Michigan · Governor · Election Day Nov 3, 2026

Michigan Governor: Benson vs. James

Benson leads by 8.8 points in the Crosstab average of recent polls. Crosstab rates it Likely Dem.

Benson (D)49.7%
James (R)40.8%
Chance of winning · Crosstab forecast
Benson 92%8% James
Open in CrosstabGet alerts for this race

Polling average over time

384654 49.7% 40.8% Sep 1, 2026Sep 24, 2026
Crosstab average of each day's latest polls (up to six from the past 45 days).

Every poll

PollsterDateBensonJames
NY Times/SienaSep 24, 20264843
Suffolk UniversitySep 22, 20265134
co/efficientSep 22, 20264744
EmersonSep 17, 20264942
Washington PostSep 17, 20265341
CNNSep 9, 20265041
Detroit News/GlengariffSep 8, 20264743
Michigan State/YouGovSep 1, 20265243

The candidates

Benson
Democrat
John James
Republican · U.S. Representative, MI-10, since 2023

In the news

Michigan 2026 Poll: El-Sayed and Rogers Locked in Close Election
Emerson College Polling · Sep 17, 2026

Updated Sep 27, 2026. How Crosstab calculates averages and odds.