Here’s who has endorsed Democratic candidates for Michigan governor, AG, SOS
Oct. 31, 2018: Here’s who endorsed the 2018 Michigan governor candidates
Oct. 31, 2018: Here’s who endorsed the 2018 Michigan Secretary of State candidates
Oct. 31, 2018: Here’s who has endorsed the 2018 Michigan Attorney General candidates
August 2018 update: Gretchen Whitmer wins Democratic primary for Michigan governor
Democrats running for governor and other statewide offices have received endorsements from labor unions, progressive groups and elected officials that they hope will endear their campaigns to voters.
Ahead of the April 24 filing deadline, the Democratic gubernatorial primary race is a four-way race among former state Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer; Abdul El-Sayed, the former Detroit health director; Ann Arbor businessman Shri Thanedar; and former Xerox executive Bill Cobbs.
On Sunday April 15, Democrats will make their selection for preferred candidates for Attorney General, Secretary of State and other statewide positions at a party convention in Detroit. In the Attorney General’s race, former U.S. attorney Pat Miles is competing with Dana Nessel, an attorney who won the landmark case that tossed Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage. Attorney Bill Noakes also is running.
Jocelyn Benson, CEO of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality and the former Wayne State University Law School dean, is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State.
Related Michigan political coverage:
- Friction among Michigan Dems might pose the biggest threat to victory in November
- With Michigan Democrats gathering Sunday, activists compete to pack convention hall
- Here’s who has endorsed Republican candidates for Michigan governor
- Old divisions, new blood: The Michigan GOP in the era of Trump
Here’s a list of major endorsements the candidates have received so far.
Governor
Gretchen Whitmer
- United Auto Workers
- Michigan Education Association
- American Federation of Teachers Michigan
- Michigan AFL-CIO
- Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union
- Michigan Construction and Building Trades Council
- Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights
- Michigan State Utility Workers Council
- Michigan Pipe Trades Association
- Michigan Joint Council of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
- International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 1M
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Michigan State Conference
- United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 876 and 951
- Communications Workers of America District 4
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Joint Council #43
- Michigan Laborers District Council
- Michigan Association for Justice
- AFSCME Council 25
- EMILY’s List, a group that works to elect pro-choice Democratic women nationally
- MI List, a group that works to elect pro-choice Democratic women in Michigan
- Former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard
- Frank Kelley, former Michigan attorney general
- Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
- Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy
- Wayne County Executive Warren Evans
- Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon
- Lansing Mayor Andy Schor
- 31 state lawmakers
- U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak
- U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township
- U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield
- U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn
Abdul El-Sayed
- Michigan Nurses Association
- Our Revolution, a progressive political action group involved in Bernie Sanders’ campaign, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing chapters
- Cannabis Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party
- Progressive Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party
- People for Bernie
- Shaun King, civil rights activist
- U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
- Young Democrats of Michigan
- Michigan for Revolution
- Linda Sarsour, activist and co-chair of the Women's March
- Justice Democrats, a national progressive political action committee
Shri Thanedar
None reported.
Bill Cobbs
None reported. The campaign did not respond to a message seeking information.
Attorney General
Pat Miles
- United Auto Workers
- Michigan AFL-CIO
- Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Michigan State Conference
- Pipefitters Local 636
- United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 876 and Local 951
- Wayne County Executive Warren Evans
- Dennis Archer, former Detroit mayor
- Barbara McQuade, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
- Retired U.S. Sen. Carl Levin
- 13th Congressional District Democratic Party Organization
- Democratic State Reps. Sheldon Neeley, of Flint; Wendell Byrd, of Detroit; John Chirkun, of Roseville; Scott Dianda, of Calumet; Fred Durhal III, of Detroit; Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, of Detroit; Patrick Green, of Warren; Robert Kosowski, of Westland; Leslie Love, of Detroit; Ronnie Peterson, of Ypsilanti; Bill Sowerby, of Clinton Township; and Tim Sneller, of Burton.
- State Sen. Vincent Gregory, D-Lathrup Village
- LGBT activist Stephanie White
- Virgie Rollins, DNC Black Caucus chair
- Keith Williams, MDP Black Caucus chair
- Lupe Ramos-Montigny, State Board of Education
- Benny Napolean, Wayne County Sheriff
- Fannie Lou Hamer PAC
- Collective PAC
Dana Nessel
- Michigan Education Association
- Michigan State Utility Workers Council
- Utility Workers Union of America
- Iron Workers Local 25
- Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy
- State Sen. Coleman A. Young II, D-Detroit
- State Reps. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield; Robert Wittenberg, D-Huntington Woods; Phil Phelps, D-Flushing; Jim Ellison, D-Royal Oak;
- Former state Reps. Kathleen Law, D-Gibraltar, and Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor
- Michigan for Revolution
- Young Democrats of Michigan
- Lesbian Political Action Committee
- Victory Fund, a national group working to elect openly LGBTQ people to office
- MI Legalize, a group seeking to legalize marijuana for recreational uses
- Michigan Medical Marijuana Association
- Cannabis Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party
- Progressive Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party
- Yemeni-American Michigan Democratic Caucus
- Michigan Spanish Speaking Democrats
- Fems for Dems
- MI Women Win
Bill Noakes
None reported.
Secretary of State
Jocelyn Benson
- United Auto Workers
- Michigan Education Association
- American Federation of Teachers Michigan
- Michigan AFL-CIO
- Karla Swift, former Michigan AFL-CIO president
- Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights
- EMILY’s List
- MI List
- Let America Vote
- Former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin
- U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak
- Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
- Dennis Archer, former Detroit Mayor
- Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel
- Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith
- Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham
- State Sen. Steve Bieda, D-Warren
- State Reps. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids; David LaGrand, D-Grand Rapids; Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores; John Chirkun, D-Roseville; Henry Yanez, D-Sterling Heights; Bill Sowerby, D-Clinton Township; and Patrick Green, D-Warren
- Former state Reps. Marilyn Lane, D-Fraser, and Fred Miller, D-Mount Clemens
- Michigan Federation of College Democrats
- Progressive Change Campaign Committee
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