Democrat Jocelyn Benson rips Mike Duggan's independent bid for governor

Secretary of State Benson critical of Duggan's independent run for governor

The Secretary of State has made it no mystery of her interest in the seat. Then last week, the Detroit mayor made waves of his own that he intended to make a gubernatorial run.

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - It's only been a month since the presidential election wrapped up and the next round of contenders eyeing the top seat of governance in Michigan is already starting to take shape.

The Secretary of State has made it no mystery of her interest in the seat. Then last week, the Detroit mayor made waves of his own that he intended to make a gubernatorial run.

Mike Duggan intends to run as an independent, bucking the Democratic Party in hopes of earning the support of disaffected voters fed up with the two-party system.

But Jocelyn Benson thinks that's the wrong decision.

"In moments like this, we don't flee from the party, but we stay and fix it," she told Tim Skubick on the political show Off The Record. "We need to be firefighters, putting out fires, not running away from things that we see may be on fire."

Benson is among the names floated as party hopefuls for the Michigan governor's seat in 2026. So is Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Benson said she is considering a run for governor.

Duggan said he is no longer running as a Democrat because the party does not represent the citizens, and he rejects the interparty bickering that turns off residents.

Benson said that she was working on things during the lame duck session when the news broke about Duggan's decision but said it didn't phase her.

"Of course it didn't, nothing phases me," she quipped. "I'm from a military family. "I just keep marching forward."

Without mentioning Duggan by name, she compared him to of all things, a firefighter.

"We need to be firefighters in putting out fires and not running away from things we see as possibly on fire," Benson said.

Tim Skubick: "But one of the things that happen when you run away from a fire, is you live."

"But when you go into a fire with a hose and put out the fire, and build back better you don't just live and survive, but help other people live and survive as well."

Duggan said that he left the party because it was citizens, and he rejects all of the interparty bickering that is going on, saying it's time for a governor of the people and he's that candidate.

Benson would disagree.