Gubernatorial Candidate Selects Running Mate

Aug 21, 2026

by Liz Gullett

As MLC’s Communications and Social Media Manager, Liz Gullett keeps clients informed and up-to-date on the goings on in Lansing and the Capitol.

This week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced her pick for Lieutenant Governor, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks. This historic announcement is the first time in Michigan history that two women are running for governor and lieutenant governor.

Senate Majority Leader Brinks:

    • She was first elected to the Michigan Legislature in 2013 to the House of Representatives and served three terms.
    • She was elected to the Senate in 2019 and elected by her colleagues to serve as the first woman Senate Majority Leader in 2023.
    • Her district is located in West Michigan and includes portions of Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township and all of East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, and Wyoming City.
    • Prior to public office, SML Brinks was a caseworker at The Source and worked as the director of a community-based corrections agency and as a school paraprofessional.
    • She earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Calvin College.

The Michigan Democratic Party is hosting its nominating convention on August 29 to officially nominate SML Brinks as the Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor.

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.

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