← Election Series · State Legislature coverage · Michigan districts
Endorses Strong
The race
One state House seat is at stake in Michigan's House District 78, for a two-year term. The seat is open: the incumbent, Gina Johnsen (Republican), is not on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot. The district's 2024 presidential baseline was R+30.6 (Wikipedia results summary). The confirmed general-election roster, from the Michigan Department of State candidate list, is: Brandon L. Strong (Republican); Rachel Gross (Democratic); Ben DeJong (Libertarian).
Brandon L. Strong (R), nominee. Brandon L. Strong is the Republican nominee on the Department of State general-election list.
Pros: The Republican nominee in a race against a party-line Democrat; aligned with the values this publication exists to advance. Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record; where the nominee has not previously served, the record is thin by definition — that is unproven, not a demerit. The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.
Rachel Gross (D), nominee. Rachel Gross is the Democratic nominee on the Department of State general-election list.
Pros: A willing nominee giving the district a choice on the ballot. Cons: No documented break with the Democratic Party toward this publication's values was located in the compiled record — no Manchin-test break. The organizing vote carries lighter weight in the House than in the Senate, but it still counts toward a Democratic majority. The flaw, plainly: Enabler class, not extremist — a reliable party-line vote, which is the standing reason the exception for a Democrat is not earned here.
Ben DeJong (Libertarian), nominee. Ben DeJong appears on the Department of State general-election list as the Libertarian nominee.
Pros: Gives voters an additional option on the ballot. Cons: No record at this publication's sourcing depth was located from which a Manchin-test break or a proven flaw could be established. The flaw, plainly: Insufficient record located at this sourcing depth; no proven flaw was located.
OUR CALL
We endorse Brandon L. Strong (R) — as unproven, and on watch. No proven flaw was located in the Republican nominee's compiled record, and he has not previously served in this office, so the endorsement carries the unproven form: support, with the record to be watched. The Democratic nominee is a party-line vote with no Manchin-test break located.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- Michigan Department of State, 2026 general election candidate list (November 3, 2026), as reproduced in Michigan 2026 General Election Guide, Michigan Republican Primary (state record checked October 8/15, 2026) — confirmed general-election roster, parties, filing methods — https://michiganrepublicanprimary.com/michigan-2026-general-election-guide/
- Wikipedia, "2026 Michigan House of Representatives election" — results summary: incumbent, incumbent party, open-seat markers, 2024 presidential baseline by district — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Michigan_House_of_Representatives_election
- Record gaps: no district-level legislative voting records, campaign-finance figures, or biographies beyond the offices and facts printed above were verified for the nominees in this district at this sourcing depth; no competitiveness rating for this individual district was published in the sources consulted (chamber-level ratings only)
- Standing check: no pedophile-association material meeting the proven standard (knowing association with or defense of a convicted pedophile) was located for any candidate on this ballot
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.
← All Michigan state-legislative districts · Full state-legislative enumeration