Polling Average
60%50%40%30%20%10%0%
12.7%
53.7%
6.4%
Michigan Democratic Governor nominee?
$50.8K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleLieutenant Governor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
GenderMale
LocationMichigan
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BackgroundPolitician
Notable personal detailsGarlin Gilchrist II is an American politician and engineer who has served as Michigan’s 64th lieutenant governor since 2019, alongside Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Before taking statewide office, he worked as a software engineer, including at Microsoft, and has focused in office on modernization and problem-solving initiatives in state government. He lives in Detroit with his wife, Ellen, and their three children.
SourcesShowHide
michigan.goven.wikipedia.orgwikidata.orgapnews.comlinkedin.comtwitter.comsenate.michigan.govaxios.commichiganbusiness.orgcbsnews.commichiganadvance.comes.wikipedia.orgmetrotimes.comlegislature.mi.govgarlingilchrist.comwgvunews.orgwnem.commichiganpublic.orgwemu.orgportal.ct.govdigital.bentley.umich.edumichiganchronicle.commiaflcio.orgassets.apnews.comjustfacts.votesmart.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgnga.orgballotready.orgvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgru.wikipedia.orggovinfo.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports targeted tax relief for low- and middle-income households (expanded Earned Income Tax Credit) and proposed tax credits for caregivers while backing state budget investments in education, housing, infrastructure and economic development without raising broad taxes. Emphasizes using state budget and targeted credits to put money back into working families’ pockets and to invest in public programs that promote economic opportunity.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to affordable health care, protecting and strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, and improving mental-health services and health equity; favors government action and investments to lower costs and increase access rather than privatization or repeal. Positions emphasize building on existing programs and lessons from the COVID-19 response to reduce disparities.
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Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports protecting and expanding access to abortion and reproductive healthcare; describes reproductive decisions as between patients and medical providers and opposes efforts to restrict that access. Commits to using executive and coalition tools to defend reproductive freedom in Michigan and to codify/affirm those protections under state law.
Climate & Energy
Supports aggressive state-level climate action and large clean-energy investments, backing Michigan’s MI Healthy Climate Plan goals including carbon neutrality by 2050 and major programs to expand solar, hydrogen, and clean-energy manufacturing and financing. Has announced and promoted grant programs and federal-state partnerships to grow clean energy jobs, deploy solar and storage, and build hydrogen manufacturing capacity in Michigan.
Public Safety & Guns
Garlin Gilchrist supports expanded gun violence prevention measures including universal background checks, safe-storage requirements, and extreme risk (red flag) orders, and has promoted efforts to remove illegal firearms from communities. He has also supported holding the firearms industry accountable and funding public-safety initiatives to reduce gun violence.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJun 17, 2026
Garlin Gilchrist has recently been in the news for winning the Michigan Democratic Party’s endorsement for secretary of state after a multi-round vote at the state convention. The endorsement came after he had previously considered running for governor, but the reports do not say he is the party’s official gubernatorial nominee. More broadly, Michigan Democrats are heading into a competitive 2026 election cycle, with the governor’s race and other statewide contests drawing attention.
michigan.gov+30
Articles
LSLansing State Journal2 months ago
Dems endorse Gilchrist for secretary of state, Savit for AG
Positive
MLM Live Michigan 2 months ago
Gilchrist secures Michigan Democratic Party’s endorsement for secretary of state
Positive
MLM Live Michigan 2 months ago
3 Michigan Democrats seek party nomination for secretary of state job
Neutral
SASanta Ana Orange County Register1 month ago
Republicans once saw Michigan as ripe for takeover, but mood shifting
Neutral
Polls
Michigan Democratic Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
Michigan Democratic Governor nominee?
Endorsers of Garlin Gilchrist for Michigan Democratic Governor nominee?
Rashida Tlaib
Elected official
Rashida Tlaib endorsed Garlin Gilchrist for governor of Michigan.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Fundraising