Benson Makes Stops in Northern and Western Michigan, Shares Thrive in Michigan Agenda with Hundreds

This week, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson joined local leaders across Northern and Western Michigan – including Traverse City Mayor Amy Shamroe, Muskegon Mayor Ken Johnson, Muskegon Vice Mayor Rebecca St. Clair, Cadillac Mayor Antoinette Schippers, Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad, and Democratic County Party chairs in Manistee and Wexford counties – to launch her Thrive in Michigan tour and share her plans about what it will take to ensure Michigan is the best place to be a kid, raise a kid, and call home. 

On Monday night State Rep. Betsy Coffia and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson kicked off a townhall in Traverse City

“There really isn’t time for me to talk about all of the reasons that I was unhesitatingly a ‘yes’ when Secretary Benson asked me to endorse her — and I do not endorse, generally, as principle — but I did not hesitate,” said State Rep. Coffia. “More than anything, for me, as somebody who came up through blue collar, working-class roots and scrapped my way through life and knows how hard the people of this state work just to survive… What I require more than anything else is integrity, ethics, and courage — and a focus exactly where it belongs, which is the people of this state. That is what we should be able to expect from every single one of our leaders. And I see that every single day in the Secretary of State and the way she shows up.”

“Why are we Democrats? Why am I running as a Democrat proudly in this race for governor? Because I know that we’re the party of the Voting Rights Act. We’re the party that believes in truth and in justice and in the Constitution and in law. And we believe that we all do better when we all do better. And we believe that the power of the people will always be stronger than the people in power. That’s who we are, and that’s what we believe in, and that’s what we fight for every day,” said Secretary of State Benson. “We cannot do it alone. Doing it with all of you is critical… I’m in this race for the future of my child, and for yours. I’m in this fight to make Michigan the best place for all of us to call home — for our kids to say, ‘this is the best place to grow up,’ for our families to say, ‘this is the best place to raise a kid,’ and for all of us to say, ‘this is the best place to retire and call home.’”

On Tuesday, Benson stopped in Muskegon for a townhall with Mayor Ken Johnson

“I come to this campaign with a sense of urgency,” Benson said in Muskegon. “A recognition that we cannot wait to make our schools the best in the nation, to ensure housing is affordable for every resident in the state, that every parent has access to quality child care, and that every person retiring can retire with dignity.”

On Juneteenth, Benson participated in a townhall with Chokwe Pitchford and State Rep. Joey Andrews

Additional stops during week one of the tour included a community conversation in Bear Lake, a roundtable with local elected leaders in St. Joe, small business visits in Grand Rapids and  Kalamazoo, a lunch with the Wexford Democratic Party in Cadillac, and a keynote speech at an Allegan County Democratic Party event.