FLINT, Mich. (WJRT) – Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson is hoping to become the 48th Michigan governor.
Swanson was scheduled to formally announce his campaign for governor during a 5:30 p.m. event Thursday at Mott Community College in Flint.
Swanson was appointed sheriff in 2019 and elected to the position in 2020 and 2024. He was instrumental in creating the Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team (GHOST), which often targets child predators online.
Swanson also launched the IGNITE program in 2020, which provides educational opportunities for Genesee County Jail inmates. The program has expanded to other jails across Michigan and around the United States.
During protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, Swanson famously joined a march in Flint Township that launched the “Walk With Me” movement.
Swanson is campaigning for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2026 against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. They are hoping to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot run again due to term limits.
State Sen. Aric Nesbitt is running for the Republican nomination while Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent.
