Jocelyn Benson, MI Democrats, Face Mounting Pressure Over Treatment of Black Leaders

Lansing, MI – A scathing op-ed released today by The Midwesterner takes Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Michigan Democrats to task for their treatment of Black Democrat leaders. The piece was penned by C.L. Byrant, a retired pastor, filmmaker, political consultant, and former NAACP chapter president who grew up in the Jim Crow South. He did not mince words in his piece:

Just to be clear, Michigan’s Democratic establishment forced an accomplished Black voice out of their gubernatorial race in favor of a white woman whose current leadership has been marred by accusations of racial discrimination against Black Michiganders. It’s a pattern of disrespect, not only towards Gilchrist, but towards the same voters Michigan Democrats are going to again ask for support in 2026.

Bryant’s op-ed comes on the heels of other leaders in Michigan calling out the same behavior. Last month, Martell Bivings, a Detroit-based civics leader, called out Michigan Democrats in The Detroit News:

By now, the pattern is clear. For Democratic leaders, maintaining power has taken precedence over accountability to Black communities. Black voters are treated as a guaranteed base, while Black political leadership is managed, redirected, or sidelined when it becomes inconvenient.

Republican candidate for the 8th Congressional District Amir Hassan had more examples, including the Democrat establishment’s treatment of Pamela Pugh. He released a statement in January pointing out the hypocrisy of Michigan Democrats:

I'm not the only one who realizes what that reservation is, they don’t care about us, our families or issues, they only care about perpetuating their own power. This is a message to all my friends in Flint, after 50 years in power here, what have the Democrats done for us?

“Michigan Democrats clearly have an issue with how they treat Black voices in their own party,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “Time and again, Democrat leaders like Garlin Gilchrist are pushed aside, and people in and outside of Michigan are noticing.”