Is Sheriff Chris Swanson Running for Governor of Michigan in 2026?

Now that the presidential election is finally (finally!) behind us and the political ads have finally (finally!) ended, Michigan is looking at electing its next governor in 2026. Could Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson be making a run at the office?

Term limits will prevent Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer from seeking another term, which leaves the office wide open for a fresh candidate, possibly someone who has yet to serve in a political office.

Lansing Insiders Weigh in

Tim Skubick covers Michigan politics for various media outlets like WKAR Public Radio, WJBK-TV, Mlive, and others. As a longtime member of the state capitol press corps in Lansing, Skubick has the inside track on the 2026 governor's race and tells WJBK-TV that there are no fewer than 16 likely candidates ready to put their hats in the ring for Michigan's top job.

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While not everyone on the list is confirmed, it's a reasonable bet that most of these names be associated with a run at the governor's office over the next two years.

For instance, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has not announced that he's a candidate for the job, but there is plenty of speculation from Lansing insiders that he's going to announce his intentions next week.

Is Chris Swanson a Candidate for Michigan Governor?

While there's been no official announcement from Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, there is growing speculation that the sheriff will indeed be making a bid. And Swanson does make Skubick's shortlist of six Democratic candidates expected to make a full-tilt run at the job.

Sheriff Swanson also tells Michigan Advance that he gets asked about running for governor "multiple times a day."

"It's an open seat in 2026, so we'll see," Swanson said. "I'm sure there's a lot of activity."