Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit announced Tuesday he’s running for Michigan attorney general in 2026, casting himself as a champion for civil rights and working people in a campaign rooted in progressive legal reform.
“Our constitutional rights are under attack, and we can’t afford to back down,” Savit said in a statement. “As attorney general, my job will be to stand between Michiganders and those trying to take their rights away — whether it’s extremist politicians in Washington, corporate polluters contaminating our environment, or shady businesses ripping off workers and consumers.”
Savit, 42, was elected prosecutor in 2020 after serving as senior legal counsel to the city of Detroit. A former law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor, he helped lead Detroit’s lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and played a key role in a right-to-literacy settlement that brought nearly $100 million to the city’s public schools.
As prosecutor, Savit has drawn national attention for his reform-oriented agenda. He eliminated the use of cash bail, stopped prosecuting low-level drug offenses like simple possession of marijuana and psychedelics, and created diversion programs to reduce incarceration for nonviolent offenders. He also established Michigan’s only Economic Justice Unit to pursue wage theft and consumer fraud, and launched new units dedicated to prosecuting sexual assault and domestic violence.
Savit has been outspoken in his defense of reproductive freedom, joining coalitions to protect abortion access in state and federal courts. He also partnered with the ACLU and University of Michigan to audit his office’s decisions for racial disparities, part of an ongoing effort to increase transparency and fairness in prosecutions.
In his announcement, Savit warned that renewed efforts under President Donald Trump threaten hard-won rights and protections.
“The Trump administration is seeking to strip our communities of their fundamental freedoms, including our right to vote and to speak our minds without fear,” Savit said. “They are decimating the agencies that protect workers’ rights to organize, and protect vulnerable consumers. The Attorney General is uniquely situated to fight back, in court, against federal overreach. And I’ll do so whenever Michiganders are placed at risk.”
Savit’s campaign said he has already secured endorsements from more than 60 elected and community leaders, including 15 current state legislators, former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes, Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, and state Sen. Stephanie Chang.
Savit said he’s also ready to tackle local issues.
“We also need to address harms that are closer to home – whether it’s a slumlord taking advantage of tenants, a business ripping off its workers, or a scammer taking advantage of seniors,” Savit said. “I’ve litigated for the people throughout my career, and I’ll continue to do so as Attorney General.”
Unlike many statewide offices in Michigan, the nominee for attorney general isn’t chosen by voters in a primary election. Instead, the Michigan Democratic and Republican parties select their candidate at a convention, where thousands of delegates gather to vote on endorsements for attorney general, secretary of state, and other down-ballot races.
