Jocelyn Benson named Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks as her running mate at an event in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The choice puts Brinks on Benson’s statewide ticket as the Michigan Democratic campaign moves deeper into the 2026 race.
Brinks has served in the Michigan Senate since 2019 and represents Grand Rapids. Benson’s selection adds a sitting Senate leader to the ticket, giving the campaign a partner with current legislative experience and a base in the same city where the announcement took place.
Michigan Senate leader
Brinks leads the Michigan Senate as majority leader, a role that places her at the center of legislative negotiations. On the campaign trail, that background gives Benson a running mate who already works inside state government and can speak to lawmaking, scheduling, and coalition-building from inside the process rather than from the outside.
The announcement also came after Republican gubernatorial candidate John James said Michigan Rep. Jay DeBoyer would run with him for Lt. Governor. Both campaigns have now put their ticket choices in front of voters, turning the race into a test of which pairing can present the stronger governing case.
Michigan history
If Benson and Brinks are elected, Michigan would see a female governor serving alongside a female Lt. Governor for the first time. The campaign is not only selecting a running mate; it is also making a bid for a statewide pairing that the state has not had before.
Brinks’ long tenure in the Michigan Senate and her representation of Grand Rapids make her a familiar figure in the region Benson used to unveil the ticket. The selection links the governor’s race to legislative experience and to a city already tied to both women’s political careers.
Benson and Brinks
For voters, the immediate change is simple: Benson’s ticket now includes Brinks, and the race has shifted from a lone candidate to a full gubernatorial-Lt. Governor pairing. The next step is the campaign itself, where the new ticket will have to show how those roles fit together and what governing team they are asking Michigan to elect.
