LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s race for attorney general is drawing increased national attention as Republican and Democratic organizations pour resources into a closely contested election to replace term-limited Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Republican Doug Lloyd, the longtime Eaton County prosecutor, is challenging Democrat Eli Savit, the Washtenaw County prosecutor, in a contest that internal polling from both parties shows separated by only a few percentage points.
With the Nov. 3 election approaching, the Republican Attorneys General Association has identified Michigan as a major opportunity to capture an attorney general’s office currently held by Democrats.
Internal polling conducted for the Republican organization by OnMessage Inc. found Savit receiving 43.8% support compared with 42.2% for Lloyd, with approximately 14% undecided.
A separate internal survey conducted by Global Strategy Group for the Democratic Attorneys General Association showed Savit ahead 43% to 40%.
Both results place the candidates within the surveys’ margins of error, illustrating the competitiveness of a race that has received substantially less attention than Michigan’s contests for governor and U.S. Senate.
Independent public polling has also shown a narrow contest.
A September survey commissioned by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV found Savit at 36.3% and Lloyd at 35%, with nearly 29% undecided. The poll surveyed 600 likely voters and had a margin of error of four percentage points.
An October survey by Mitchell Research & Communications found the candidates tied at 36%, with additional voters supporting minor-party candidates or remaining undecided.
The Republican Attorneys General Association has spent more than $1.6 million supporting Lloyd and is seeking another $2 million from national donors for the final weeks of the campaign.
The organization has portrayed Savit as too progressive for Michigan, emphasizing his criminal justice policies and attempting to connect him politically with the state’s more liberal Democratic candidates.
National Republican strategists have argued that the attorney general contest presents a competitive opportunity despite a broader political environment that could prove challenging for their party.
Democrats have also invested heavily in defending the seat.
Sean Rankin, president of the Democratic Attorneys General Association, said his organization began investing early in Michigan and remains confident in its campaign strategy.
“I don’t think they can spend significantly and change the fundamental dynamics of the race,” Rankin said. “We made a real smart early investment in the state. We knew we needed to get things set early and Eli has been a great candidate.”
The contest has attracted substantial attention from corporate donors as state attorneys general increasingly influence major regulatory and legal disputes involving energy companies, artificial intelligence, technology platforms and health care.
Both national attorney general associations have reported record fundraising during the election cycle.
Lloyd has served as Eaton County’s elected prosecuting attorney since 2013, building his campaign around his experience in criminal prosecution and law enforcement.
He has emphasized public safety, consumer protection and holding state agencies accountable.
During a Sept. 28 debate, Lloyd said he would take an aggressive approach toward utility companies seeking higher rates and supported additional regulations governing large data centers.
The rapid expansion of data centers has become a significant issue in Michigan as residents and businesses debate electricity costs, infrastructure investments and how utilities should allocate expenses associated with new industrial demand.
Savit, who has served as Washtenaw County prosecutor since 2021, has emphasized consumer protection, civil rights and criminal justice reform.
He has proposed using the attorney general’s authority to challenge utility rate increases and strengthen oversight of artificial intelligence applications that could affect consumer prices and privacy.
The candidates have also taken different positions on several high-profile legal disputes.
Savit has said he would continue Michigan’s litigation involving Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline, while Lloyd has said he would not pursue that litigation.
Both candidates have expressed support for investigating alleged misconduct involving government agencies regardless of which political party controls the governor’s office.
The race is particularly significant because the attorney general oversees Michigan’s legal representation, consumer protection enforcement and major investigations involving state government and private businesses.
Nessel, first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, cannot seek another term because of Michigan’s term limits.
Her departure creates an open-seat election at a time when legal disputes between states and the federal government have become increasingly prominent.
Michigan has been one of the nation’s more closely contested political states in recent election cycles, with voters demonstrating a willingness to support candidates from both major parties.
The presidential election results illustrate that competitiveness. President Donald Trump carried Michigan narrowly in 2024 after Democrat Joe Biden won the state in 2020.
The final result will determine not only Michigan’s next chief legal officer but also the direction of the state’s legal challenges and regulatory enforcement for the next four years.