The Race for Secretary of State

Liz Gullett

Oct 14, 2022

In Michigan, the Secretary of State is responsible for a myriad of important tasks, but arguably the most paramount is overseeing elections in the state. The person holding the office has great influence and power due to the important role. This year, the top two candidates for office couldn’t be more different.

The current Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, is running for her second term in office. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and served as dean of Wayne State University Law School before winning election in 2018. Prior to that, she was an associate professor and associate director of Wayne Law’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights. Her campaign has received a number of endorsements including the Michigan AFL-CIO, the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit News, among others. She was nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party.

Running against the Secretary is Kristina Karamo, who was nominated by the Republican Party. She is a public speaking and college orientation professor at Wayne County Community College. Ms. Karamo received her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Oakland University and a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. She received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, as well as a few state legislators, among others.

Additionally, third parties in Michigan have nominated candidates for the position:

- Libertarian Party – Gregory Stempfle
- S. Taxpayers Party – Christine Schwartz
- Green Party – Larry Hutchinson, Jr.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.