Michigan Republican Governor nominee?
6hCox’s contract snapped back from 22% to 22% intraday, keeping him in the top tier of the field and forcing traders to reprice the Michigan Republican primary.
22%0%
Michigan Republican Governor nominee?
$273.0K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleAttorney General
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age64 years old (Dec 30, 1961)
GenderMale
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LocationMichigan
BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Michigan (undergraduate degree)
Notable personal detailsMichael Anthony Cox is an American attorney and politician who served as Michigan Attorney General from 2003 to 2011. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former prosecutor, he was elected attorney general in 2002 and later ran for governor in 2010. In April 2025, he launched a campaign seeking the Republican nomination for governor of Michigan in 2026.
SourcesShowHide
mikecox2026.comapnews.comnaag.orgen.wikipedia.orgmichfb.comcbsnews.comclickondetroit.comeverything.explained.todaywdet.orgsbam.orgdemocraticgovernors.orgmichiganadvance.commikecoxlaw.comaxios.comlegislature.mi.govreview-mag.comwachlerblog.comfoxnews.comwkar.orgourmidland.comlifenews.combridgemi.comleaderpub.comag.state.mi.usmichigandems.comstatic.politico.comstatic.foxnews.comgo.politico.comstatic-radio.foxnews.comgovinfo.govwikidata.orgcongress.govnga.orgballotready.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgjudiciary.senate.govfec.govepw.senate.govcommons.wikimedia.orgcreativecommons.orgupload.wikimedia.org
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
The candidate advocates eliminating Michigan’s state income tax and cutting taxes for small businesses while reducing government spending and bureaucracy. His platform calls for eliminating the income tax to “end the tax on work” and for broad spending cuts as part of shrinking government.
Healthcare
Mike Cox has opposed the Affordable Care Act and, as Michigan attorney general, joined legal efforts challenging the law; his campaign materials emphasize market-based measures such as prescription drug price transparency rather than support for expanding federal coverage programs.
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Immigration & Border
Supports stronger immigration enforcement and state authority to assist in enforcing immigration laws, including actions to crack down on illegal immigration and backing Arizona’s 2010 law that allowed local officers to question and potentially arrest undocumented immigrants.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Mike Cox has opposed abortion and as Michigan Attorney General defended state abortion restrictions, including appeals to uphold a partial-birth abortion ban; he has received endorsements from anti-abortion groups. His public record shows support for enforcing limits on abortion rather than supporting unrestricted access.
Climate & Energy
Supports prioritizing local control and market-driven decisions on energy and development projects, favors keeping existing fossil-fuel generation (including “clean coal”) operational to provide cheaper energy, and seeks requirements that large developers build dedicated power capacity rather than statewide mandates for renewable transitions. Positions emphasize lower taxes, local permitting, and technology requirements for projects rather than aggressive regulatory climate targets.
Public Safety & Guns
Mike Cox has publicly defended Second Amendment rights, promoted concealed-carry reciprocity, and opposed local handgun bans. His record as Michigan Attorney General includes filing amicus briefs supporting gun-owner rights and actions to expand recognition of Michigan concealed-pistol licenses.
Latest Insights
Michigan Republican Governor nominee?
4dThe latest poll has Mike Cox ahead by 4.0 points, but John James is the odds leader and Cox's current odds are 14%.
14%
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJun 16, 2026
Mike Cox is in the news mainly because he is a candidate in the 2026 Michigan governor race, which has shifted after Mike Duggan ended his independent bid. Duggan said he had no realistic path to victory, and his exit appears to strengthen the Democratic side while leaving Republicans as underdogs. More broadly, Michigan’s 2026 elections are drawing attention as parties prepare for a competitive cycle with major races and heavy fundraising.
mikecox2026.com+40
Articles
MLM Live Michigan 26 days ago
As governor’s race became a ‘referendum’ on Trump, Duggan’s path to victory evaporated
Negative
CTChicago Tribune3 months ago
Michigan lawmakers debating major changes to when certain elections are held
Neutral
PPOLITICO3 months ago
Republican states are pushing through their own versions of the SAVE America Act
Neutral
TAThe Associated Press3 months ago
Campaign support money grows along with profile of state attorneys general
Neutral
Polls
Michigan Republican Governor nominee?
Polling Average
40%30%20%10%0%
10.8%
36.3%
28.1%
17.0%
5.7%
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
- Fundraising