Lansing — President Donald Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. John James on Monday to be Michigan’s next governor, providing a significant boost to the Shelby Township Republican’s chances in the Aug. 4 primary election.
Trump announced his decisions to support James for governor, Republican Michael Bouchard for the 10th Congressional District and Republican Amir Hassan for the 8th Congressional District in posts on Truth Social, three days before the absentee voting window opens on Thursday in Michigan.
“A West Point Graduate, Combat Pilot, Brave Iraq War Veteran, Successful Businessman and Job Creator, and now, as a Highly Respected U.S. Congressman, John has proven he has the Courage and Wisdom to deliver strong results for the incredible people of his wonderful State, and our Nation,” Trump wrote in his social media post.
While James, a second-term congressman and former U.S. Senate candidate, has been a longtime ally of Trump, some Michigan Republicans had contended that Trump wanted James to run for reelection in his battleground U.S. House district instead of for the state’s top political office. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House.
Trump’s decision tossed water on those arguments. It also likely hampered the campaigns of the three other Republican candidates for governor who had all been promoting their ties to the president.
A little over two hours after Trump announced his endorsement of James, Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt of Porter Township ended his campaign for governor and backed James. Nesbitt had been polling last in the race.
“A divided primary only helps Democrats. It’s time to unite. I’m asking every one of you who supported this campaign to stand with me behind John James, roll up our sleeves, and deliver a Republican victory in November,” Nesbitt wrote.
Former Attorney General Mike Cox of Livonia and businessman Perry Johnson of Bloomfield Hills are the remaining contenders for the GOP nomination for governor.
Bouchard of Rochester Hills has been locked in a competitive four-candidate GOP primary race to replace James in the 10th District, which covers southern Macomb County and Rochester and Rochester Hills in Oakland County. Lawyer Robert Lulgjuraj of Sterling Heights has been widely viewed as Bouchard’s top primary opponent. Bouchard is the son of the longtime Oakland County sheriff, Mike Bouchard.
Hassan of Flint has two Republican competitors in his primary. The winner will face incumbent U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, in the general election.
Trump nod roils waters in primary where millions of dollars have been spent
In the gubernatorial primary, Johnson has spent millions of dollars on advertisements since launching his bid in January. His commercials have said Michigan needs a governor like Trump and have touted his plan to eliminate the income tax, claiming it would return an estimated $4,747 annually to the average family of four. Trump is the 47th president.
Likewise, Nesbitt’s campaign has previously put out materials that said, “Trump was right about everything.”
In a Monday statement, Cox vowed to press on with his campaign.
“Our momentum is strong, and our fight continues,” Cox said. “Like President Trump, I’ve won Michigan twice by building a coalition of working Michiganders who are sick of being screwed by the elites.
“I look forward to being President Trump’s favorite governor when I win.”
Johnson said Trump had received bad advice.
“Across the country, Republican voters are proving that an endorsement alone does not decide a governor’s race,” Johnson said. “Michigan is on track to continue the trend we have seen in states like Iowa and Georgia, and tomorrow South Carolina, where voters rejected bad advice and chose the candidate they believed could actually win.”
But pundits predicted Trump’s endorsement would carry James to victory in 43 days, as it did in James’ first campaign for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.
Andrea Bitely, a public relations consultant based in Michigan, tweeted about Trump’s endorsement, “That’s how the Michigan GOP gubernatorial primary ended.”
And David Dulio, a political science professor at Oakland University, said Trump’s move was a game-changer and meant the primary race was effectively over.
“Trump continues to have incredible sway and influence with the Republican base and, I just think, this just puts James over the top,” Dulio said.
Likewise, former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard, a Republican who’s supporting James, said Trump’s backing made it clear James would be the party’s nominee for governor.
“Now is the time for Republicans to unite behind his candidacy and focus on winning in November,” Leonard wrote on X.
The GOP primary isn’t necessarily over, some Republicans argue
However, Dennis Lennox, a Republican Michigan political consultant, argued that the primary wasn’t necessarily over.
“The question is whether the other candidates consolidate behind one anti-James candidate,” Lennox said Monday. “Neither Nesbitt nor Cox has the money to overcome this endorsement. Perry Johnson has the resources to stay in the race until the very end and make this far more competitive than many Republicans expect.”
Four years ago, Trump endorsed businesswoman and commentator Tudor Dixon to be Michigan’s governor, just four days before the primary election.
Dixon ended up winning the Republican nomination with about 40% of the vote in a five-candidate race. She lost the general election to incumbent Democrat Gretchen Whitmer by 10 percentage points, 44%-54%.
Whitmer can’t seek reelection because of term limits.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of Detroit and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson of Fenton are seeking the Democratic nomination.
In a statement Monday, Curtis Hertel Jr., chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, labeled James, who lost his 2018 and 2020 U.S. Senate races, “a two-time statewide loser who while in D.C. has voted in lockstep with Donald Trump’s agenda of raising gas and grocery costs, cutting healthcare, and wreaking havoc on Michigan’s economy.”
Benson’s campaign manager, Nikki Goldschein, said James had spent the last year focused on winning Trump’s approval.
“That comes as no surprise,” Goldschein said. “These two failed D.C. politicians have worked in lockstep to make life more expensive for Michigan families.”
