Latest news with #gubernatorialPrimary
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Benson launches statewide town hall, conversation tour
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democratic candidate for governor, speaks during a panel promoting her book at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., on May 28, 2025, the second day of the Mackinac Policy Conference. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will visit more than a dozen cities and counties across Michigan starting next week for town halls and conversation with residents as she traverses the gubernatorial primary campaign trail. That includes stops in Traverse City, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Benton Harbor, Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Warren, Flint, Saginaw, Marquette and Detroit. Benson, one of several 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary candidates, also plans to visit locations in Manistee, Berrien and Wayne counties. Other Democrats vying for the nomination include Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, while Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a longtime Democrat, is running as an independent. Republican candidates include Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township), U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township), former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, Genesee County truck driver Anthony Hudson and Traverse City native Evan Space. In a news release, Benson's campaign said the tour will espouse her 'Thrive in Michigan' agenda, focusing on ways the secretary of state, if elected as governor, plans to make Michigan the best place to raise a kid, afford a home, attain a world-class education and where residents don't have to choose between paying their bills and paying for groceries. 'People in Michigan are looking for a real vision to combat the economic threats coming out of Washington D.C. They want leaders who will hear them, listen to and see their struggles, and then work together to solve real problems to save them time and money,' Benson said in a statement. 'That's why I'm running for governor – to make sure government shows up where you need it, and stays out of where you don't.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Fox News
01-06-2025
- General
- Fox News
New Jersey gubernatorial candidates gear up for competitive primary in early test of Trump's 2nd term
New Jersey voters will choose their Democrat and Republican nominees for governor on June 10, closing out competitive primary contests that could have major implications for the Garden State. It's a crowded field on both sides of the aisle as six Democrats and five Republicans are vying for the chance to replace Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, who is term-limited this year. Democratic candidates include Newark mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City mayor Steve Fulop, New Jersey Education Association president Sean Spiller, former New Jersey Senate president Steve Sweeney and U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherill. 2021 Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli, radio personality Bill Spadea, New Jersey state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and political outsider Justin Barbera are among the Republican candidates. Democrat and Republican candidates have evoked President Donald Trump's name during their gubernatorial campaigns, as Democrats position themselves as the most anti-Trump and Republicans try to be the most pro-Trump. New Jersey is one of just two gubernatorial elections in 2025, along with Virginia. Both races will be used by politicians and pundits to gauge how Americans are responding to Trump's second term ahead of the midterm elections next year. Trump outperformed in the Garden State in 2024, according to Fox News Voter Analysis. While Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey in 2024 as expected, Trump gained a nearly five-point improvement from his 2020 vote share and Harris' support dropped by about five points. He gained across New Jersey, with his largest swings in the northeast corner of the state. Hudson and Passaic counties lead the pack. Trump held a large "Make America Great Again" rally on the Jersey Shore during his 2024 presidential campaign as he told the crowd that New Jersey was in play, despite its reputation as a reliable blue state. Republican gubernatorial candidates have been eager to play up their relationships with Trump and cast their campaigns as the most aligned with Trump. But the president endorsed Ciattarelli on Truth Social earlier this month – a blow to Ciatarelli's closest competitor, Spadea. Ciattarelli is leading the pack of Republican candidates with 42% of New Jersey registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independent voters, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel poll conducted from April 1 to April 10. Spadea comes in a distant second, with 12%. Four percent of Republicans said they preferred Bramnick, 3% chose Barbera, and no one chose Kranjac. Four percent say they don't prefer any of the candidates. This is the leading Republican's third consecutive gubernatorial bid. Ciattarelli lost by a hair to Murphy in 2021 and has framed his candidacy as a referendum on the Democrat policies that have driven New Jersey for the past eight years. Meanwhile, the Democrat candidates have walked a fine line between building on Murphy's legacy and promising to change the status quo in Trenton. Like Murphy, Democrat candidates have rejected Trump's executive orders, crackdown on illegal immigration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts. The same poll found Democrats were more split about their leading candidate. 17% of registered Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents said they prefer Sherrill and 12% said they support Fulop, which is within the margin of error. Spiller picked up 10%, Baraka had 9% and Sweeney landed 7% of the vote. Four percent didn't prefer any of the candidates. Democratic candidates threw their support behind Baraka this month when he was arrested for trespassing at an ICE facility in Newark. The Department of Homeland Security called it a "beyond bizarre political stunt," but Baraka has maintained that he did nothing wrong. As the New Jersey primary comes to a head next month, the Garden State has dominated national headlines this year. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has experienced multiple FAA system outages, prompting concern among fliers and air traffic controllers. And a New Jersey transit strike created more travel mayhem when railways closed last week. Not to mention the large sinkhole that shut down Interstate 80, redirecting even more New Jersey travelers and commuters. In-person early voting runs Tuesday, June 3, to Sunday, June 8. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, and received by the county Board of Elections on or before the sixth day after the close of the polls. In-person voting on election day, Tuesday, June 10, will be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
