Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer finally talked about Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's decision to run for governor as an independent, as the race for Lansing closes in.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen is expected to deliver her seventh State of the State address on Feb. 26, about a month later than she has previously given the annual speech.

Republican state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt announced his candidacy, becoming the first major party candidate in Michigan to launch a gubernatorial campaign in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov.

Duggan announced in late 2024 that he would not seek re-election as mayor in 2025 and would instead seek the top job in 2026.

A Republican has entered the race for Michigan governor. The current Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt is looking to succeed Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Nesbitt grew up on a six-generation dairy and grape farm.

Axios Visuals Michigan's population growth isn't clustered around Metro Detroit, per an Axios analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. Why it matters: Overall lack of population growth has been a key focus for leaders like Gov.