James is “disappointing President Trump” by running for governor
LANSING — Republican State Rep. Matt Maddock threw even more chaos in the already crowded and messy GOP primary for governor by telling WKAR’s Off The Record today that Donald Trump will not be endorsing John James’ campaign for governor — and that Trump and JD Vance are “not happy with [James] right now.”
Maddock’s comments come after Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Mike Rogers said last week that James “would get a lot of support” if he didn’t run for governor.
Trump told James in June that he’s not happy with him running for governor: “John James. John James. I don’t know.Do we have someone good to take your seat? Because otherwise we’re not letting him run for governor.”
James’ primary rivals Mike Cox and Aric Nesbitt have both attacked James, with Cox calling him “Job Jumping John James” and attacking him for his history of trashing Trump. Nesbitt said “a lot of folks were disappointed” in James running for governor after “how much work they did to get the Congressman elected to Congress.”
Detroit News: Maddock: John James should run for the House, not governor
- State Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford, contended during a Friday television appearance that President Donald Trump wants U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, to run for re-election instead of campaigning to be Michigan’s next governor.
- Maddock became the latest in a line of prominent Michigan Republicans to publicly discourage incumbent U.S. House members from seeking other offices next year, amid concerns about their party’s chances of keeping power in the chamber. The Republicans have a narrow House majority where they only can afford to lose four votes and still pass legislation without Democratic support.
- “President Trump wants John James to stay in Congress,” Maddock said during a taping of WKAR’s “Off The Record.”
- During an “Overtime” segment, Maddock, a longtime ally of the Republican president, also said Trump wouldn’t endorse James for governor, but Maddock declined to say how he knew about Trump’s feelings on the subject.
- “I’ve got President Trump’s back, and I think he should stay out of the governor’s race and stick it out in the House,” Maddock said about James at another point.
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