $71 million has been collected through the tax, with $34 million in the first quarter, which is January through March, and more than $37 million in the second quarter, which is April through June.
This is about 16% of the total funds projected to be collected over the year so far.
Ron Leix, spokesperson for the department, said however, “because tax returns have not yet been filed, it is premature to draw conclusions about long‑term revenue projections.”
Denise Donohue, Chief Executive Officer of the County Road Association of Michigan, told Gongwer that at this point, they are not willing to agree that the tax will or will not hit its target, due to the time in which the tax is due from the marijuana distributors.
The funds are due 30 days after the calendar year at the end of January 2027, and she said marijuana distributors could be planning their cash flow around this deadline. Another possibility, she said, could be that distributors betting on being successful in court and holding onto the cash.
There is no specific enforcement to make sure the companies are turning in their cash through the course of the year, she said.
However, when the association started looking into the marijuana sales numbers reported by the Department of Treasury, they were only down by 3%, so people have not stopped buying marijuana that would be taxable.
She said her road commissions have been pleased to see the money roll in and has been in a bit of a preparation phase, as the money has come in time for planning projects for next year, not looking to get any under the first calendar year.
Donohue also said the next few months could look different in disbursement rates, with October already projected to send less money to the road commissions.
This is due to the corporate income tax, which makes up $600 million of the road funding package. She said many people file their taxes quarterly, while others pay them monthly. The wholesale marijuana tax comes in quarterly as well, so the funds could be broken up across months.
“Lots of uncertainty until everybody gets used to whatever the distribution pattern is,” Donohue said.
She said additional money will probably flow in for November and December, but it will be different to not have the funds reported flat or look the same every month, saying, “It’s going to take a different way of looking at the books that they budget on an annual basis.”
Unemployment Rate Increased in August
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate slightly increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5% in August.
According to a report from the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, employment decreased by 25,000 while the number of unemployed people was unchanged.
“The uptick in Michigan’s unemployment rate was driven by an overall reduction in the state’s workforce in August,” Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for Michigan’s Center for Data and Analytics, said in a statement. “Payroll jobs declined due to losses in manufacturing this month.”
The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%, putting Michigan above the national rate in August by 0.9 percentage point. While the national rate has fallen over the last year, the statewide rate has risen by 0.1 percentage point since last August.
Over the month, the total workforce fell by 0.5%, and labor force participation rate declined by 0.3 percentage points to 58.8%. The employment-population ratio also fell by 0.3 percentage point in August.
Nonfarm payroll employment also fell by 2,000 employees over August. The decline comes after five consecutive months of employment increases. Over the year, statewide payroll jobs rose, though, by 8,000 or 0.2%.
The manufacturing sector saw the greatest employment decrease in August, while the private education and health services sector increased for the fourth month in a row, increasing by 6,000 since April.
Over the year, the most successful payroll gains were in government with 16,000 jobs, followed by private education and health services with 8,000. The biggest decline in the last year was in professional and business services, losing 6,000 jobs.
The Metro Detroit statistical area unemployment rate increased by 0.1 point to 5.4% during August, with employment falling by 11,000 over the month. The area’s unemployment rate has increased by 0.7 over the year.