Transcript: Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 6, 2026
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Updated on: September 6, 2026 / 2:38 PM EDT / CBS News
The following is the transcript of the interview with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Democratic nominee for governor, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sept. 6, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who is the Democratic nominee for governor in Michigan. Good morning to you.
SECRETARY OF STATE JOCELYN BENSON: Good morning. Thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure. I want to get to that issue of affordability. A new University of Michigan analysis revealed 40% of the state's population struggles to pay for basic necessities. Is that affordability issue something you can improve on as governor?
SEC. BENSON: Yes. Well, first, thanks for having me. And affordability is the centerpiece of our campaign. Our campaign is ultimately about driving down costs, growing our economy so that we can increase well-paying jobs in our state, protecting democracy and ending corruption. And everywhere I go in Michigan, I hear heartbreaking stories about choices that residents are having to make. Moms having to choose between whether to pay for food or childcare. Seniors on a fixed income trying to decide how they're going to still pay for medicine with these rising costs. The next governor of Michigan must address these, and I've done that as Secretary of State. I know how to fix broken systems. I've run our state agencies well. I've improved our democracy. I improved our Department of Motor Vehicles in a way that has saved people time, saved people money and made their lives easier. I've done that as Secretary of State. I'm ready to do that as Governor.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, one of the challenges in Michigan, of course, is the fact that a large portion of your state's exports, 36%, go north to Canada. On Tuesday, Canada's tariffs on steel and aluminum products, U.S.-made dairy and appliances will go into effect as part of this trade dispute. It's going to be between 15 to 50% on $20 billion worth of American-made goods. How much is that going to hit Michigan?
SEC. BENSON: It already has. I mean, since Trump took office, we've seen our- our expenses go up, and these tariffs, particularly with Canada, have increased prices in Michigan more than any other state. The average Michigan family is paying $5,600 more. That's a tax on our groceries. That's a tax on our small businesses, on gas. And- and what's frustrating to me in this race is that my opponent has been fully supportive of these tariffs. He's voted multiple times in support of them instead of in support of the people of Michigan. That is cowardice, and that is not leadership. And Michiganders need a governor--
SEC. BENSON: --who will lower their costs and stand up to the president, as I've done as Secretary of State.
SEC. BENSON: So I announced this week my intention as governor to ensure we're negotiating subnational agreements, partnering with other governors if necessary, to ensure we're developing ways to, in spite of the federal government's best efforts to drive up costs--
SEC. BENSON: --with these taxes and tariffs, negotiate subnational agreements that will drive down costs and protect the people of Michigan. That's what we need the next governor to be able to do, and that's what I've done and will do as governor.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, your Republican competitor was on this program last weekend. He said he doesn't want more trade dispute and will talk to the White House about it. You just said subnational agreements, but practically speaking, how at the state level can you do anything to cancel out the costs coming from the federal government's dispute?
SEC. BENSON: Well, first, it's important to note my- my opponent could talk a good game, but the bottom line is he's either been silent or he's voted for these tariffs. And that means we call these tariffs in Michigan the John James tax. Because of his actions, because of his inability to stand up to the president as a congressman, we are hit with these taxes, we are hit with these increased prices, and he has to take responsibility for that instead of running away from it. But in addition to that, subnational agreements are things that governors in other states have already talked about and negotiated to drive down costs when the federal government won't do that. So, as governor, I can meet with officials in Canada and identify specific ways we can ensure trade between--
SEC. BENSON: --Michigan and Canada gets around these tariffs, reduces costs. And in particular, when it comes to our auto industry, we need a governor who's going to stand up for our auto workers, who's going to stand up for this critical industry in our state, and ensure that our partners to the north are working with us collectively--
SEC. BENSON: --to create jobs and drive down costs. That's what a subnational agreement can help guarantee.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Just quickly, what vote are you talking about? Because most of the tariffs have come from executive action.
SEC. BENSON: There was a vote in February in Congress in which our- my opponent voted in support of these tariffs. And also notably, he's been consistently asked on the trail if he would stand up and do anything--
SEC. BENSON: --about these, and he's been silent on them, both as a congressman as a- and as a candidate for governor.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah. Let me ask you about your current job. Two million Michiganders vote by mail. Ballots go out on the 19th, and a federal judge again this past Friday blocked the postal service from enforcing President Trump's new mail ballot rules. He tried to put those in through executive order. Do you see any impact on voting in your state?
SEC. BENSON: Well, first we have to see this as the latest attempt by this Trump administration to try to create chaos and confusion about our democracy. We've been battling this for the better part of six years now since 2020. And…
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