While Michigan’s gubernatorial race between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and DeVos-supported Tudor Dixon gets the most media attention, the matchups for attorney general and secretary of state also carry dire consequences for anyone who cares about protecting our democracy.

MEA strongly recommends re-electing Dana Nessel for attorney general and Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state, based on both their respective accomplishments as well as the startling unfitness of their opponents.

For Attorney General: Dana Nessel

Dana Nessel has built her distinguished legal career on standing up for the little guy, and as attorney general, she’s been a steadfast defender of everyday people over corporate special interests. She’s built an impressive track record of accomplishments on behalf of consumers, educators, students and marginalized populations, and she’s worked closely with MEA on school safety measures and efforts to disrupt the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

Nessel’s opponent, political extremist Matthew DePerno, is challenging Nessel for the role of Michigan’s top law enforcement officer despite himself being under criminal investigation for stealing and tampering with voting equipment.

DePerno is one of Michigan’s leading election-deniers, even meeting with Donald Trump the same day of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection to help formulate a secret plan for overturning the 2020 election.

That wasn’t the first time DePerno landed himself in hot water. He was fired from one law firm for “fraud and dishonesty” after padding client billings for his own benefit. A few years later, he was sued for physically assaulting an elderly client who’d just lost his house in a fire — and then trying to foreclose on the elderly man’s new home.

For Secretary of State: Jocelyn Benson

As one of the nation’s leading experts on election law and voter protection, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has made safeguarding citizens’ right to vote a cornerstone of her public service. In her first term, Benson has modernized elections in Michigan and made it easier for legal voters to cast their votes. She’s also led hundreds of local election audits to help ensure that every legal vote is counted, whether cast by a Republican, Democrat or independent.

The contrast between Benson and her opponent, fringe political activist Kristina Karamo, couldn’t be starker. Much like Dixon and DePerno, Karamo is a notorious election denier, having toured the nation with other conspiracy theorists — like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell — to spread false claims that Trump won the 2020 election. She even signed onto a brief seeking to allow the GOP-controlled state Legislature to overturn Michigan’s election results.

Karamo’s efforts to spread disinformation aren’t limited to elections; she’s also attacked public school educators, LGBTQ kids and others with wild-eyed conspiracy claims, calling those she disagrees with “agents of Satan.”