In Michigan first, independent Mike Duggan leads governor fundraising race

• Independent gubernatorial hopeful Mike Duggan reported most direct donations of any candidate during the first half of 2025
• Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson led Democrats in fundraising, bringing in about $2.4 million from donors
• US Rep. John James led Republican candidates with $1.5 million raised from donors

LANSING — Independent Michigan gubernatorial hopeful Mike Duggan led all candidates in direct campaign donations for the year through July 20, raising about $3.2 million as he seeks to upend the two-party system in 2026. 

In new disclosure reports filed Friday, Democrat Jocelyn Benson reported total receipts of $3.5 million, but more than a million dollars of her haul came via transfers from her previous secretary of state campaign account.

Republicans John James and Aric Nesbitt were top fundraisers in the GOP field, each reporting about $2.3 million in receipts, including transfers from other accounts. James had more direct donations and also touted $5 million in DeVos family contributions to a separate super PAC supporting his campaign. 

In non-election years, candidates don’t have to disclose donors or spending for the year until late July, meaning Friday’s reports were the first glimpse into their finances for the 2026 campaign to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Fundraising alone does not win elections but can signal a candidate’s organizational strength and ability to run the kind of aggressive advertising campaign typically required to win high-profile races.

While there was no clear breakaway candidate in the fundraising race, Duggan’s haul is especially impressive considering he won’t have to compete in a primary because he is running as an independent, said longtime political consultant Chris DeWitt, who has worked with both Republicans and Democrats in the past.

“Duggan's $3 million is worth more in the neighborhood of $6 million when taking into account the advantages he has over the other candidates,” said DeWitt, noting Duggan enjoys name recognition in southeast Michigan.

Duggan leads the pack

With $3.2 million in direct contributions through July 20, Duggan topped each Democratic and Republican candidate — a first in modern Michigan gubernatorial politics for a candidate not affiliated with a major political party.

In an era in which candidates are touting multitudes of smaller grassroots political donations, the former Democrat instead relied on larger donations. The roughly 1,700 contributions he reported averaged nearly $2,000 each. 

The vast majority of Duggan’s contributions, nearly $2.9 million, came from Michigan donors. And many came at private fundraisers, including an April event at the Bonstelle Theatre in Detroit, where he raised $482,100 from 112 attendees, according to his disclosure report.

In an interview with Bridge Michigan, Duggan suggested his campaign was playing a bit of catch-up because he lacks access to the pre-made fundraising infrastructure major party candidates can rely on.

“We didn't raise very much money in the first three months,” Duggan said Friday. “We raised basically $3 million on 30 events in 90 days.” 

RELATED STORIES: 

• Mike Duggan's pitch for Michigan schools: Fix reading, fire failing principals
• Jocelyn Benson: Fixes coming to buggy $9M Michigan campaign finance system
• Who's running for Michigan governor: Former House Speaker Tom Leonard jumps in

Duggan is also enjoying outside support from a nonprofit account that, unlike candidate committees, can raise unlimited amounts from any source without disclosing donors. The organization, Put Progress First, has been placing billboards across the state calling Duggan “America’s most effective mayor.”

Duggan told Bridge he’s in favor of a ballot requirement that’d require such nonprofits to disclose their political spending, saying “this campaign fundraising system has gotten out of control, but the reality is today that this is the way campaigns are run.” 

The treasurer of Duggan’s campaign is Lorna Thomas, a longtime financial ally who also acted as a board member for some of the dark money nonprofit groups who supported him as a mayoral candidate.

Some of Duggan's largest campaign donations came from political action committees that can contribute more than individuals. He reported $75,000 from The Peoples PAC, based in Southfield, $40,000 from the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters union and $25,000 from the Rocket State PAC associated with Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert's companies. 

Benson touts big numbers, broad support in Democratic race

Duggan’s Michigan-centric, high-dollar fundraising made for a stark contrast with Benson, a Detroit Democrat who raised money from more than 20,000 people. 

In a press conference Thursday, Benson told reporters she raised more than $3.5 million. But her Friday filing revealed a third of that —close to $1.2 million — was transferred from her secretary of state campaign account. Since launching her campaign for governor in late January, she has raised about $2.4 million in new donations from donors. 

“What that shows to me is that we've got not only the resources to get on the ballot and to make this case to people all throughout Michigan, but that we've got people behind us helping us get those resources in a historic way,” Benson said.

She also touted her refusal to accept corporate PAC donations. The vast majority of contributions to her campaign were less than $100. Her largest donor was $60,000 from Michigan Legacy PAC, a fundraising account she established in 2023.

She also reported $25,000 from End Citizens United, a campaign finance reform organization, and at least $25,000 from the United Food and Commercial Workers Active Ballot Club associated with the union.

Benson’s filing also illustrated the national profile she earned overseeing Michigan elections during the tumultuous 2020 cycle, reporting contributions from donors across the country. 

A little less than half of Benson’s contributions came from Michigan donors — about $1.1 million over 12,000 donations. More donations came from outside Michigan, both in terms of dollars raised and number of contributions.

Benson ended the fundraising period with slightly more cash on hand than Duggan, about $2.4 million to his roughly $2.3 million.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist raised around $768,000 but took in more than 10,000 donations. His campaign, however, spent more than half of what he raised and finished the fundraising period with about $312,000 left in the bank.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson raised roughly $1 million and transferred about $183,000 from his sheriff campaign account. His campaign had about $600,000 cash on hand as of mid-July.

James gets big DeVos boost in GOP race

While campaign fundraising is important, particularly in a primary, once the general election begins, winning candidates often lean heavily on the support of outside groups.

James, the Shelby Township Republican giving up a congressional seat to run for governor, touted raising a combined $7 million — but most of that was donations to a separate super PAC supporting his campaign that he can’t coordinate with.

Pamella and Douglas DeVos gave a combined $5 million to the Mission Michigan super PAC that was created to support his campaign. 

James’ campaign committee, which also reported raising more than $195,000 at a DeVos residence fundraiser in Bay Harbor, netted a total of $2.3 million for the period. But about $750,000 of that was transferred from his congressional campaign, as opposed to direct donations. 

“I’m the only candidate with the strength and support to take on lifelong Democrats Mike Duggan and Jocelyn Benson — and win,” James said in a statement.

James’ campaign was seemingly matched by state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, a Porter Township Republican who raised about $2.3 million. Nesbitt’s largest donations – totaling about $800,000 — were transfers from other PACs he controls as a legislative leader.

Nesbitt’s campaign called his fundraising total “astounding.”

Former Attorney General Mike Cox of Livonia raised about $884,000 for the period, but has also put $1.5 million of his own money into the campaign so far, leaving him with about $1.9 million in cash at the end of the filing period. 

Tom Leonard, a former state House Speaker from DeWitt, reported raising $646,318 in about a month since launching his campaign on June 17. 

Fundraising reports from Anthony Hudson and Evan Space, political outsiders running as Republicans, were not available on the state's online database as of the Friday evening deadline.