99 "Friends of Retail" Advance in Michigan 2026 Primaries

Ninety-nine candidates who received Michigan Retailers Association’s “Friend of Retail” designation advanced in Tuesday’s primary elections. Seventy-two State House candidates and twenty-seven State Senate candidates will now face challengers in the general election on Tuesday, November 3. This season’s Friends of Retail include both Republicans and Democrats from around the state who were judged based on their survey responses or key votes on top retail issues.

🔗 For the complete list of Friends of Retail, visit MRA’s 2026 Election Insight Hub.

One of the highest-profile races in the country took place in Michigan yesterday, with former public health official Abdul El-Sayed narrowly beating U.S. Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for the open U.S. Senate seat. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson handily bested Genessee County Sheriff Chris Swanson to secure the Democratic nomination for governor, while Congressman John James held off a well-funded challenge from outsider Perry Johnson to become the Republican gubernatorial nominee.

MRA will continue to support candidates at the state and federal level who align on key retail issues, including dynamic pricing, business taxes, organized retail crime, and more.