“None of [Trump’s] endorsed candidates have ever won statewide office, including James, who lost his two bids for U.S. Senate.”
LANSING — New reporting from The Detroit Free Press underscores how Donald Trump’s endorsement is the “800-pound gorilla” in the wide-open Michigan Republican primary for governor and that each of the candidates are embracing Trump’s agenda in hopes of getting his support—no matter how much he hurts Michiganders.
Two-time statewide loser John James, self-funder Perry Johnson, 2010 failed gubernatorial candidate Mike Cox, and irrelevant Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt have been embracing Trump and his cost-raising policies—even as Trump’s polling is deeply underwater in the state and two-thirds of Michiganders say that prices have risen because of Trump.
Columnist M.L. Elrick wrote that “the most important voter to every Republican running for governor in Michigan is actually registered in Florida, and his name is Donald J. Trump.” Elrick examined how each of the candidates has engaged in the “sincerest form of flattery,” including decking their campaign websites out with pictures of Trump, 4747 gimmicks, and promising to back Trump’s agenda.
Each of the candidates has lined up behind Trump’s policies—with James voting in Congress to cut Medicaid, Johnson praising Trump’s tax law while trying to emulate Trump, Cox trumpeting his time as Trump’s lawyer, and Nesbitt shamelessly saying that Trump is his favorite author. As the candidates curry favor with Trump, The Free Press noted that no candidate endorsed by him has ever won statewide office in Michigan.
With a costly and contentious Republican primary setting up a summer of GOP chaos, top Michigan Republicans believe Trump won’t endorse in the primary—leaving the race fully up for grabs. MAGA Speaker Matt Hall said, “I think it’s a wide-open race. I have no indication that he will endorse,” while MIGOP Chair Jim Runestad said, “I would be surprised if the president weighed in.”
“Instead of looking out for Michigan families, the Republican candidates for governor are spending all their time racing to the right trying to earn any little bit of attention they can get from Donald Trump,” said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. “Whether Trump endorses or not in this chaotic primary, whichever Republican candidate emerges will be tied to Trump’s harmful agenda of raising prices and cutting healthcare.”
Read more below:
Detroit Free Press: In a heated Michigan GOP race for governor, Trump looms large
Detroit Free Press: Voter Michigan GOP governor candidates covet is registered in Florida
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