All around the country, interest in the races for the office of state Attorney General appears to be at an all-time high.
True, some A.G. races are not on the ballot this year, and some never will be — a few states appoint them. But 31 A.G. races are being contested in 2026 amidst unprecedented turnover. There are 12 open seats, partly because six Attorneys General are running for other offices, particularly governor and U.S. Senator. A record amount of campaign cash is pouring into A.G. campaigns — over $40 million at latest count.
The most recent Michigan Attorney General to go on to higher office was Jennifer Granholm, who served as A.G. from 1999-2002, and as governor from 2003-2010. One of the state’s better governors, Alexander J. Groesbeck, served as A.G. during World War I and then as a three-term governor from 1921-26.
Because an A.G. is the state’s chief law enforcement officer, whoever holds the job makes a big difference not just for individual Michiganders but for businesses. This cycle could reshape the regulatory landscape. From tariffs and taxes to immigration, AI, data privacy, consumer protection, and antitrust, state Attorneys General increasingly set the tone for national policy — and the stakes have never been higher.
In Michigan, the two major party candidates competing this year for an open seat (incumbent Dana Nessel is term-limited) are Democrat Eli Savit, currently the Washtenaw Co. Prosecuting Attorney, and Republican Doug Lloyd, who holds the same job in Eaton Co.
One thing we know for sure — neither of them can be in it for the money. Whoever is elected Attorney General on November 3, the victor will be taking a significant pay cut from what he currently receives as a County Prosecutor.
Savit’s annual salary in Washtenaw Co. is $181,334. Lloyd’s in Eaton Co. is 141,689. Amazingly, the Michigan A.G. pays only $112,400 annually.
How could this happen?
Let’s start with the the State Officers Compensation Commission (SOCC), which sets the salary for the Attorney General, with the approval of the Legislature. The SOCC was created in 1968 after Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment.
As noted above, Doug Lloyd, the Republican AG nominee, is currently the Eaton County Prosecutor. His base salary as County Prosecutor is $141,689, which is higher than the SOCC recommendation.
That prompted a campaign finance complaint filed with the Secretary of State by campaign finance watchdog Bob LaBrant. That led to a SoS determination that Savit’s use of a public body’s resources for his political activities was a likely violation of Section 57 of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. Savit said in news reports he has procured an alternative non-public vehicle for his use during the remainder of the campaign. The Department and Savit have until December, after the election, to resolve the complaint informally through conciliation.
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“Sabato’s Crystal Ball” calls this AG race a “toss-up” and polling shows the two in a dead heat statistically.
Drop Site News recently reported a criminal prosecution that could be damaging to Savit’s chances, however:
” A judge has thrown out felony embezzlement and false pretense charges against a pro-Palestinian University of Michigan student that alleged she used university funds to illegally purchase laptops for a student club.
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“Eli Savit, a progressive Jewish prosecutor, whose running for state attorney general brought the charges…………[h]e in part won because the progressive base views him as a break from Nessel and the political establishment’s unpopular prosecutions and positions on Israel.
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“Multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation said (U-M Police Sergeant) Cavanaugh’s warrant requests were highly unusual he bypassed administrative channels to resolve the issue………….”
Organizers of the Graduate Student Organization (GEO), who had been involved with tense labor negotiations with U-M involving the student as a union negotiator, strongly criticized the investigation and decision to initiate charges against that student. They characterized the charges as an attempt to stifle criticism of Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza.
GEO issued a statement:
“Despite the University of Michigan’s collaboration with Savit to repress Palestine solidarity and labor organizing a coalition of U-M students, faculty, staff, and community members organized for the case’s dismissal.”
This failed prosecution has been widely reported in the Arab-American community and it is feared Savit’s ascension to the position of Michigan Attorney General may amount to a continuation of Nessel’s policies which have been cited as abusive toward Muslims and the Arab-American communities.
In response to Leanne’s comments: I will be greatly surprised if Savit doesn’t win. In fact, I can’t think of any reasonable path for Lloyd.
The Democratic ticket looks on track to get 53% of the two-party vote, on the average, from to top of the ticket to the bottom. That’s simply baked in. Trump is driving it, but the polling is consistent nationally with a margin at least that large.
If Savit is ahead of Lloyd 53-to-47 among straight-ticket voters, Lloyd would need to carry the ticket-splitters overwhelmingly. For a non-incumbent, in a down-ballot race, that simply never happens.
Various people are picking at Savit, but nothing they’re talking about is likely to convince 100,000 voters to switch their votes, which is the magnitude of Lloyd’s baseline disadvantage. And Lloyd seems to have his own small public relations problem, involving (according to MLive) his use of a county contractor to pursue a private matter involving a million-dollar vacation home construction dispute.
I’m guessing that neither issue will move many voters, so Savit will simply win by about the same margin the entire Dem ticket does.
There has never been anyone as left-wing as Eli Savit to run for any state attorney general position and win.
He is similar in policy to District Attorneys Larry Krasner in Philadelphia and Chase Boudin in San Francisco.
Michigan voters outstate are conservative and will reject Savit’s policies.
Savit has ZERO law enforcement community endorsements – and there is the political cycle trend in Michigan that two-term incumbents that are term-limited virtually NEVER have their party re-elected.
Plus Nessel’s office has lost so many cases – there will be a desire by most moderates to elect a responsible GOP nominee.
I think you may agree Nessel’s record as AG is comparable to the 1962 New York Mets. No disrespect to Casey Stengel.