NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

We noted months ago that the name of Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson was being kicked around in spitball sessions about who might throw their name in the hat come 2026 for the office of Michigan governor in that Gretchen Whitmer would be term limited from the office. Swanson got more than his 15 minutes of fame, in broadcast and print, the telegenic sheriff discarded his riot gear in 2020 and with his deputies joined a George Floyd protest march in Flint. The third generation of his family to work in law enforcement, Swanson has 27 years in the department, five as sheriff, in the fifth largest such department in the state. He appeared in political commercials for Joe Biden before he dropped out of the presidential race. But not to worry. Swanson has endorsed Kamala Harris and actually gained national exposure with a short speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention this summer. He could well be up against some other strong aspiring governor hopefuls, among  them SOS Jocelyn Benson, Oakland County state senator Mallory McMorrow and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.