Republican Governors Association Hits Benson With New Ad

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 09/02/2026) Michigan Victory Fund launched a second broadcast and cable television ad against Jocelyn Benson that is expected to start today across most of the designated market areas (DMAs) of Michigan.

The advertisement, named “More Failure,” goes after the Southern Poverty Law Center ties and claims that Democrats have controlled “every statewide office” for eight years. The Michigan Victory Fund has spent nearly $5 million on advertising since January, and the current ad buy is nearly $1.2 million.

The current commercial is slated to run in the Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek DMA and Detroit DMA, where the Michigan Victory Fund has spent most of the funding for the election cycle.

The commercial is also expected to run on cable television in the Detroit, Lansing and Flint-Saginaw-Bay City DMAs.

Overall, this is the largest Republican advertising spend in the governor's race in September. Democrats outspent Republicans within the first two days of the month, with more than $35.1 million coming from Democrats and nearly $2 million from the GOP.

Overall, since January, Republicans have outspent Democrats. Nearly $60 million was spent by the GOP compared to the more than $37.3 million spent by the Democrats, although the Republicans had an expensive, competitive primary, whereas the Democrats did not. More than $32.1 million of that money was spent by Perry Johnson alone trying to win the primary campaign against U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township).