Michigan Democratic Candidate Speaks as Republican Campaign Withholds Comment

Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for Michigan governor, appeared on the Michigan Public radio program Stateside on Monday, October 26. The interview marks a public appearance by the challenger in the final days before the election. Producers for the show stated they made several attempts to contact the office of John James, the Republican incumbent, prior to the broadcast. The James campaign did not return calls or accept the interview offer at the time of recording.

Benson is the only candidate from either party who has recently engaged with the Stateside team for this specific segment. The show’s producers noted that the invitation for James remains open. They indicated a willingness to schedule an additional interview with him later in the week if his team accepts. No official statement from the James campaign addressed the media outreach as of the morning of the broadcast.

The program also featured segments unrelated to the gubernatorial contest. Anna Ansari, author of the cookbook Silk Roads, discussed her culinary work. Molly Mitchell, founder of the Detroit diner Rose’s, joined the show following a recent mention in the New York Times. The Times listed the restaurant among fifty favorite dining establishments in the United States. Ansari and Mitchell discussed plans for a collaborative dining event scheduled for the current week.

The final segment of the episode focused on the statistical unpredictability of Michigan voting patterns. David Dulio, a political science professor at Oakland University, analyzed the state’s role as a swing region in national politics. He outlined factors that make election outcomes difficult to forecast with high certainty. The broadcast ran on the local public radio network serving the state.