Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Secretary of State, Is Running for Governor

Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic secretary of state of Michigan, on Wednesday announced a run to succeed the term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, plunging into a high-profile and competitive contest to lead one of the nation’s pre-eminent battleground states.

“It’s clear that too many feel left out in the cold, their voices drowned out by more powerful ones,” Ms. Benson said in an announcement video. “I’ll keep standing up to any bullies or billionaires who try to deceive us, divide us, take away our rights or deny anyone the opportunity to get a fair shot.”

In the video, Ms. Benson said she had run for secretary of state “to make sure government is efficient and transparent, that every voice is heard and every legitimate vote is counted, in every election, no matter the outcome.”

Alluding to Republican efforts to overthrow the results of the 2020 election — including armed protests outside her home — she continued, “Some people didn’t like that very much.”

“But I’ve never backed down from a tough fight,” she added.

Now, she may be in for another kind of difficult fight.

The Democratic primary race may be crowded, potentially attracting other prominent state politicians including Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg moved in recent years to Michigan from Indiana, prompting speculation that he might seek office there, though some also see him as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

Asked in an interview last month if he believed he knew Michigan well enough to run, Mr. Buttigieg replied, “I have a lot of humility about having only moved to Michigan a few years ago, although, of course, I did grow up in the neighborhood.”

Ms. Whitmer has indicated that she does not plan to endorse a candidate in the primary.

Complicating the race for Democrats is the decision by Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit, a longtime Democrat who won his first race for mayor in a write-in campaign, to run for governor as an independent.

Other candidates for governor in Michigan, which Donald J. Trump flipped in the presidential election last fall, include Aric Nesbitt, the Republican leader in the Michigan Senate.