Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer who ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket will take on Republican Tudor Dixon who won her crowded primary. Whitmer will run for reelection alongside Lieutenant Gov. Garlin Gilchrest, while Dixon has yet to pick a running mate. The two have drastically different views on key issues, such as abortion rights, education, gun regulation and many more. 

A key focus of this election will be abortion rights. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that legalized abortion, laws on abortion are now up to individual states. Abortion rights in Michigan will most likely be decided on by the voters due to a ballot initiative that gained a record-breaking 750,000 signatures. If the decision is left up to the state legislature, however, Whitmer is pro-abortion rights, while Dixon is endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan PAC. 

Before being elected as governor in 2018, Whitmer served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001-04 and the State Senate from 2006-15. After her term in the legislature was up she served as the Ingham County prosecutor in 2016. She earned her bachelor’s degree and J.D. from Michigan State University. 

Dixon holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky and worked in steel sales from 2002-17 before becoming a news anchor for America’s Voice News. According to reporting from the Detroit Free Press, she raised her hand in agreement when asked if she believed that former President Donald Trump had won the state of Michigan in the 2020 election, even though the state was certified as a victory for President Joe Biden. She also received Trump’s endorsement.

7th District U.S. Congressional Representative

Both Democratic candidate and incumbent Elissa Slotkin and Republican challenger Tom Barrett ran unopposed in their respective primaries. The two will now face off in the November midterms.

Slotkin has served in the position since being elected in 2018. Before serving in Congress she served as a Middle East analyst for the CIA and has national securities roles in both the Bush and Obama administrations. 

According to her Twitter account, her focuses include lowering the cost of prescription drugs, fighting for clean water, and working to end the chip shortage within the auto industry. She has also expressed support for the ballot initiative that would allow Michiganders to vote on abortion rights. 

Barrett currently serves as the state senator from Michigan’s 24th district. He previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2015-2019 and is a veteran of the United States Army. 

According to his website, he considers himself to be “100 % pro-life.” Barrett also opposes corporate welfare and signed the Taxpayer’s Protection Pledge in which members of the government pledge to not increase taxes.

73rd District State Representative

Incumbent Democratic candidate Julie Brixie and Republican candidate Norm Shinkle both ran unopposed and will face off in the November election.

Brixie was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2019. Before her time in the House, she served on the Meridian Township Board for 18 years.

Shinkle served on the State Board of Canvassers for 13 years until his resignation in 2020 when he questioned the legitimacy of the presidential election, according to WILX.