Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced Wednesday afternoon at an event in Grand Rapids that she had picked state Sen. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, as her running mate in the Michigan gubernatorial race.
Benson won the Democratic governor nomination after defeating Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Aug. 4 primary election. Her platform centers around creating a more affordable Michigan.
Brinks has represented the 29th Senate District in the Michigan Senate since 2019 and has served as majority leader since 2023. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018.
As a state senator, Brinks has championed policies to support working families and lower costs – helping pass the Earned Income Tax Credit and repeal Michigan’s retirement tax in 2023. As Senate majority leader, she helped lead the Senate in passing the 2023 education budget, which included $160 million to provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students.
In a press release Wednesday, Benson announced Brinks as her running mate, framing her legislative record as central to the campaign’s goal of lowering costs for Michigan families.
“From West Michigan to every corner of our state, Winnie has spent her career showing up for people, solving problems, and delivering results,” Benson wrote. “Winnie helped deliver free breakfast and lunch for every public school student in Michigan and led the Senate through a trifecta that delivered the largest working families tax cut in decades.”
In her acceptance speech, Brinks accepted the nomination and said her and Benson’s experience would help them build a better Michigan. She also criticized Republican nominee for governor John James, specifically for his vote in favor of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025 and recent vote to fund the war in Iran.
“As your next lieutenant governor, I want to build on the progress that we’ve made by supporting Jocelyn’s vision of lowering costs, raising wages, and making Michigan a place where everyone can afford to live and thrive,” Brinks said. “I’ve worked with Jocelyn for years, and she’s exactly the leader we need in this moment. I know that she can deliver because of what she’s done over in the Secretary of State’s office.”
In an email statement, Jim Runestad, Michigan Republican Party chair, criticized Benson’s pick, arguing that Brinks’ record places her too far left of everyday Michigan voters.
“Winnie Brinks oversaw the most left-wing, out-of-touch budget we’ve ever seen in Michigan,” Runestad wrote. “Her $9 billion in one-time-funding included $200 million to fix the roads, with zero to show for it. Winnie Brinks championed Green-New-Deal scam legislation, pet projects with no names attached, and the elimination of Right to Work protections. Like Abdul El-Sayed and Jocelyn Benson, Winnie Brinks is too extreme for Michigan.”
Benson and Brinks will face off against the Republican gubernatorial nominee John James and his running mate Jay DeBoyer in the Nov. 3 general election.
Daily News Editor Gia Verma can be reached at giaverma@umich.edu.
