Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox launches bid for governor, touts tax cuts and school choice

Republican candidate points to blue collar upbringing, prosecutorial experience, and economic reform in 2026 campaign

LANSING, Mich. — Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox says eliminating the state income tax and expanding school choice would be central goals of his administration if elected governor in 2026, arguing those changes are necessary to stop population loss and revive the state’s economy.

Click here to look at Mike Cox campaign platform.

Cox, a Republican who served as Michigan’s 52nd attorney general from 2003 to 2011, discussed his background, record, and policy priorities in a wide ranging interview, pointing to his upbringing in a blue collar Detroit neighborhood as formative to his political views

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Cox said he grew up in Redford Township as the son of Irish immigrant parents, with a father who worked as a carpenter and a mother who worked as a maid. He described his childhood as working class, saying his family struggled financially during his early years.

After high school, Cox joined the U.S. Marine Corps, where he said he gained leadership experience before returning to Michigan and working his way through college and law school. He later became a Wayne County prosecutor, eventually overseeing homicide prosecutions in Detroit.

Cox said his years as a prosecutor shaped his conservative views, particularly on education and criminal justice. He cited experiences involving young crime victims and witnesses who struggled academically, saying those encounters led him to support charter schools and school choice initiatives.

During his time as attorney general, Cox said one of his proudest accomplishments was expanding enforcement of child support laws. He said the program focused on parents who had the means to pay but did not, and that it helped collect hundreds of millions of dollars for families across the state.

Cox also criticized the current attorney general, accusing the office of becoming overly political. He pointed to venue decisions in high profile cases and said prosecutorial discretion should be guided by ethics rather than partisanship.

On the economy, Cox said Michigan’s income tax places the state at a disadvantage compared with states such as Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. He argued that eliminating the tax would allow small businesses to reinvest, hire more workers, and attract new employers.

Cox also criticized Michigan’s use of taxpayer funded incentives to lure large corporations, saying states with lower taxes and fewer regulations are outperforming Michigan without relying on subsidies.

Education, he said, remains the other pillar of his campaign. Cox argued that improving literacy and expanding parental choice would help rebuild the workforce and encourage families to stay in the state.

On energy policy, Cox said Michigan residents are paying higher utility costs because of mandates requiring increased use of wind and solar energy. He said he would seek to roll back renewable portfolio standards and restore local zoning authority over energy projects.

Cox said he would support reinstating right to work laws if they reached his desk, arguing that Michigan should welcome both union and nonunion jobs.

Asked whether he could govern with a divided Legislature, Cox said his experience as attorney general under a Democratic governor prepared him to use negotiation and the governor’s bully pulpit to advance his agenda.

Cox announced his campaign on Tax Day and said his platform focuses on tax reform, education, energy costs, public safety, and economic growth. He said Republican primary voters should consider his previous statewide election victories and experience outside government as evidence he can win a general election.

“I have beaten Democrats statewide before,” Cox said. “If people want real change and want their kids to have a future here in Michigan, I believe I am the candidate who can deliver that.”