“Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has met in recent months with several prominent Michigan Democrats, some of whom believe the former presidential candidate is considering a campaign for governor,” the Detroit News reports.

“Some of the sources said they saw the meetings as an indication Buttigieg was seriously looking at the possibility of a gubernatorial run, while others said they believed Buttigieg’s plans might have been altered by the Nov. 5 presidential election.”

“Because Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Republican Donald Trump, Buttigieg will likely have to decide whether to run for governor of Michigan in 2026 or president in 2028.”

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a longtime Democrat, says he will run for Michigan governor as an independent in 2026, the AP reports.

Said Duggan: “It’s clear to me that there are a lot of people in this country who are tired of both parties and tired of the system. And so I want to offer people a choice.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg did not dismiss the possibility of a 2026 Michigan gubernatorial run, saying he’ll decide “how to make myself useful” after the election, the AP reports.

A new Detroit Free Press poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) crushing challenger Tudor Dixon (R), 54% to 43%.

A new WDIV/Detroit News poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) leading challenger Tudor Dixon (R) in the race for governor, 52% to 43%.

Michigan gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon (R) “invoked a conspiracy that the Covid-19 pandemic and protests in the summer of 2020 after the killing of George Floyd were part of a decades-long plan by the Democratic Party to ‘topple’ the United States as retaliation for losing the US Civil War, adding that the party wanted to enslave people ‘again,'” CNN reports.

Said Dixon: “Why wouldn’t that come from the party that lost the Civil War? The party that wanted to own people because they viewed them as less than human? Do you think that the Democrats are over losing to the north?” 

A new CNN poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) leads challenger Tudor Dixon (R) among likely voters, 52% to 46%.

Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon (R) told a crowd Friday afternoon that single working women in Michigan are living a “lonely life” — and that’s exactly what Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) wants, the Michigan Advance reports.

Said Dixon: “Families look all different ways. They’re the ones telling me that on a regular basis, but apparently, they’re refusing to see one dynamic here. A lot of people want to have families. This state, we don’t have support from the governor for families unless they look exactly the way she wants.”

She added: “And you know what that looks like these days? Looks like single moms — no, not single moms. Single women working. That’s like, her dream for women. Single women working. Last time I checked, that was a pretty lonely life.”

“Michigan’s face-off on Thursday between incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon was marked by frequent accusations of lying from both sides, as the candidates tried to paint each other as untrustworthy on issues ranging from abortion to schools with just a few weeks left before Election Day,” Politico reports.

The Detroit News has five takeaways.

A new Detroit Free Press/EPIC-MRA poll shows Whitmer leading the race, 49% to 38%.

A new Detroit News poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) lead over challenger Tudor Dixon (R) has reached 17 percentage points with five weeks remaining before the Nov. 8 mid-term election, 49% to 32%.

“Two months ago, former President Donald Trump and the Republican establishment joined forces to elevate Tudor Dixon in Michigan’s messy GOP primary for governor, signaling a united front against Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer,” NBC News reports.

“But since then, national Republicans have largely abandoned Dixon, leaving her to fend for herself in a state that was supposed to be one of the party’s top targets in 2022.”

“Trump may be the exception. He’s scheduled to headline a Saturday rally for Dixon and other GOP candidates in the state. His visit comes at a time when Whitmer and the Democratic groups supporting her re-election are crushing Dixon and the GOP in ad spending, $16.5 million to $924,000 through Wednesday.”

Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon (R) made light of the 2020 kidnapping plot against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), CNN reports.

Said Dixon: “For someone so worried about being kidnapped, Gretchen Whitmer sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom.”

“More than 150 Michigan Republicans banded together to launch a group supporting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection bid,” the Detroit Metro Times reports.

A new Detroit News/Glengariff Group poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) lead over challenger Tudor Dixon (R) has expanded to 13 percentage points with two months remaining before Election Day, 48% to 35%.

“Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s campaign held 26 fundraisers in 35 days, has 49 people on its payroll and $14 million in the bank as of Aug. 22. Republican nominee Tudor Dixon’s is reporting two paid staff, held no fundraisers and has about $524,000 in cash as of late August,” MLive reports.

“For ever dollar Dixon had to spend at the end of the last filing period, Whitmer had nearly $27.”

A new EPIC-MRA poll in Michigan finds Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has a sizeable lead over challenger Tudor Dixon (R), 50% to 39%.

“Former Detroit police Chief James Craig (R) says he won’t support Republican nominee Tudor Dixon or Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the November election for Michigan’s top office,” the Detroit News reports.

“It’s possible, the former lawman suggested in an interview Monday, that he could back U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate Donna Brandenburg, who also previously sought the GOP nomination for governor.”

“The wealthy DeVos family is pouring millions of dollars into its long established political network to help Republican candidate Tudor Dixon overtake Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in what could be one of the most expensive races in the 2022 midterm elections,” CNBC reports.